Lower coast gazette., 1913-12-20
PoMTEALA.HACHE, LOUISIANA SATURDAY. BEGEMBER.2, 1918.

IL
What DO you mean, Molly-ocket?"
ne asked her. you had better go
down to the farm
Young squaw no like mel the. old
creature cried and laughed; then she
reverted to her request. "Me die pref
ty soon now, Joe," she said. ME go
long way. Never come back. Me
want show you something tonight.
You not have work SO hard, then, joe"
Cant you show me now?" he ask
ed. "Then you can go down to the
farm with me-"
ma! nal" she cried, laughing harsh
ing harshly. You come BACK when it
may be look. You come back when it
get dark, Joe. Then me show you.
Then you no have work hard."? !.
Somewhat mystified, the old squire
went on to his "knee' dfagging.H
Molly-ocket hung round there .alll
day, sitting under the overhanging
rock most of the time. At Don he
gave her half his luncheon. When he
started to go home, at five o'clock,
she was still there by the rocks:
you come back, Joe?" she called
out as he passed; and the old squire
reluctantly said he would; he knew
grandmother would not want him to
go.
w may be sure that grandmother
did mott. "Crazy old thing!!" she ex-
! claimed. "Who knows what she may
do off there in the woods? Don't trust
her. She might shoot you with that
great pistol of hers. Like as not she's
after your liver, joe, for some sort OF
heathen- charm. !.
But at that her husband only laughed.
"She won't hurt me, Ruth" he saiik
"She wants me to know about some
thing" -.
l.. Grandmother was far from being
convinced, but finding that the, old
squire had determined to go, she made
him take his gun. DO come. back as
soon as you cam" she urged. Don't
he. gone. later than ten o'clock. | shall
worry ever minute you are away"
The old squire promised and took
the gun, which, however, he hid beside
a log near the path before going far.
He had taken his lantern, but did not
light it.
Re Melly-ocket was still sitting by Cuff
fins Rock in the dark. She chuckled
as the old squire stumbled forward
and spoke, You brave man, joe" she
said. "You brave man, cause -yers
good man. Now you come"
She led the way on what proved a
tramp of fully six miles UP Luryey's
stream. HE old. squire had hads3bs
idea Of taking so long a jaunt; he sup
posed that Molly-ocket.had something
to, show him near Guffin's Rock; But
she went on and on7-for most of the
way in stolid silence.
The path grew SO bad at last that
the old squire was forced 3t6s light the
lantern and lead the way, while the
old squaw plodded on behind. He could
not but think Of grandmother's warn
ings and those liver 'yarns.:there was
now such a fine chance for the old
witch to send a bullet through him!
Those were but momentary fears, how
ever; he did not really believe Molly:
ocket was either treacherous or crazy,
but he disliked to go so far, and BE
up all night, after a hard days work.
Not to thwart the old creature, how.
ever, he. pushed on, with o and then
a cheering word, as he held the Ian.
tern for her in rough places-and al.
ways Molly.ncket said, asYou good man,
joe.
At last they came where the stream
brawls down a rocky gorge, and the
Canada path winds in and out among
huge rocks clad in great, tough Heath.
cry lichens. Here the water roared
loudly. It was an eery sort Of place,
and the old squire fairly jumped when
Molly-ocket suddenly grasped his arm
from behind, and said close to his ear,
You stop. Joe, and put out lantern
By the light he saw that her black
eyes were shining as if she were much
excited.
He blew out the lantern; and, then
for a long while-as much as fifteen
minutes-they stood in utter silence
the sQuaw evidently listening to learn
whether they. were ,being followed.
Reassured' at last, she turned and
crept back between two huge boul.
ders, craWled in beside a third. larger
sail, and then-as they were now com.
pletely surrounded by the rocks,-bade
joe light the lantern again. 1t was
an odd little nook, where floods on
the stream had washed a bee. Of coarse
gravel and pebbles, in which lay. a
rough, angular fragment Of stone, weigh
| -. 49, -. J--.l -. --I--LLN- . ~