The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1913-05-01

make IL possible Tor uer 10 slip away
| before the ladies' can do what they're
! threatening to do. sir. She'll take it
| from you. knowing that her GRANDPA
ther was in your old regiment and that
| you're telling her for hel own good.
| where she might fare up and kick over
the traces il anybody else limited ut
such thing. Don't you think you
could work it, colonel?"
IF | do, Tom" replied Colonel Tod.
hunter, it'll be for old Rafe Doggett's
brought face to face with shame in bis
old age. Yes, I'll try to do it. Tom.
| But Id like to wiring the neck Of the
young rascal that's got old Rates.
granddaughter in such a mess. sub
In accordance with this promise Colo
mel Todhunter found opportunity to
speak with I.ottie-May Doggett. Very
! frankly he told her of the danger in
which she stood. The girl. vitality beau
tiful. apparently as constituencies as
some wild thing Of the woods. flashed
her hot resentment Of his words.
Il amt thankin you for what you've
! just said. Colonel Todhunter." she
cried 1t strikes me you're i'll mighty
small business to come to HE with this
story"
Il reckon ain, Lottie-May," agreed
Colonel Todhunter in ali honesty. But
wanted to save you ard your old
grandfather from shame. and that's
why done it"
The girls bosom was heaving with
passionate anger I'D just like to
know who it was that got you to
come and speak to me about it, she
exclaimed "Who was it, Colonel Tod
hunter? Was it one Of them ladies
what thinks | amt good enough now
to associate with their daughters: I've
got the right to ask you this. and do
ask it, Who sent you here. Colonel
Todhunter?"
1T wasn't none Of the ladies. LOttie-
May Colonel Todhunter made answer
without the slightest hesitation. 1T
was Tom Strickland He heard what
was gon' on, and he felt sorry for
you, the little girl he went to school
with when he was boy. And it
want meddlin on his part, either. 1t
was plumb good heartedness.
The girl shivered rs if she had been
struck. Tom Strickland" she re-
peated, almost as if speaking to her.
self Tom Strickland-of all men!
He's maxim love to Miss Mary Tod
hunter, your own daughter. And he
knows that I'd lay down and die for
him any day he give the word. And
it's Mrs. Todhunter that's been told OF
all this talk about me, and that's SOin'
to shame me here before all Nineveh!
! Oh, but it's a fine game you all are
| playin' to get me where l can't do no
harm to Tom Strickland or to your
daughter Mary. his sweetheart"
She stood rigid her hands clinched.
Then swiftly she spoke again. They
shan't ruin me this way!" she cried.
Neither Tom Strickland nor Miss
Mary Todhunter nor Mrs. Todhunter.
nor you. neither. II! bring you all to
law. I'll make Tom Strickland come
in for his share Of my trouble. Since
him and his sweetheart and his sweet
hearts mother have set the ball roll
in. he's got to face the music along
with me-
What do you mean" exclaimed
Colonel Todhunter.
All color had gone out Of the girls
face as she spoke.
':l'll show you what l mean she
half whispered. her fingers fiuttering
at her throat. IN show you. l amt
a good girl no more. Colonel Todhun-
ter. l amt itten to breathe the same
air with your daughter Mary. Tom
Strickland and the rest Of ems mighty
anxious to get me out Of the way. I'm
a-goin', too. But not till I've said my
little say to Mrs TOdhunter, sir. Not
till then-not even if judgment day and
hell itself come to me the next min
ute!"
''Stop that, LOttie-May" cried Colo
mel Todhunter sternly. You cant talk
that way without reason-and you ain't
got no reason to say what you've just
said about Tom Strickland!'
For reply the girl laughed in his
face-and the next instant she had
darted past him.
Her head high. her eyes flashing. her
little hands clnched at her side. her
frame all a-quiver with excitement.
Lottie- May sped ominOusly to where
Mrs. Todhunter stood with a group Of
other Nineveh ladies, Mary Todhunter
standing close behind her mother.
Mrs Todhunter.' said the outcast
girl, her eyes defantly holding those
of the person whom she addressed. II
understand that you want me to leave
this party because you think l amt
ftten to be here-that I'm bad wom-
an. Amt that 50, ma'am?"
Mrs. Todhunter was at first shocked
into shrinking from the girl. Then she
looked at her pityingly.
''Lottie- May" she replied, with a
frank dignity. I'm sorry you've made
such a scene. 1t is true that we think
Il + Dyyf I