Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-06

kind OF blanched fascinated terror.
He came close to her, never taking
his eyes from hers then put his heavy
grimy hand under her chin and
turned her twitching face upward.
|chuckling. ....#.
"Aint afeard, damn me-" he said
with admiration. wouldn't skedad-
die with tn fine folks white-livered
young uns! Know who l am, don't
ye?" 'a.
"Greef King" Rickey's lips rather
formed than spoke the name.
Right. An I know you, too. Got
jes' tn same look ez when We wuzn't
no higher'n my knee. So we amt at
tn Dome no mo-. Ell? Purkle an fine
Inning an a eddication. Hobo!
Coin ter make We another ladyess like
the sweet ducky-dovey that rescooed
We from tn lovin'embrace O. yer fond
step-parent, eh?"
Rickey's small arm went suddenly
out and her fingers tore at his shirt
band Don't you," she burst in "a
paroxysm Of passion: don't you even
speak her name! If you do, III kill
you"
So fierce was her leap that he fell
he laughed loudly. "Why, We little
spittin' wile-cat!' he grinned.
He leaned suddenly, gripped her
wrist and covered her mouth tightly
with his palm. dragged her behind a
|clump Of dogwood bushes. A heavy
step was coming along the wood-path.
He held her motionless and breathless
in this cruel grip till the pedestrian
passed. 1t was Major Bristow, his
spruce white hat on the back Of his
head, his unsullied waistcoat dappled
with the leaf-shadows. He stepped
out briskly toward Damory Court.
swinging his stick, all unconscious Of
the fierce scrutiny bent On him from
behind the dogwoods.
Greet King did not withdraw his
hand till the steps had died in the dis
lance When he did, he clenched his
fist and shook it in the air. There
he goes!" he said with bitter hatred.
Eyer noble friend that sent me up for
six years t. break my heart on tn rock
pile. Oh, he's top-notcher, he is!
But he's got Greet King to reckon with
yit!" He looked at her balefully and
shook her.
"Look-a-yere," he said in kissing
voice "Ye remember me. I'm bad
one ter fool with. Yer nav foun' that
out. reckon Now yell. promise me
yell tell nobody who we've seen. I'm
only a tramp; dye hear?" He shook
her roughly. 49,. 49,.
Rickey's fingers and teeth were
clenched hard and Std no word. He
shook her again viciously, the blood
pouring into his SCARED face. aye
snivelin' brat, ye!' he snarled. "Ill
show yer!" He began to drag her
after him through the bushes. A few
yards and they were on the brink Of
the headlong ugly chasm of Lovers
Leap. She cast one desperate look
about her and shut her eyes. Catching
her about the waist he leaned over and
held her out In mid-air, as If she had
been a kitten. Eye amt seen me,
hev yer? Promise, or over We go. Ye
won't look so pretty when yere layin'
down there on them rocks!"
The child's face was paper-White and
she had begun to tremble, like a leaf,
but her eyes remained closed. g.,
"One-two-" he, counted deliber-
ately. .- p, F.,
Her eyes opened. She turned one
shuddering glance below, then her
resolution broke She clutched his
arm and broke into wild supplications.
az promise, promise!" she craid.
ooh. don't let go! promise!"
He sat her on the solid ground and
released her, looking at her with a
sneering laugh. Now We'll see eff ye
belong here or up ter -Half-Acre, !"
he said Fine folks keeps their prom
ises, I've heerd tell"
Hickey looked at him a moment
shaking; then she burst into a passion
of sobs and with her face averted
ran from him like a deer through the
bushes.
CHAPTER XIII
In the Rain.
Shirley stood looking out at the
rain. 1t was falling in no steady down.
pour which held forth promise Of end
ing, but with gentle constancy that
gave the hills a look Of sodden dis
comfort and made disconsolate miry
pools by the roadside. The clouds
were not too thick, however, to let
through a dismal gray brightness that
shone on the foliage and touched with
glistening lines Of high-light the drag
gled tufts Of the soaked bluegrass.
Now and then, across the dripping
fields, fraying skeins of mist wandered
to lie curdled in the flooded hollows
where, here and there, cattle stood
lowing at intervals in mournful key.
The indoors had become impossible
to her. She was sick of trying to
read, sick of the endless pacings and
purposeless invention of needless
tasks. She wanted movement the cob
webby mist about her knees, the wet
rain in her face. She ran upstairs
and came down clad in a close scarlet
jersey, with leather CATERS and a
soft hat.
Emmaline saw her thus accountered
with disapproval. "Lawdy- mercy,
chile!" she urged; "you amt goin'
out? It's rainin' cats en- dawgs!"
I'm neither sugar nor salt, Emma
line" responded Shirley listlessly,
dragging on her rain-coat, "and the
walk will do me good"
On the sopping lawn she glanced up
lat her mothers window. Since the
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