The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1914-01-22

remember that I am conducting this
affair. respect the natural indigna.
ton Of an outraged father. but-ahem'
Cyrus. we are here to claim
Then do your claimln' inside. It's
kind Of chilly tonight. There's plenty
Of empty chairs. and we don't need 20
hold an overflow meetin'. Come ahead
in"
The trio looked at each other In
hesitation. Then Mr.. Atkins males
tically entered the dining room
Thomas and simpson followed him.
abe" observed Captain Cy to Leon.
ard. who was advancing toward the
steps. I'm sorry not to be hospitablc,
but there's too many OF you TO invite
at once. and faint polite to show par
TALLY You and the rest are welcome
to sit on the terrace or stroll round
the deer park. Good night"
He closed the door in the face of the
disappointed Abel and turned to the
three In the room.
We'll" he said. "out with II. You've
come to claim somethin, under
stand"
II come for my rightsr' shouted Mr.
Thomas.
yes? Well. this amt state prison
or I'D give 'em to you with pleasure.
Heman. you'd better do the talkin'
Wen probably get ahead faster"
The honorable cleared his throat and
waved his hand.
Cyrus" he began. you are my boy.
hood friend and my fellow townsman
and neighbor. Under such clrcum.
stances Il gives me pain
Then don't let us discuss painful
subjects. Let's get down TO business
You've come TO rescue Bos'n-Emily.
that is-from the 'robber'-rm quotin
Deacon Thomas bere-that's got her.
SOS TO turn her over TO her sorrowin'
father. Is that IL? Yes7 Well. you
can't have her-not yet"
Cyrus" said Mr. Atkins. I'm sor
~ to see that you take ii this way
You haven't the shadow Of a right
We have the law with Us. and your
conduct will lead us to invoke IT, The
constable Is outside. Shall call him
hY'
Uncle Bedny'' was the town con-
stable and had been since before the
war. The purely honorary Office was
given him each year as a joke. Cap
tain Cy grinned broadly. and even
Tad was obliged to smile
Don't be inhuman. Heman." urged
the captain. You wouldn't turn me
over TO be manhandled by Uncle Bed
ny, would your
This is not a humorous affair." be-
gan the congressman. with dignity.
But the 'bereaved father" had been
prospecting on his own hook. and now
he peeped into the sitting room.
Here she isl he shouted. II see
her! Come on. Emmie! Your dads
come for you. Let go OF her, you wo
man! What do you mean by holdin
on to berT'
The situation. which was not hu-
morous." Immediately became much
less so. The next minute was a live
ly one. 1t ended as Mr.. Thomas was
picked up by Tad from the floor. where
he had fallen. having been pushed vio-
lently over chair by Captain Cy
Bos'n. frightened and sobbing. was
clinging wildly to Miss Dawes. who
had chung just as firmly to her. The
captains voice rang through the room
That's enough" he said. That's
enough and some over. Atkins. take
that Teller out this house and of my
premises. As for the girl, that's for us
to fight out In the courts. I'm her
guardian. lawfully appointed. and you
nor nobody else can touch her while
that appointments good. Here II is.
right here. Now look at it and clear
outr'
He held for the congressman's In
spection the document which. inclos-
ed In the long envelope. had been re-
ceived that morning. His visit to Os-
table. made some weeks before, had
been for the purpose Of applying to the
probate court for the appointment as
Emily's guardian He had applied be-
fore the news Of her fathers coming
to life reached him. The appointment
itself had arrived just in time.
Mr.. Atkins studied the document.
"Humphr he grunted. "Humph!
see. Well, sir. ! have some influence
In this section. and | shall see how
long your-your trick will prevent the
child's going where she belongs. ]
wish you to understand that l shall
this fight TO the very last"
"Yup. So I've heard. Well, Heman.
amt as well up in tricks as you
claim to be. nor my stockin' isn't as
well padded as yours maybe. But
while there's a ten cent piece left in
he toe Of IL I'll fight you and the
skunk whose rights you seem to have !
aiken such shine to-and, after |
hat, while there's a lawyer thatll |
rust me. And meantime that little |
girl stays right here. and you touch |
her IL you dare. any Of you! Anything
more 10 say"
But the honorables dignity had re
urned. Possibly he thought be had |
'aid too much already. A moment |
alter the door banged behind the dis.
,omforted boarding party.
Captain Cy pulled his beard and
aughed.
"WaI Na renellad 'em didn't Wa"