The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1914-06-09

BIG Hdu IOped odSSOOu, Oh what use the
letter Valiant was SO long penning in
the library? Buff 1t were Valiant
she loved? The man who, having
I sworn not to lit his hand against the
other. had broken his sacred word to
I her! Who had stained the unwritten
code by facing an opponent maddened
with hquor Yet. what was there a
woman might not condone In the one
| man? Would she read, forgive and
send for him?
The major laughed out suddenly.
harshly. in the quiet room, and looked
down as IL he expected to see that
letter still lying In his hand But the
laugh. could not still regular pulsing
sound that was In his ears-elfn like
the voices, but as distinct-the sound
Of horses hoofs going from Damory
Court.
He had heard those hoof-beats echo
In his brain for thirty years!
.
Till the sun was high John Valiant
lay on his back in the fragrant grass.
meditatively watching a bucaneering
chicken-hawk draw widening circles
against the blue and listening to the
vibrant tattoo OF ''pecker-wood" on
q far-away tree, and the timorous wet
whistle of a bob-white. The whole
place was very quiet now. For just
one thrilling moment 1t had burgeoned
into sound and movement: when the
sweaty horses had stood snorting and
stamping In the yard with the hounds
Bcampering between their legs and the
riding coats winking like rubies In the
early sunshine!
Had she recognized him as the
smudged tinkerer OF the stalled car?
"She saw me drop that wretched brute
through the window" he chuckled. Il
could take oath to that. But she didn't
give me away, true little sport that
she was. And she won't. / can't
think OF any reason. but know. Was
she angry? wonder!"
At length he rose and went back
TO the house. With bunch of keys
be had found he went to the stables,
after some difficulty gained access,
and propped the crazy doors and win
dows open to the sun. The building
was airy and well-lighted and con-
tanned a dozen roomy box-stalls. q
spacious loft and q carriage-hOuse.
The straw bedding had been unre-
moved. mice-gnawed sacking and
rotted hay lay in the managers. and the
warped harness. hanging on it's pegs,
was q smelly mass OF mildew and
decay. He found a stick. moved away
the festooning cobwebs, and moved
the debris piece-meal.
"There." he said with satisfaction.
There's q place for the motuIif
Uncle Jefferson ever gets it here"
1t was noon when he returned, after
wash-up In the lake, to the meal
with which Aunt Daphne. In a costume
dtmly suggestive OF a bran-meal poul-
tice with gingha1n apron on, RECALLED
him. Fried chicken, corn-bread so
soft and fluffy that it had to be lifted
from the pan with spoon. Drowned
potatoes. and to his surprise, fresh
milk. "Ah done druv ouah oil COW
ovah, suh," explained Aunt Daphne.
lease she gotter be MIXED. er she
run dry ez de Red Sea To- de chillon
oh Izrn."
Aunt Daphne" inquired Valiant
with his mouth full, what do you call
this green thtngf~
dat? OATS jess turniptops, sub.
wild er hunk er bacon In de pot. Laws
ERNIE, ct cer'n'y do me good ter see
yo git arter it dat way, sub. Reck'n
yo' got er appetite! Hyuh. Hyuh!"
Il have. never guessed it before.
and it's magnificent discovery. How
ever, it suggests unwelcome refec-
tons. Aunt Daphne. how long do you
estimate a man can dine like this on
we'll, say on q hundred dollars?"
"Er hun'ed dollahs, sub? OATS er
right smart heap O. money, deed ct Is!
Well sub. pens on whut yo' raises.
Ef yo raises yo' own gyarden-sass en-
chickns en- aigs. All reckn yo' kin
live longah dan dat ar Methoosalum.
en- still hat mos OF it in de OF stock
In
"Ah! can grow all those things
myself. you think?"
"Yo' cert'n'y KIM" said Aunt Daphne.
"Ev' ybody do. De chick'n ms done peck
To- deyselves en- de yuddah things-yo'
o'ny gotter courage 'em en- dey jes'
grows"