Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1915-07-16
said Hetty as her lover kissed bel
good night.

eOOd night.
g.
The evening Of Hetty Denton's we'd
ding day closed in calm and beautiful,
with white faced moon rising out Of
the east like pale bride wreathed in
a cloudy veil.
Ebenezer Flocken was pacing the
floor Of his store with restless feet.
His knotted hands wrung together In
vain anger is he talked to little,
dried up woman in pink sunbOnnet.
Il s'pose l got to believe it's true,
Mrs. Bean" he said reluctantly. but
l didn't suppose that Hetty would
treat me that way Going to 'lope to
Greenville with Dave Gray, is she?
Well, I'm her garden. and I'll stop it.
by crickey!'
them" piped Melissa Bean eagerly. II
heard Dave tell Hetty he'd be around
there at O'clock. and it's six-thutty
now"
"You send Hiram Weed here to keep
store for me while 60 harness up"
growled Ebenezer, examining his old
felt hat on his grizzled head. when
Hetty said she was going to spend the
day over to her cousins didn't sup
pose she was planning to 'lope from
there"
Mrs. Bean Uttered and hurried out
Of the store to find Hiram Weed. In
the meantime Sissy Soper's round face
had mooned over the edge of the mo-
lasses barrel and he had shaken fist
at the unconsc. us store keeper. Then
he, too, vanished.
Sissy Soper lived in little house at
the edge Of the village, his father was
dead and his mother took in washing.
Next to the tumbledown Soper house
was a grove OF young locust trees, and
this grove was a favorite camping
place for wandering gypsies. At this
time a caravan was camping there.
They had arrived that afternoon, and
Sissy had been so occupied in watching
forgotten Hetty's elopement. He had
known about it for several days; Dave
Gray had pressed the simpleton into
his service while making the arrange
ments. But Sissy was faithful and
could be trusted not to betray Hetty
and her lover.
What he had heard Melissa Bean
say to Ebenezer Flocken and Ebene-
zers threats to stop the elopement had
fired Sissys dulled Imagination to fever
heat. In his hasty departure from the
store he carried with him large ham
and box Of crackers.
Shortly after that Sissy Soper might
have been observed in the gypsy camp,
exchanging the stolen ham and crack
ers for the loan Of the big brown bear
which belonged to the caravan.
$
Midway between Little River and
Greenville the road branched off to the
right. Following this right hand road
one would arrive at Greenville with
out delay. This was known as the
Short Cut road. The left hand road
or the long cut-wound along the river
bank. taking in its path scattered
farmhouses and a tiny hamlet, but
eventually arriving at Greenville by an
unobtrusive back way through the
woods.
It was at the cross roads that Eben-
ezer Flocken waited to intercept the
clippers. They could not escape him,
no matter which road they chose to
take.
Ebenezer carried rawhide whip
and in one hand he brandished an
ancient horse pistol. He smiled under
his fierce mustache as he anticipated
the quick surrender Of Dave Gray and
Hetty. W
It was very dark in the woods there
save where the moon flooded the cross
roads with white light Ebenezer
stood there leaning against a white
birch sapl1ng watching the road from
Little River. He was intently listen
ing for the quick thud of hoofs, for. of
course, Dave would have his black
mare. Queenie, hitched to the rubber
tired runabout. Unless Ebenezer STOP
ped them before they passed out of
the road into one of the branches the
UlhCh Uldr0 COulu luke Tie 0IOp0rS LO
their destination, and the lovers could
laugh at him.
by crickey, I'll stop 'em If have
to shoot 'em In their tracks!" growled
Ebenezer ferociously as he changed
his position. His feet ached horribly.
and a particularly sensitive corn burn
ed like fire.
There came sound. Ebenezer
Strengthened up and forgot his corns.
1t was heavy thudding sound quite
unlike the quick rat-a-pat of Queenie's
dainty hoofs. It was not approaching
him from Little River way, but SEEM
ed to come from behind him.
The sound grew louder and was min
gled with the crisp cracking Of under
brush, as If some heavy body pushed
its way through the woods.
Ebenezer's scalp frightened just as If
his scanty hairs had risen in horror, as
the sound appeared to be almost at