The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1915-05-06
said Hetty as her lover kissed her
good night.

| MS huOIIeu nanuS NTunB together
vain anger as he talked TO littl
dried up woman In n pink sunbonnet
IL spose | got to believe it's tru'
Mrs. Bean" he said reluctantly, "bu
1 didn't suppose that Hetty woul
treat me that way. Going to 'lope
Greenville with Dave Gray, is she
Well, I'm her garden. and I'll stop Il
by crickey!''
you got to be jumpin' around
then" piped Melissa Bean eagerly. g
heard Dave tell Hetty he'd be arount
there at o'clock. and it's six-thutt.
now"
"You send Hiram Weed here to keel
store for me while | go harness up
| growled Ebenezer. examining his OLE
| felt hat on his grizzled head. "WheT
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
lasses barrel and he had shaken fist
at the unconscious store keeper, Then
be, too, vanished
Sissy Soper lived in little house at
the edge of the village, his father was
dead and his mother took I'm washing.
Next to the tumbledown Soper house
was 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
their movements that he had almost
forgotten Hetty's elopement He had
known about 1t 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-
zer's threats to stop the elopement had
1red SIssy's dulled Imagination to fever
heat In his hasty departure from the
store he carried with him a large ham
and a 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
the road branched Off to the
right Following this right hand road
one would arrive at Greenville with
put delay. This was known as the
Short Cut road. The left hand road
)r the long cut-wound along the river
bank. taking in its path scattered
and tiny hamlet but
eventually arriving at Greenville by an
back way through the
woods.
1t was at the cross roads that Eben-
yer Flocken waited to intercept the
,lopers. They could not escape him,
10 matter which road they chose to
axe.
Ebenezer carried a rawhide whip
md In one hand he brandished an
Incient horse pistol. He smiled under
lis fierce mustache as he anticipated
he quick surrender of Dave Gray and
lefty.
1t was very dark In the woods there |
ave where the moon flooded the cross |
Dads with white light Ebenezer
TODD there leaning against a white
irch sapling watching the road from
little River. He was intently listen
1g for the quick thud of boots. for of
curse. Dave would have his black
lare. Queenie. hitched to the rubber
red runabout. Unless Ebenezer stop
ed them before they passed out OF
ne road into one OF the branches the
lack mare could take the clippers to
leir destination. and the lovers could
ugh at him
"By crickey. I'll stop 'em II I have
shoot 'em in their tracks, growled
benezer ferociously as he changed
Is position, His feet ached horribly.
nd particularly sensitive corn burn
like fire.
There came a sound. EbeneZer
up and forgot his corns.
II was Il heavy thudding sound quite
Hike the quick rat-a-pat of Queenie's I
Unity hoofs. 1t was not approaching
m from Little River way. but seem (
20 come from behind him. {
The sound grew louder and was min |
ed with the crisp cracking Of under I
ush, ms If some heavy body pushed
J way through the woods
scalp frightened just as IL
: scauty hairs had risen In horror. as
e sound appeared to be almost at
$ elbow and he distinctly heard ..
ANY breathing
He dashed into the middle of the /,
Don lit crossroads and looked wildly
ound
Out uf the shadow where he had ;
en- standing there came dark bulk.
approached him
Gosh A 'mightyr' screamed Ebene-
r when he saw that It was a great
own bear !
They say that fear can lend wings {
leaden feet !
Ebenezer Flocken proved IL. .
To the solitary unlooker Ebenezer
peared to soar through the air. so