The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1915-03-11
CHAPTER n.-tcontnued).

tofrnal. BESIDES, he admitted, IN q burst
of truthfulness. he had never been
more than a captains mate.
Not perr Inally, my lad" replied
Jabez, between puffs. Jest as every
one knowed her h~ereabouts. Kind of
at q distance, you might say"
Did you know my father"
Jabez looked up quickly. He had
boys voice before. 1t occurred to him.
also, that Eric was paler than usual.
The old man suddenly felt h need OF
a cautious reply. He did his best.
Eyes, sir. and he was a powerful fine
chap, too. I used to see a great deal Of
him when he lived hereabouts."
But he didn't live here, Uncle Jabe."
Jabez collected himself in four fierce
dfda't.s he Corrected. II was tSinkin'
of another Teller. A Teller named
Briggs. Handsome chap as used to be
second mate on the FREELY, a ship l."
did my father kill q man?"
OF course, old Jabez knew the story
Of the Ill fated Midthornes. One could
not live in Corinth or Todville and be
out OF touch with Blagden history. But
It had not occurred to him that Eric
might be ignorant Of the tragedy In his
own small life. .... .N
Jabez got up from the bench and
violently hurled his cane at a squirrel
that frisked nearby-an unheared of
act Of cruelty on the part Of h keeper
of the gate.
"Ccnsarn them pets!' he growied as
he shuffled over to recover the cane.
The squirrel. In plain astonishment,
paused after ~retreating a rod or two,
end looked back at its former friend.
W~hereupon Jabez hoping to gain time,
hurled his cane ono more. The third
attempt required a most unnecessary
and futile fling into the lower branches
Of a tree which might have been the
considered the private property of the
inga Teller, dang 'em. They're gettin''
&c dog-gone sassy lately. that they Jest
set up n make faces at me Did you
see that little cuss turnin" UP his nose
at me2 II I ever
IL want to know ell about my
In his young voice. What did he do2
Tell ne. My aunt say he killed a
man."
A bright thought struck the old man.
Sure he did, and a DANCED brave
thing 1t was, too. Did,t your aunt tell
mo. She said he murdered q man In
cold blood"
Jabez said something under his
breath and looked about him for an
other squirrel-or perhaps 1t was the
cat, for n with very sharp ears might
L UdN6 aux u TeIGTGuC6 10 that dIlulh1
In his muttered remark.
well. TN be jiggered! did she say
that? She must be razy. Why, Il was
done in a fuel, fair and square. 7 7ery-
body knows that"
"a jewel?"
Yes, sir, a jueL. The fit a juel.
With swords, dye see-or maybe II was
pistols. They fit like two southern
gentlemen always fight-with weepins.
Amt you ever heerd about it2 Well,
well! / guess o was too young Takes
q mighty brave Teller to fight q juel,
sonny" 't
Erfc's eyes began to glow; his lips
trembled with the sudden gush Of re-
lief that swept through him..
"A duel. Uncle JabeT he cried. "A
real duel?"
"a reg'lar jeuel, the kind you read
about in books. I've see many of 'em
in my time; Brave fellers fightin' fer
was a doin'- fightin' fer his true lady
love-" ' g..
For my mother?" .r.
Jobez felt that he had come near to
OVERRIDING II. He acquiesced with haste.
'Of course. Who else?" he demand
ed. .. 49,. N...
T"why did Aunt Rena say he had
murdered a man? It isn't murder IL
you kill a man In a duel. Everybody
knows that"
These ere corinth folks amt got
an idea or chivalery,' explained Jabez
warmly. '"They amt like you an me,
They are h narriest people on the
face OF the yearth. Wot does your aunt
know about c~hivalery? Nobody ever
fought a juel fer her did they7 I sh'd
shy not! Did your Uncle Horace eye
challenge anybody TO pistols or cut
Iasses? No, street II ant in 'em.
Course she'd think It was murder.
S'posin' the other fellere'd killed your
pa? Wot then? S'posin' they'd both
hit Zach other in q vital spot. Wot
then? she'd all II q double murder. It
shows how DANCED marry these north
erners are"
He had worked himself into a pretty
state, -. -r s,4& a.s
You said you were from Maine" re-
minded Eric, his eyes dancing. I filled
the old mans heart with Joy to see the
effect OF his ruthless lying. .s
1t was necessary for hin to repudi-
ate the state he loved SO well;
"Who said / was born In Maine? Who
I ask: Me from Maine? Well, I guess
not. IL went to school In Maine for
three years, but that's all. I was born
in Virginny. Don't you ever say l."
'Listcn, Uncle Jabe," interrupted the
boy eagerly. Won't you tell me all
about my father and the duel? What
was It about2 Who was the other man?
Where vas my mother when"
STOW that, now. my lad" cried
Jabez Carr. Don't ask so many
questions. Why, shiver me, I'm no en-
cyclopeedy. Jest wait a minute till I
go owe and shut that gate. Then
I'll" &c. i|
"rn do it." cried Eric starting off
eagerly.
But Jabez halted him with an ex-
clamation in which dismay was barely
disguised by gruffness. He needed a
GIOment for reflection. n he needed
an inspiration. EE& HEE~r Fe
,Set down. 'Tli shut my own gate.
sonny. Wot am I here for? Set down.
/ say" ~ -
1t seemed to the impatient, quivcring
| boy that the old man was uncon-
scionably slow In performing the simple
feat. Mr.. Cars brow vas more deep
ly corrugated than ever as he shuff1ed
back to the watch house bench. AT
first he sought to change the topic OF
conversation, then he assumed anger
at the boys persistence. Eric's white,
eager. quivering face distressed him.
He realized, with a pain In his heart,
that his little friend would not be de-
MED. He was determined to know the
truth, and the truth was the thing that
poor old Jabez was striving to evade.
Far back in his mind lay the con-
viction that one day the boy would
know the wretched story, but now was
not the time, nor was he the proper