The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1915-04-09

he chose this, to him, impossible sug.
gestion as being the most insulting one
that he could invent at the moment.
II have" replied Waitstill, "a man
In my eye and in my heart. We should
have been husband and wife before
this had. we not been kept apart by OBJ
stacles too stubborn for us to over
come. My way has CHANGED to open
first. though It was none Of my con:
irving"
Had the roof fallen in upon him the
deacon could not have been more
d%umfounded. His tongue literally Glove
to the roof Of his mouth. His face fell.
and his mean, piercing eyes blinked
under his shaggy brows as If seeking
light.
Waitstill stirred the fire. closed the
brick oven and put the teapot on the
back of the stove, hung up the long
handled dipper on its accustomed nail
yer the sink and went to the door.
Her father collected bis scattered
wits and pulled himself to his feet by
the arms of the high backed rocker.
"You shan't step outside this room till
you tell me where you're goin'." he
said when he found his voice.
81 have no wish to keep it secret. l
am going to see If Mrs. Mason will
keep me tonight. Tomorrow l shall
walk down the river and get work at
the mills, but on my way 1 shall stop at
the Boyntons' to tell Ivory I am ready
to marry him as soon as he's ready to
take me-"
This was enough to stir the blood OF
the deacon into n last fury.
81 might have guessed it II l hadn't
been blind as a bat an deaf as an adj
der" And he gave the table another
ringing blow before he leaned on it to
gather strength. "Of course 1t would
be one O that crazy Boynton crew
you'd take up With" he roared. Moth
in would suit either O. you girls but
choosin' the biggest enemies I've got
in the whole village"
you've never taken pains to make
anything but enemies, so what could
we do"
"You might as we'll 60 to live on the
poor farm! Aaron Boynton was a dis
reputable hound. Lois Boynton is as
crazy as a loon, the boy is a nobody's
child, an Ivory's no better than a com
mon pauper!!"
"Ivory's a brave. strong. honorable
man and a scholar too. l can work
for him and help him earn and I've
as l have you"
"How longs this been goin' on?'
The deacon Vas choking. but be meant
to get to the bottom of things while he
had the chance.
az hasn't gone on at all. He has
never said Il word to me. ard I have
always Obeycd your will in these mat.
tiers. but you can't hide love any more
than you can hile lies. | know Ivory
loves me. so I'm going to tell him that
my duty is done tere and i'm ready
to help him"
Coin to throw yourself at his head.
be your" sneered the deacon. by the
Lord. l don't Know where you two
girls got these loose ways O. thinkin'
an actin. Mebbe he won't take you.
an then where'Il you be? You won't
git under my roof again when you've
once left it, you can make up your
mind to that!v
IF you have any doubts about IvO-
rvs being willing to take me you'd
better drive along behind me and listen
while l ask him"
Waitstills tone had an exultant thrill
Of certainty in 1t. She threw up her
head, glorying in what she was about
to do. If she laid aside her usual re-
serve and voiced her thoughts openly
it was not in the hope of convincing
her father. but for the bliss Of putting
them into words and intoxicating her
self by the sound Of them.
"Come after me If you will, father,
and watch the welcome I shall get
oh. l have no fear Of being turned out
by Ivory Boynton. l can hardly wait
to give him the Joy I shall be bringing.
It's selfish to rob him of the chance to
speak first, but I'll do it," And before
Deacon Baxter could cross the room
Waitstill was out Of the kitchen door
into the shed and flying down Town
House hill like an arrow shot free
from the bow.
The deacon followed close behind,
hardly knowing why, but he was no
match for the girl. and at last he stood
helpless on the steps Of the shed. shak-
ing his fist and hurting terrible words
after her. words that it was fortunate
for her peace of mind she could not
hear.
"A curse upon you both!" he cried
savagely. "Not satisfied with disobey-
in an defyin' me, you've put me to
shame. an now you'll be settin' the
neighbors ag'in me an ruinin' my
trade. II you was freezin' in the snow
l wouldn't heave q blanket to you.
If you was starvin' l wouldn't fling
either of you a crust! Never shall you
darken my doors again. an never shall
you git a penny O. my money, not if
I have to throw it into the river to
spite you!"
Here his breath failed. and he stun