The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1916-10-19
THE NEW
CLARION
BY...
WILL N.
HARDEN
Copyright, 1914. by Harper e
Brothers
CHAPTER XIII.
Mother and Daughter.
Copyright. 1914, by Harper e
Brothers

little, Abe" she went on,
was that when Mr.. Daniel
just now said he thought
Howard did the shootin' you disputed
it with 'im-said he didn't do it,
Il didn't say tt didn't say no sech
thing!' Abe put his hands on either
side of his plate and stared at her
fiercely. Thar you go with yore fool
notions. You couldn't hear what said.
IL jest said-said l thought the boy
i didn't say he didn't do 1t. Folks all
about say he done it. Lawyers an
judges an witnesses say he's the one,
an they know better n me. You'll go
tattiin' with yore busy tongue till-till
well. you let the thing alone. that's
what You do! Let the law take its
course. He was ready to kill i'm. He
armed hisse'f fer that purpose. He hal
no use for i'm. Howard knowed i'm.
like lot O. other folks knowed i'm, fer
the devil that he was with helpless. in
nocent young gals
THAT reminds me, Abe" Mrs. Full
ton said. curiously. I'm not dead sure.
but thought heard you mention poor
Susy's name to Mr. Daniel l was sort
O. surprised to hear you do it, too. fer
she was akin to you. an most folks
don't like to talk about sech delicate
matters in Their own blood. I've know
ed all along how sorry you was fer
Susy: but l never brought it up. Pore.
pore gal!'
"Yes, told Mr.. Daniel about that"
Abe faltered. after an awkward pause
"He hadn't heard o that particular
case. though he knowed all about sew
eral Others"
'sYou are powerful tetchy. Abe. dar-
lin" the woman went on gently. I'D
talk plain to you. but you think wo-
man don't know enough to give advice
to man. 4 woman amt sech plumb
fool. Sometimes she feels thing to be
risky an unWfse that man passes
over as of no consequence"
What are you driyin' at?" Abe de-
manded. seriously.
"Oh. we'll, l don't believe in talkin'
too free to man as good even as Abb
ner Daniel is supposed TO be-" was the
half shrinking answer. "Risks is risks. "
"Risks? What sort G. risks? Are you
plumb crazy, woman?"
II knowed you'd fly off the handle"
she said appeasingly. But believe a
woman has as much right to use her
brain as man has, an I've been
thinkin' about Mr.. Daniels long draw
ed out palaver.'"
Long palaver?"
Yes" she went on. more freely. for
his look and tone were more inviting
| because more fraught with fear than
anger. Hes the keenest man in this
state By long odds. Abe. Folks say
! that lie makes the best boss an cattle
trades Of anybody about here. Now.
my point is this. Abe darlin': you
wouldn't want pore Susy's name fetch
ed up in public now that the pore thing
is lyin' in a peaceful grave fur from
home. You wouldn't like to hear it on
everybody's tongue linked with that
human scab that has got his just de
serts. would you:"
1 y
"Why. I've got common sense. an
kin see a inch before my nose. that's
ALL" she interrupted. "Abner DAME
Is dependin' on Howard to help i'm o.ll
I with the paper he, bought. 1t is loSin
money as 1t stands. You heard i'm say
SO Well. don't You know that he aim
goin' to leave a stone unturned to SCI
Howard free? An don't you see whal
you come ?: He kin have you sum
mcred to court an put on the stand II
tell all you know agin Craig's chara"
ter. Don't you see how that would sti
up sympathy an justify Howard ii
KILN a man O sech stripe?
Abe stared speech!essly. He stroket
his lips and chin with his big rougl
hand and avoided her gaze: > '.'''''.
- '"Ah, see you understands his wifi
cried. ,exultantly. You men think u
women hain't grain o sense, but W
amt all fools. Eff Abner Daniel hat
been talkin' to ME about Howard
never would have let on about Susy-
you bet | wouldn't. When a life's Il
stake folks will 90 anything that
dirty an low to save it. an you bette
watch Abner Daniel. Why. as littl
rs you may think Of It, Howard ali
him would shoulder the thing onto 90
eff they had half a chance. 1t Is hard
er to convict a prominent man than
pore friendless feller like you. Abe.
"You don't believe they would try
"A thing like that. do you?" he cried.
What wouldn't they try eff it offere
| Howard 4 chance of escape from th
scaffold? They'd even pay money
git folks to testify ac'in somebody els
1 that they could throw the blame ol
Let i'm alone in the future. Abe. Dal
lei belongs to one set O. folks an yo
an me to another We mustn't giV
I'm a chance to fetch that pore gal
name into it eff we kin help It, WI;
was it he was AKIN you SO close abol
i mean when he axed SO particul:
about the last time yen seed Graf
alive?"
IL don't know. l don't remember