Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1920-11-25

You measly hound, Coin 70 marry
her for money. am II Maybe yOud
like 20 say that ag'in. d-n you!
That's bout the size o. your soul.
Cowan. Take that. you whelp, You
won; be so d-n beautiful yourself
when get through. There now! Per
haps you'll lay quiet awhIle!''
He got to his feet and glared about
into the ring Of interested faces de-
family.
"Any more Of yer want 10 say what
he did," he demanded. Here. you,
Kelly; you laughed when that dirty
pup said she was hOmely as a hedge
fencel Come here. you red-headed
terrier" and he gripped him by the
throat shaking the fellow helplessiy
back and forth In his mad rage. I'm
goin' ter marry that girl, If she'll nave
me, an there amt nobody gOin 10
slam the looks o. my wife, either. You
get that you coyote? What DO yer
think of 1t nOw-hey? Spit It OUT
what do you think OF her nOwT
Kelly had to spit 1t out; it was all
he could do with those fingers grip
ping him.
"Let go-d-n it-let go! H!
She's-she's the handsomest woman
ever saw; you-you let go o. me!
Shelby flung him to one side In utter
disgust, hurting an oath after him as
he reeled dizzily into the protection
of the crowd. He cast his eyes once
in contempt about the circle, seeking
some other antagonist and hndlhg
none.
"To HI with all of you" he de-
clared "Get out of the way there!
They fell back to give him safe pas
sage and he strobe straight on past
the dance hall and turned down the
dark path leading back to Calkins
shack. He had but one thought now,
one purpose; he had burned his
bridges behind him. After what he
had said and done only single course
remained. Without a pause or a re-
greet he went straight to the door and
raped. 1t was no timid touch OF the
knuckles this time; he was still too
angry to either hesitate or doubt. ana
there was no sign of embarrassment
In word or act when the door opened
and she stood there looking at him
in wonderment.
"Pve come back to say another word
TO you" he announced simply. I'D
like to come in"
something has happened?"
at has; I've just had to lick two
pups who got too gay bout you. They
said some things an l said some
things. Now I'm amin to make good.
You said you'd marry me awhile ago;
does that hold?"
She was leaning against the table,
staring at him; her face seemed to
go white and her hands toyed nervous
ly with knife she had picked up.
"You-you had trouble with two
men, over me?" she asked, her voice
trembling slightly. "What men,"
"Red' Kelly and gazabo named
,Cowan; they was both here"
/ N"Oh; they were angry at you for
= NT
Il cfure; not because you didn't take
w!ptice of them; then they got drunk
undertook to ride me; said 1t was
kput-up job between us ter get away
with that money"
"What money!"
"The twenty-five hundred you was
goin' to get. The preacher told you
about that, didn't he?"
She shook her head, evidently be-
wildered.
"Where was I going to get all that
money!
"Why, Mccarthy was putin it up;
he and some other bucks, so as to give |
you a start after you was married"
She drew a deep breath, looking
straight into his eyes.
"You mean those men came here for
that?' Indignantly. "They were will
Ing to marry me so as to get that
money? Good God / was to be sold