The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1921-01-07
CHAPTER xII-continued.

Huh That wusn't nothin'." HIS
voice was thin and sharp like his face !:
high like the peaked crown of his
rusty hat
Did your grandpa send your"
"Uh-huhl / brung y'u a letter.
Granpa tends t tn post Office now
The oil postmaster had a stroke night
b'fore last. ar hain't knowed nothln'
since. So gran'pa tends TO It."
He unbuttoned the bosom of his
waist, drew out a letter and handed it
over.
Air you Box 23?"
-"I-yes-I guess so" was the
startled answer as she took the letter.
Huh That's funny name-fer a
girl"
But she was too busy with the let
ter TO notice the remark. 1t was adj
dressed in a very bold and legible
hand Box %, Buckeye, Ind The
pOStmark she could not be sure of. 1t
appeared 70 be Vincennes. but some of
the letters were too dull to read with
certainty.
rs that your r'volyer?"
There was not much chance to read
letters-or do anything else-with
yOungstcr Ike that in the house
Yes. Have they found that man
thar escaped from Jail last night?"
Nav An l hope they don't.
met that timber buyln' Teller on the
way down here" He came near the
girls chair. IF they's anybody / hate,
1t's him. Gran'pa says'-he leant
nearer. and spoke low-''he kills peo-
pie. Gee but 1 wus skeered when I
saw him a-comin' down tn rOadl He
xvus awful mad, an a-swearin' to his
self. He slashed at me with q switch
But I ducked. an cut dirt. an Skinned
over tn fence. When I looked back
he was a-gOin on toward town. an
streaked it through tn woods Iickety-
split"
The very information she had been
about 70 venture forth into the woods
to acquire.
s'How is your grandma tOday?"
"Oh, she's well ag'in. She cooks
lots of things now. She fried me
some screw-cakes yisterd'y."
He was lickety-spIit
The girl closed the door, laughing
softly. and turned toward the curtains.
The Pearlhunter was just coming
through them. cit couldn't have
turned out better" he said. 1.-THE
dark, one stroke more, and things will |
take a turn"
That strokei" She was very |
her eyes searching the side |
of his face toward her. you speak |
of it lightly; but so you spoke of that |
dreadful fight with the mob"
ne sat still u long time
II don't know why shouldn't tell
you" he seid at last. 1.-The only rea-
son ] didn't was to save you the
thought OF 1t. But a girl like you'd !
ask no better backin' in a tight place"
Her face lighted.
Then Rhy not take me with yOu?"
He started, turned his slow eyes
toward hFr. A moment he studied
her. and then shook his head
"No'-the word seemed final cit
won't do FOR a girl-a lady-to hear
what will have to be heard tonight;
and see what will have to be SEEN"
Her eyes dropped; so did his. They
both met at the same focus-the letter
IN her hand. She passed it to him. He
turned it oter and over, looked at the
tie postscript, and handed it
back.
Il never got letter in my life" he
said, nor wrote one"
Neither did T. She turned the let
Ter over AID over. studying it. BOX
g." she messed ITS for Daddy He
couldn't rtsSd it, even if he were here.
DO you thtak should open it,"
Yes, 1 think you should" he adj
Used.
She tore open the end of the envel-
,pe and dew out folded sheet of
egal cap. As she unfolded it, a bill
greenbss,k- fell out upon her lap.
She pounced upon 1t.
Fifty doI.arsl Why-why-l'
'eThe letter will TELL" he said, lean
ne eagerly .oward her.
she unfolcssd the stiff sheet. the in
Ter side of il covered with the letter,
written in clear. readable hand:
'YincenneA Ind, June 10, ISL.
My Dear Colonel:
Enclosed I am sending the usual
nonthly remittance, as per your order !
rhen you left
why havGa't you answered any of :
ly letters? / have sent the remit
ance regularly but nave not heard a :
rord from yRa for nearly seven years.
IS have repeatedly told you, your !
state has increased till hardly know :
ow to invest it further. If l don't 4
ear from yuu l shall have to come :
p to BuckeTe for a consultation.
The little xirl-little Hesper Dawn +
must be quite woman now. As I +
ave written you. her grandfather. old y
-odfrey Dawn. died last year He re- :
ented in his last hours and left her h
Die heir TO his fortune, which, as you
now. IS even more considerable than 4
our own. The estate is in my hands I
aady to convey to her. The legal age
{ a woman In this state is eighteen.
. old Godfrey has not misinformed n
le, she viii be twenty the twentieth
{ this present month. SO. she has d
cen for some time legally competent II
, come into her estate If. under i
10 terms of your will, she should fall a
af to your fortune as well, which Il
he bids fair TO do, as no word has c,
ome and none likely to come at this 8,
tie day, she win be quite the richest a
eireSS In my knowing. r,