The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1921-12-15
more little prod on the agony

one more little prod on the agony
nerve.
With preliminary shrek he let II
out by Titles, gasping between the
words and phrases like man in the
last stages of lockjaw.
I'VE were going to Angels-to get
married" he painted. "Ah-oh-I was
to meet her at Atropia-she- was
afraid to ride all the way with me
afraid-the old man-would come gun
ming Oh, for Gods sake. Broughton
take your thumb out Of my back
you're killing me by inches -
You need little killing worse than
you were TO overtake her at Atropia;
what then?"
81 didn't see her againi" he howled.
Il don't know where she went -
/ didn't believe much of what he
was saying, and think Daddy Hiram
didn't, though we had proved 1t true
up to the point where they had sepa-
rated on the Atropia road. would
have gone on, making him talk some
more, but the look that was creeping
into the old mans eyes made me let
up. As / read the look 1t meant that
Daddy couldn't stand it to see the
third-degree stunt carried to its finish,
so / got up and pulled Fullerton to
his feet. He was pretty badly wrecked,
straighten his neck. and stood as If
one leg were about half paralyzed, as
perhaps 1t was.
"This outfit is my property, and
you've out-stayed your welcomep
snapped at him. .'Clfmb your horse
and get off the map!"
He limped over to his horse and
gathered the reins and tried to put
foot into the stirrup. When / saw
that he couldn't do even that much, /
grabbed him and heaved him into the
saddle; did this, and gave the horse
slap to set him going. | guess / shall
always be able to recall the picture of
that brown-bearded pirate riding
across the Cinnabar dump head In the
early morning sunshine, screwing his
body in the saddle-because he
couldn't turn the stiff-necked head by
! itself-to yell back at me with siz-
cling curses, 'T'll get you'll get you
yeti Din your eyes-do you think
you can make a hobbling cripple Of
! me and get away with It? I'll" and
then breaking it off short and kicking
the ribs of his nag franticaLly for more
speed when | made as If were going
to run after him.
Throughout this. bit of belligerent
! by-play, which hadn't used up more
than a few minutes. all told, Daddy
Hiram had stood aside. as I have said.
taking the part of the interested spec
/ tat0r Now he remarked: you can
bet all your old clothes, son. that we
hain't seen the last o. Charley Butler
ton. not by long chalk, You ricollect
| | told you once he'd got q man. down
| In one o. the camps on the Saguachei
Well. it was for heap less than what
you done TO him few minutes ago
]. But let's go eat"
Il | passed througfas the. cabin to the
out-kitchen and while / was kindlinG
a fire In the stove | saw Daddy with
an armful of hay and q peek measure
of oats tolling the little horse dowr
the path back to the cabin TO disap
pear with IL In the direction of the
! gulch where the abandoned Little
Jeanie' claim lay, | had the coffes
| made and the bacon fried by the timt
he GOT back. and after we had eater
he blossomed out in an entirely nev
!, role-that of commander in chief.
This is movin day. Stannie," b,
announced briefly. IF you'll dig VI
all the chuck and canned stuff yol
can find and tote it over to the shaft
house. III fetch the blankets and thu
cookin' tins"
| oheyed blindiy. and entirely with
out prejudice to a lively curiosity a
to what this new move might mean
While | wa einptyina the kitchen am
pantry the old man unearthed anothe