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Show I I THAT GIRL of JOHNSONS Hj Uy JEAJ K.A. TB L WDL M, B Aulktr "U (i Girl'i Merer." EU. B Entered Aeeorrtinf to Act of Conerest In tlio Year 1890 by StreetN& Smith, 1 H In the Ofllco of Ilia Librarian of Conrrci. at Waahington, DC 3 IH ii ni..i Lrr -iini Llrllrw'"l'''M'''l,,V"''l''l,,','ft'l'',,,'lal','w',,lw,' M CHAPTER k I. Continued. B Doloroa sat up with a dignity of B bearing that sllonced further words B on, the woman's lips, B "Do you think," bIio Haiti "doos B any ono think that I would lnavo iny B Tho nurse laughed Rottly, with a fl touch of scorn In her voice. B v'"Do you think It would broalc his B njjort, Miss Johnson?" B , Dolores was too deeply In earnest B tobo lnoyod by tho scornful words;. B a'fterwnrd the words and tono camo B back tqihpr. distinctly. B " "I would not lcavo in? father," sho B aald, solemnly, her largo, steadfast B eyoa flxtjd disconcertingly on the quiet B faco opposite "I would not lcavo my fl fnthor-Hnovor while ho fives not for B any bno?' B ,"YouTnluy change your mind," tho B oursb snfil, lightly, rising to prepare B for tho night. Sho touched tho girl's B hafr softly as Dora could have done, B caressing Uho stray ciirls on' tho B smooth, tbrond brow pityingly. B "Go to' tied, child," sho snld. "We'll H not talk any moro about that now; It H Is time you wero getting your beauty H sleep cro tho clock Btrlkcs twelve." B-" ' ".I would not leave my father," Do- H lores snld, solemnly, her eyes ralsod H to tho kindly faco abovo her, "I would H riot lcavo my father over while ho H lives not for nny one." H ; "Who'd a thought," said Jnnos.medl- H tatlvoly, tipping his chair bnck and H stretching his feet pretty well toward H Urn smoky mnntel. "Who'd n-tbniurht H thot big Johnslng wl' slnows ilko oak H d ever Item tcr thes?" H, It was moro tho statoment of a fact B than a question; he said it to froo his B mind and start tho ball of conversa- B tfon rolling. That every ono thought B as io did on this subject, was a matter B of courso Ho looked around on them K, approvingly ns though , to Impress M thorn with, tho fact that ho was with B liom thero. B.-. VEt's bottor so,"4, said Lodio, grnvo- M ly;, changing his loft leg over tho right; Vet's better -so than for him tcr t liov. ruAMAfcr hkllu'." B? A..Bllenco, foil, oyer t'riom. alj eaqh Bt t UgbgUioiVanveyirrfactfllioyl thought -k- J"' coivntdoraby beyond that, hut not ono m V oftJiom dared "say 'what was In' his B mind. m 'RoythOi onsatlsfnctVy nns'ra they L- givq us when wo went ter ask 'bout, m hqni," said big Tom Smith, .dlsantls-, H fledly, eS lio pushed the cat from tho H hearth with his foot and draw his K chair up nearer tho Arc. V ."Thor Jedgo's son wero thar," said H another big, stout man, with a mall- B clous snort of laughter. "Thor jedgo's B" son wero thar, an' theys wero too B big tor spoak ter soch common folks H 'as wo tms. What hev wo tor do with B thoy uus sonce thef jedgo's son hov B. took up Johnslng an' his gal." B , ' A loud burst of laughtor drownod H tho sobbing of tho Btorm, Lodio alono B sat quite unmoved, staring gravely B into thcYcrackling Are. B '"Look n-hyar," ho said, slowly, Bv changing his right., leg over tho left. B "Look a-hyar, men, mobby 't ain't soch B i a. good joko as " yo seem tor thenk V with- yer larflin' an' yer jokln. Whon H I holped with J'ohuslng tell ther doc- V tors ',(eoi, I could see platn thot 't M "Look a-hyar, maul" H warnt no pommoa theng hod hap'd H Johnslng. Thar lie wero wuth his HjL two legs broke an' his arms, an' cov- HIj red with bruises an! mebby no end o' broke bouoaj an' I says, ter myself Hj5l that 't warn't no common theng ho'd H hap'd Johnslnjr. An' when thor doc- H tors kem theys sedL asked thor jedgo's son "as I were rnln' out, an' j be" telled me theys sed Johnslng ain't Jong ter live, an' thet 't would bo a H , 'rlcl' tt he even live a week. Am' ' thar wero Johnslng'a gal a stand!n'ot thor vlndor stnrln' out ot ther rain, jos' 03 sho'd stood over sonce wo brlngod her foythcr homo, an' sho's novor moved or spoko sonco. Stop yer larfln, men; 'taln't no larfln' mat tcr thes thot hov hap'd Johnslng." "Hov thor gal stolo yer hyart fro' yo, Lodio 7" asked ono of tho men, again stnrtlng the rough laughter. "Sho's a sweet gal, Jim, nn' ye're wol-como wol-como ter her -of ye, kou get hor frum 'ther jedgo's s'oil. Dut yo'll 'hev tcr bo lively, man. 'Tnln't cv'ry gal kin get thoc son o' a Jedgo, nn' ye'd best put yer best foot forrard as soou as may bo." "Look a-hyar, man" thoro was a wrathful gleam In tho big fdllow's black eyes as ho arose to his foot In all his height of six feet three "ot makes no diff'renco what yo say tor mo or 'bout mo, but thor noxt ono what speaks thet gal's namo llko thot'll bo laid ofiton Jflattor'n over Johnslng worS, anh'o'lUnovor git up agon. How'd yo llko o'no J' us tor say thor samo o' yor darter, Hiram Sadler?" "HI, hi!" tho mvi exclaimed, with another burst of laughter not o loud nor bo long ns before "HI, hi I hyar's kem a champ'on fighter for thet gal o' Johnslng's euro's yo Uvo, Jones. Let's hev a drink outen et, tor drlvo all HI fcolln' off. I meant no harm tor yo, Lodio, nor ther gal neither." And tho big man looked down on tho speaker with steady eyes as ho answered: "Say what yo llko 'bout mo an' tcr mo, Sadler, but thoro firs' sech word 'bout thot gal o Johnslng'a from any o' yo'll bo yer last" And thoy knew ho meant what ho said. , GHAPTER-XNI. A.' i ' - ; f ' Around the Javern Fire. v' "I heard royther a strarigo story owor yandor in ther town thes mornln' whon I, wont for ther doctors," Tom Smith said, presently, setting downrhS mug of elder and .wiping pff his bearded beard-ed lips with the back of his liand. JA. jtrango story,. an1 ythemorenl tthlnk3ohnslng'rdeserves''." "" - "Ho hov ntoro'n Jio deservos now," Sadler said, with a loor ai Lodio. "But tho Btory, Tom," Jones Interposed, Inter-posed, to pro Von t further unpleasantness. unpleasant-ness. "Let's hov,ot ot onco." . "Kt's 'bout Johnslng of course," Smith 'said,' solemnly. ' "Et all " 'pears tor bo 'bout Johnslng. A shef'less, no 'county critter onnyhow " "Novcr mind 'bout thot," Jonos said", scolng Lodio turn his big black eyes from the flro to tho face of tho speaker. speak-er. "Johnslng is havln' all ho ken woll carry 'thout our sayln' hyard thongs 'bout horn. Lqt'a hov yor Btory, Tom." "Woll, whon I was dono sooln ther doctegs an' ther wlmmen," Smith continued,- "et thor Judge's houso, what young Qrcon sont mo ter see, I went owor tor Scrubb's on ther 'corner opp'sit' ther court houso where some o' thor rollers was. Ono o' ther men thar got ter talkln' pretty free 'bout thor trial an ther lamln' an thor hull b'lsness, an' ono o' thor others sod ter him thot ho'd best keep a -civil tongue in his heatl 'bout thot Johnslng an' his gal, for ot scorns thet Lem Johnslng--hlm het lcft hyar many year ago hpr kon' back vjtor sue hla brother, an' has been askln' nmvs o' him, an' Is a-flndln- out all h'o'kon 'liout htm, ah' special 'bout thet gal o' hlsn. Et seoms ho hov got his darter with him an' she hov took a farncy tor thot gal o Johnslng's from ther first what Bho hev hoard all from ther Judgo's son. An' ot's kem out thot thyes gbln tor kerry her 'way .up No'th ter thor big city when thoys go, an' eddlcato her an' make a lady o' hor. An' Lem, ho hov a heap o' monoy, thoy says owef yonder," an ho an' thor Jodgo's struck Upa powerful fr'ondslilp tjiot may, thoy 'lowed, mobby prove V benefit tor Johnslng In many ways, but mott spoclnl In a way 't wes all know." "Et 'poara queor 'how ihengs k6m round," Sadlor saldjaiodltatlyoly,. "but Lorn Juhi'aing "ai'ays'dld hov moro grjt 'p mthUpf-.om.s. Thoys. a ahef'lesa. no 'count, sot gnnyhoWj Jceptln,' him. an' tlior,gal'".wpr8o"'n most." . . "Look a hvar, Sadlpr," Lodio said, slowly Dolores critild not havo spokon slowor. "Et'M boln' worso'n thor boastlo tor hit a man whon no's down, spoclal when yer know ho kyan't Hvo long tor hothor nobody. Ef thoys got hem ower tor thor town nllvo ot'll bo morq'n I reckon. An' mpro'n'thot, ho may bo dead or a-dyln tho i mlnnet whllo Wes what call our-solves our-solves hla fr'cnds .bo talkln' o' him numos, an' Buyln' onklnd thongs 'bout hem. Hero an' hU gal has 'noagli ter thenk of 'thout wo uub heapln os her a' him a lot o' hyard theng 't alat all true or-fclnd. How'd yo H'3 th aamo 'bput yo, or yor gal badler?" Tho flro dlcTl lown on tho hearth' until only a glowing heap of ashes'ro-malnbd. ashes'ro-malnbd. "Tho rJlh and wind sobbed outsldo at tho doors and windows, swaying tho croaking sign at tho door post Suddenly tho low door was thrown open, letting5 In a gust of hoarse cast wind and showers of rain and sleet, and out of thls.liko a wreath of tho Btorm.-tall, gravo-facoJ. drcncli- oil in fhrvMliln vn, r.i.. ofnnd In" their midst Ho closed the door and advanced toward tho flro, removing his hat as ho did so. Jonoa aroso at onco. Jones was always ready for business, tho judgo's son would! pay 'well,, no doubt; ho should havo tho boat In the houso. Tho other men retained tholr positions and -regarded tho now-comor with no friendly oyes. "A powerful bad storm, Jcdgo," said Jones, good-naturedly. "Kom right up hyar by thor flro, an' got yo dry." "Yos," Green saltf, -pleasantly, quick to noto tho sullen aspect of tho mc'n around tho flro. "It's a night to mako ono glad of flro and shelter. Havo yon a placo for mo to-night, Jones?" "Sartaln, jedgo. Wes al'ays a placo fcr ye an' a plato' an' mug. Yo shal' , Young Green stood In their midst, hov a smokln' supper ter sort o' straighten yo out, an' yo'll tako ofl yor thongs aa' hov 'ora dried. Hyar'f, a mug first ter braco yo. Et's a pow e'rful bad night Is this "Thank, you," Grooni8Jd. "You're a good-hearted ' l7osfcj!$?ef It . pleasant to fool ono.ia'ffl heartily wo como." h. . Ho drew up tho chalf Jones placed for him, morely-notlch tho moo, Jjv tho simplest manner. "How Is Johnslng now; .JodgoT' lvodlo askod, slowly. Hb was prlvir oged to ask; was ho not ono of ttioss-who ttioss-who rescued tho man? "Unconscious," Green replied, gravo. ly. "Tho doctors dare not leave him, for a moment Ho is In i critical stat and the least movemett might prove fatal." ' - "Havo thoys sot his broke bones, Jedgo?" Sadlor askod, respectfully. "Yes," Green replied, itretchlng hU wet feet toward the fire and enjoying Hs warmth and rost affer tho dreary day. "Thoy havo setbls right log and hl8 nrm, but his left leg will havo to bo amputated near tho hip."' A silence fell over tbem. A sort of a Wed sllouco It was, at thought of- all it meant ,And it was tho samo man who stood In their midst but thrpo days before, powerful of musclo, with cords llko an oak, vowing vengeance-upon vengeance-upon this young man who had saved his life. "Tho leg should havo been amputated ampu-tated at once, for It was in a terrible condition, but tho doctors dared not do It; In his weak state It might provo fatal. - To-morrow thoy hopo to do It Hla dnughjoj- knows nothing of his critical condition, and thoy wish her npt'to know'. vTJte waiting and sub-penso sub-penso have, told much on. her already, and. she must havo no more oxclto-mont oxclto-mont at present." "An ho's goln' ter loso his leg?" Lodio risked, slowly. "Et'8 gn' ter bo royther hyard on ther Hal as well as JohnsIngr'nears ter me Who'll take care of 'o'm, I'd like tor know?" "They'll be takon enro of," young jGroon rqhlled, quietly a touch of color In his facej.to hear theso rqiigh mon 8peaklngtOjfjrt.he.so things lnregard to-such to-such a vjoman ns. Dolores Johnson. "Ilut It Is doubtful about Johnson having tp bo taken rare of many days." Mrs. Jones ctimo to tho door and spoko to him. His supper was ready if ho carod to havo It then u As ho aroso to ofcey tho summons Tom Smith askod, gruftly, it might bo out of bravado to hide his roal feelings: "Ef Johnslng dloi what 'bout ther trial owor yandor, Jodget" I Greon... faced him with a look tho men never forgot, as he replied, sharply; 'What Is a mare's llf to that of man, Smith? You had b0t jet tfeat matter drop till thin la settled " (To be continued.) |