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Show One Blow Too Many, I1T CIIAIU.K8 KUfJENK DANKB. (Coprrlsht, IN!, by Dally Story Tub. Co) Teddy McFarland left th train at the little station of Umerlck, io namtd rrom the fact that the country for talles around had bn aattled by peo-Sls peo-Sls from that dlatrlct la Ireland, After two yean In the Klondike tho little Tillage seemed quiet aa a graveyard. It waa Bunday morning and the village, vil-lage, solemn In Iti stlllneia, waa In atrong contraat to Dawson city, where fiundaya wore unknown, but all daya were alike potay with wild aporta or aerloua adventure. The young man turned Into a croia atreet and walked alowly along under "lrtfcitia.u.(ifJ.tli.A.lx.lt.PiJ, tree. A block farther on the bell In the little Catholic church rang out the .morning service hour. McFarland Hopped by the gate to .watch the arrival of the country people, peo-ple, every one of whom he knew but .who failed to recognlto In tbla tanned nd bearded m:n the smooth-faced youngster who had left them two rears before to seek his fortune In the cold lands of Alaskn. There was a pouch of mystery about the ettuatlon that quickened his Irish blood, A word from him and the scene would Instantly In-stantly change and he would becomo the center of an eiclted, questioning group; for few ever traveled fsr from Lhls settlement and a man who had seen the frozen mountains of the fsr Northwest would be more then a novelty nov-elty In the eyes of this simple people. But all McFarland's cooluess van-lined van-lined and his face flushed crimson as a tall, fair girl sprang lightly out of an old carry-all and rame toward him. .Than he leaned back agalnat tho gate post and waited, his eyes dancing with the anticipation of a speedy rtcognl- "Mollle Westcottl Impossible!" lion. Dut the girl passed him without with-out the leaat ahow of recognition and hurriedly entered the oliurch. Mo-tTarland Mo-tTarland saw that she was pale, had a aid, hopeless look that wsnt straight to hlj heart. He wondered If she waa grlavlng because of his absence and thought If this waa ao how soon he should bring the color back to her ehteks and the light of bapplnsss to her eyes. While he waa speculating . on tbla coming bapplneaa two old men drove np In a carriage, and one, handing hand-ing the reins to the other with the air of proprietorship, cllmbtd down from his seat and came up the path toward the gate It was old Jamas fteanessy. McFarland knew htm well as a character generally dlaltkad for bU hard, grinding practical, so different differ-ent from the free, open-banded natures na-tures of the peoplo of the settlement. But the novelty of bslng a stranger In his native village was wearing away and McFarland called out pieasantly nought "Oood morning, Mr. Hsnnsssy. Have you forgotten the son of your neighbor neigh-bor McFarland?" "WhatT Bo It Is; so It ts. Dack from your wild gooae chaae after gold and poorer than when you left, I'll warrant." replied the old man gruffly. "I've aeen somethlug of the world, at least," laughingly responded McFarland, Mc-Farland, "and that Is better than having hav-ing nothing and seeing nothing which would have been the case bad I stayed at home." "Well, you're back In good time," chuckled the old roan. "There's going to be a pretty wedding here this morning morn-ing and If you're civil you may get the chance to salute the bride." "Oood luck la be aure. And who may be the happy man?" The old man straightened himself. "I am, sir. The ceremony will bo performed per-formed at tho close of tho morning mtvrfnf ' ; e- "-' "It's glad I am for you, Mr. Hen-nessy, Hen-nessy, but who Is tho bride?" "You saw her go In a moment ago Mollle Wescott." "Mollle Wescott! Impossible." "Why not?" snqrted Hennessy. "Is there anything atrango about a fine young woman-fancying a man with a thousand acres of land and a good bank account? Especially," he added with a leer, "when her father Is bankrupt." bank-rupt." "Do you mean that Wescott haa lost hla farm!" "Yea, or would have loat It If a good friend had not stood by blra." "You old devil," cried McFarland, advancing upon the otherwlthclenched bands. "So you'vo got Weacott In a tight place and are forcing htm to give you bis pretty daughter to save htm from ruin." "Travel doesn't seem to have Improved Im-proved your manners, young man. I should advlso you to be more civil or you may not got a chance to taste tho wedding cake." Tho old man went chuckling up the church stops lenlng his young rival sweating with Impotent rage. Could It be thst this fair young girl who had been tho hope of his life ever since they were playchlldren together waa willingly sacrificing herself to this miser's gold? No; he would not believe be-lieve It. It must be for her father's sake. It only he was sure of this be would go Into the church and forbid It. He had not come back empty-handed empty-handed and could easily help Mr. Wescott Wes-cott out of his difficulties, nut supposing sup-posing she had thrown htm over for Hennessy. He paced back and forth before the church door llatenlng to the prlett droning out the aervlce, unable to settle on any definite plan of action. "Wud ye like to know something that wud stop the weddln', sor?" whls-persd whls-persd a hoarse voice In his ear. Turning, Turn-ing, he saw the old men Hennessy had left In the wagon pulling at his sleeve. "I've been wld htm since before he left New York," continued the shriveled shriv-eled little fellow, "He's been a hard master to me all along, but this morn-In' morn-In' he beat me like a dog because I told him ha ought not to ruin this young girl's life. If you would save her, sor, go In and ask him what has become of the wife and children he left back there In the city. He can't deny It, sor." "Olorlous old fellow! Gad, I could hug you." "All I ask ov you, sor. Is that you don't 1st him know It wus me that told ye. He'd kill me If be knew." "Never fear, I'll take care of you all right. Climb back In the carriage and look dumb. I'll attend to the rest of It." McFarland threw his bat Into the air for very joy of his feelings and then, smoothing the smiles out of his face, walksd solemnly Into the church. The couple were already at the altar and the priest was preparing lo say the final words that should make them man and wife when the young miner strode down the aisle, and touching Hennessy en the shoulder said quietly quiet-ly "Ilfforo this matter goes any farther I must have a word with you" The prlett was so startled that he dropped his book People In the pews started to their feet In wild ei'lte meat, Henuessy turned with a marl upon the yo. ng man, choking with rage at the unseemly Interruption The btlde threw one swift glance Into the eyes of the stranger, and a flush swept over her fsce and she clutched the altar al-tar rail to steady herself McFarland was the only cool one In tho bouie. "I'm sorry to Interrupt the proceedings, proceed-ings, Mr. Hennessy," he continued, "but unless you wish the people here to hear what 1 have to aay you'd bettsr -" "Away with you, fool!" roared the old man. "Take the madman away. He baa nothing I want to hear. Take blm away." "If I have nothing you wlah to hear I have aomethlng that will Interest my old neighbors Llatcn friends. I am Teddy McFarland, You have all known me alnce 1 waa a child, Two years ago I went away to seek for gold In the Klondike. While there 1 worked with a man wno once llted In New York. In telling him of the people here I mentioned men-tioned tbla man, Hennessy. He asked for more concerning him and recog nised htm as a former acquaintance. He told me that Hennessy had a wife and children In New York, that he deserted them to come west; left them to starve. I can prove what I say. You know It Is true. Look at the old rascal. ras-cal. He ahowa hla guilt In hla looks. ou don't deny It, do you Hennessy?" "They are all dead, long ago," stammered the old man groping blindly blind-ly around for bis tane. "Oh, no they're not Hennessy, There's time enough yet for you to make amends. Let me help you to your carriage. You seem rather feeble." Hennessy pushed aside tho proferred asslstanca and staggered out of the church. The young miner turned and held out his nrms and Molllo Wretcolt whispered whis-pered her thanks from the safe retreat of his enfolding. "The saints forgive me for lying In "I Must Havo a Word with You," the church, but It'll save the old man a beating," thought McFarland aa ho bent to kiss tho gold of Mollle's hslr. |