I. knowed your father and his father
before him, and tho family-
"Don't waste a word then, miu
Let me through
"Elopement?"
"Yes,"
"Old man back there?". Pointing
to tho approaching cloud of dust.
"Yes, yes."
"Pretty hot, I guess."
"Yes, quick, or"
"Got a gun, I guess?"
"For heaven's sake, lift' that gate
or"
"He'd uso it, too, be woi!d. Why,
I remember when" a.
"Up with tho gate, Bill."
"All right. It's, rather unsociable
ye-ou aro this morning, but I s'pose
nro rather busy. Good motn
Ing. .I'd like to be there and give
away' the bride, for a bonnier girl
there ain't to be found tn the county,
oven if she is the darter of the
meanest man in tho vicinity, and it's
Bill Gogglns who says it."
Liko an arrow from a bow they
shot beneath tho uplifted pole and
Bill gazed after them meditatively.
"Well, well, young blood anfl.
warm hearts," said he. "That'a
just like mo afore I got, out mine
plow. Uosh, ain't tne oia man
mud. Look at the dust he's
raising. Ho's rollln' a)ong like a
cyclone, waving his t arma and
shoutln' mad. They won't be much
left of Jack after ho gets through
wlthhhn."
Tho cyclone, was approachibg
nearer and nearer. In tho center of
tho cloud could be seen WW wagon and
in tho wagon an elderly man who
held tho whip with ono band and tUT 4
reins with another, while between
his knees was a formidable lookibg
weapon which looked, liko
buss. Ho daslid toward ; the tqUT.
cmtA nt, nnnut n 2:20 cim ana waa
"..'-. t . . . . ' J-
about to ride tnrougn wnen.aowu
camo me nolo ana ine nurou aanir
back upon his haunches.
