Bonny Jean, and A Severe Threat — page 59: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

52 BONNY. JEAN. you now that the next time marriage is spoken of between us two, you will be the one to break the ice, and ss ‘Stop, John Averill !” Lady’s slender little figure was drawn up to its full height, her eyes sparkled with dangerous brightness, and her voice was full of indignation. ‘‘ How dare you speak to me like that?” she went on, ‘‘and at my own home, too! I shall tell my father to order you off the premises.” | ‘And I shall not go!” returned John, audaciously; ‘for, Lady, you know that Iam right. But one thing I promise you—lI will never again mention the subject of marriage to you; but I repeat what I have already said, the next reference to this disagreeable topic will proceed from yourself.” A smile crossed the girl's red lips. ‘“You just wait for ‘hat time to come, John Averill,” she cried, saucily, ‘‘and I reckon you'll be old and gray !” ‘‘Not a bit of it,” he answered, smilingly, ‘‘as you will live to discover. And now, Lady, I must see your father. I didn’t come here to pass the precious time in quarreling, I havea mind to tell you what I dd come for.” He hesitated, glancing toward old Dinah; but the negress had called up Whitefoot, the foremost among the bovine group, and was busily engaged in the operation of milking. ‘<I will tell you,” continued John, in an undertone. ‘‘I received warning yesterday, Lady, just after I saw you, that the ‘vigilantes’ are on the war-path again; in other words, that detestable band of outlaw ruffians are engaged in carrying on their usual nefarious business—horse-stealing, etc. And I was informed yesterday evening that they are on their way to this place. Some of them have a grudge against your father, Lady —so I’m told—and they expect to be here to-night to run off your mules and horses. Flirt, especially, is ‘spotted’ for to- night’s spoils.” While John was speaking, Lady’s face had grown very pale, (e(o) Eomichbooks