Bonny Jean, and A Severe Threat — page 75: what you’re looking at

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

68 BONNY JEAN. man’s eyes fell upon Black, he checked ‘his horse and awaited his approach. A low and earnest conversation ensued, and then the man turned his horse’s head and went back on a gallop to his home. Arrived there, he caught a glimpse of ‘‘ Mariar” and beckoned her aside. No one had seen him return, and poor Lady, within the house, lying on the patchwork-covered bed, never dreamed. of the villainy which was taking place, the plot of which the man was hurriedly repeating for ‘‘ Mariar’s” instruc- tion and edification. ‘“Good luck for us!” cried the woman, at the first pause in his hurried intelligence. ‘‘We didn’t put a hoss shoe over our door for nothin. And you're sure that Black’ll pay the hard cash, is you, Bob? Bet you two bits he don’t do it!” “Wal,” responded Bob, shaking his grizzly head with slow emphasis, ‘‘he’d better, if he wants to keep a hull skin! That’s all Z’ve got to say about it. I’m sho’, Mariar, that he'll keep his word; and—a hundred dollars ain’t picked off every gall-berry bush that grows in the openin’.” ‘‘Reckon vot/’ chuckled the woman; ‘‘and the gal hain't no airthly use to us. We mought as well take up with Black’s offer, and do as he axes us. J/’m agreeable, Bob, if you is.” The man nodded laconically, and so poor Lady’s fate was sealed. * 2 ok * ** * * It was several days later when Bob finally mounted his horse and started for the Lee Place. But, in the interim, strange oc- currences had taken place. Lady waited her father’s arrival with impatience, but he did not come; neither did Bob put in an appearance, for, of course, she believed implicitly that he had gone, as represented, to her father’s. One day ‘‘ Mariar” came into the back room, where Lady was sitting alone, bringing with her a cup of coffee. “‘Ye'd better take a cup o’ black coffee, miss,” she began, Eomichbooks.co =)