The Illegal Marriage — page 212: what you’re looking at

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

204 THE ILLEGAL MARRIAGE. Alfred; but the malicious, venomous look soon re- turned to his face. “See here, boss—ef you’ll go thar, and say one word in his ear, I’ll leave you forever.” “What is it?—what is the word?” “Tf you’ll whisper it tu him, and come back tu let me know, you’ll never hear of old Hawks agin—l’1] make yer fortin’ in the bargain. Say that word and I’ll give ye suthin, that young fellar over thar, would give a fortin’ to git.” “Who, Hawks, Stannard? Will you give me his secret?” “T’ll give ye anything——” “What is the word, Hawks? I’ll do my best.” “Mary!” almost shrieked the old man, rising toa sitting posture, and raising his long gaunt arms. “You say that in his ear, and IJ’ll ask no more of you. Just come here to see the old man,” he con- tinued sinking back upon the bed, “who’s made yer fortin’, *till he gits able tu travel, and you’ll never see a blaze on him in these parts agin.” The old man turned his face to the wall, and paid no attention to Alfred’s questions; but at length he rose, and tears stood in his eyes. “Who was she, boy? All in the world that old Hawks had to live for. When you’ve a darter of your own, then may be ye’ll know what she was to me. Leave here now—go do what I told ye. Go marry that gal, and take yer fortin’—I’d had no hand in it but to git this money.” He slapped the pillow beneath which he had pee the twenty-five hundred dollars that Alfred ad paid him, and continued: “T needed that, ye see, and have helped you tu git it—that’s all. You jist come here between whiles till this cussed thing is well; and you’ll never hear more of me.” Again he turned away and Alfred could get no further response from him. For afew moments he gazed at the old man lying there before him, won- dering at his strange life and singular historv, then left the hut in silence. ; Every day or two he visited the old man, who comicbooks 4 ‘ (ele) we ,/®