Part 44 (2/2)
”Do you love her as much as you should?”
”As h to tell you how dear she is to ain, and one never knohat a dayman cried ”He's her father, you know; he's like a e”
”I know very little of law outside of the Church,” the Father observed, ”but, as I understand it, if she marries before he forbids her, the laill hold him powerless Now, he has never ; and although my conclusion may not be correct, I believe it is, and you have a chance if you e, my boy, I never needed a spur”
”A spur? Good Lord! I'm from Kentucky”
”Once she is yours before God, your hold will be stronger in the eyes of , and he takes her from you--well, may some other priest re-wed you two--I sha'n't!”
”Don't worry,” laughed Burrell, ablaze at the thought ”You're the only preacher who'll kiss my bride, for I'm a jealous man, and all the Starks and all the fathers in the world won't get her away from me Do you think she'll do it?”
”A wo”
Burrell seized the little iven o now to this Stark,” said the Father; ”he may need me But first I shall talk with Necia Poor child, she is in a difficult position, standing between the love of John Gale and the loyalty she owes her father I--I fear I cannot counsel her as well as I ought, for I am very weak and human You had better coht than the voice of reason” As they started towards the house, he continued, energetically: ”Youngto live once ned for this vocation, and, just between you and hed a trifle, then said, sharply, ”Well, what are you waiting for?”
Together they went into the trader's house
Back in the store there was silence after the priest and the soldier went out, which Gale broke at last:
”This forgiveness talk is all right, I suppose--but _I_ WANT RUNNION!”
”We'll git hirowled Lee, at which Poleon uttered a curt exclamation:
”No!”
”Why not?” said the miner
”Wal,” the Canadian drawled, slowly, then paused to light the cigarette he had rolled in a bit of wrapping-paper, inhaled the ss, held it there a h , ”you'll jus' be wastin' tam'!”
Gale looked up from beneath his thatch of brow, and asked, quietly:
”Why?”
”You 'o,” Poleon remarked, with apparent evasion, ”'bout Johnny Platt w'at I ketch on de Porcupine all et up by skeeter-bugs?”
”I do,” answered Gale