The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1872-03-15


or from some vague sense of incongrui-
ty, the Old Mans reply was SO low as to
be inaudible beyond the room.
"Yes," said Johnny, with some slight
abatement OF interest, "I've heard o.
him before. Thar, thst'll do, dad.
don't ache near so bad as ! did. Now
wrap me tight in this yer blanket. So.
Now" he added in muffied whisper,
."sit down yer by me till ] 60 asleep"
To assure himself of obedience. he dis
engaged one hand from the blanket, and
grasping his fathers sleeve again, COM
posed himself to rest.
For some moments the Old Man wait
ed patiently. Then the unwonted still
ness of the house e. cited his curiosity,
and without moving from the bed, he
cautiously opened the door with his
disengaged hand, and looked into the
main room. To his infinite surprise it
was dark and deserted. But even then
smouldering log on the hearth broke,
and by the upspringing blaze he saw
the figure of Dick Bullen sitting by the
dying embers.
"Hellon
Dick started, rose, and came some
what unsteadily toward him.
"Whar's the boys?" said the Old
Man.
"Gone up the canon on little
paeaSr. They're coming back for me in
mint. Pm waitin' round for em.
What are you starin' at, Old Man." he
added with a forced laugh; "do you
think Pm drunk?'
The Old Man might have been par.
doned the supposition, for Dck's eyes
were humid and his face flushed. He
loitered and lounged back TO the chin
ney, yawned, shook himself, buttoned
up his coat, and laughed. Liquor
ain't so plenty as that, Old Man. Now
don't you get up" he continued, Us the
Old Man made movement to release
his sleeve from Johnny's hand. "Don't
you mind manners. Sit jest whar you
be; I'm going in jiffy. Thar, that's
them now
There was a low tap at the door.
Dick Bullen opened it quickly, nodded
GOOD night" to his host, and dissp-
peared. The Old Man would have fol
lowed him but for the hand that still
unconsciously grasped his sleeve. He
could easily have disengsged it; it was
small, weak, and emsciated. But per
| haps because it ,oaS small weak, and
emaciated he changed his mind, and
drawing his chair closer TO the bed,
rested his head upon it. In this de-
fenseless attitude the potency of his
earlier potations surprised him. The
room dickered and faded before his
eyes, reappeared, faded again, went out,
and left him-asleep.
Meantime, Dick Bullen, closing the
door, confronted his companions Are
you ready?" said Staples. " Ready"
said Dick; "what's the time p "Past
l2," was the reply; "can you make it
its nigh on fifty miles, the round trip
hither and yon." 81 reckon" returned
Dick shortly. /" Whar's the mare ?"
"Bill and jacks holdin' her at the
crossin'." "Let 'em hold on a mint
longer" said Dick.
He turned and re-entered the house
softly. BY the light of the guttering
candle and dying fire he saw that the
door of the little room was open. He
stepped toward it on tiptoe and looked
in. The Old Man had fallen back in
his chair, snoring, his helpless feet
thrust out in line with his collapsed
shoulders, and his hat pulled over his
eyes. Beside him, on narrow wooden
bedstead, lay Johnny, muffled tightly
in a blanket that hid all save q strip of
forehead and few curls damp with
perspiration. Dick Bullen made a step
forward, hesitated, and glanced over
his shoulder into the deserted room.
Everything was quiet. With sudden
resolution he parted his huge mustaches
with both hands and stopped over the
sleeping boy. But even as he did so,
mischievous blast, lying in wait, swooped
down the chimney, rekindled the
hearth, and lit up the room with
shameless glow from which Dick fled in
bashful terror.
His companions were waiting for him
at the crossing Two of them were
struggling in the darkness with some
strange misshapen bulk, which, as Dick
came nearer, took the semblance of
great yellow horse.
1t was the mare. She was not pref
ty picture. From her Roman nose to
her rising launches, from her arched
spine, hidden by the stiff machillas Of a
| Mexican saddle to her thick, straight,
bony legs, there was not line Of equine
grace. In her halfblind but wholly
vicious white eyes, in her protruding
under lip, in her monstrous color, there
was nothing but uglness and vice.
Now, them said Staples, "stand
! cl'ar of her heels, boys, and up with
you. Don't miss your first holt of her
name, and mind we get your oil stirrup
quick. Ready"
There was a leap, scramblng strug-
gle, bound, a wild retreat of the
crowd, a circle of flying hoofs, two
springless leaps that Jared the earth,
rapid play and jingle of spurs, plunge,
and then the voice of Dick somewhere
in the darkness, "All rightl'
"Don't take the lower road back on
less you're hard pushed for time Don't
hold her in down hill Well be at
the ford at 5. G'lang Hoopa Mula!
Gow
A splash, spark struck from the
ledge in the road, clatter in the rocky
cut beyond, and Dick was gone.
Sing, o Muse, the ride of Richard
D. a