Thomas County cat., 1886-11-11

scout He siczed Daisy in his arms
and covered her pretty brown face
with kisses. Then he said very
solemnly:
..Daisr, goodbye. Some day may
come and see you again, but now l
must hurry away. Only Daisy, if your
father gets happy soon-that is. I
mean. if he"--
..Strikes oil. do you mcan?" asked
she. precociously.
YES" laughed the scout, kissing
her again and again, until she wriggled
away; Eyes. Daisy. if your father
strikes oil and seems very glad about
it you tell him that you saved him
from scout, will you? But mind.
little one, don't say any thing until''
But at this instant, when little
Daisy's violet eyes were wide open
with wonder and the enthusiastic scout
was preparing to take a parting kiss
from her cherry lips two men came
from behind the great oak and as one
snatched Daisy screaming to his breast.
the other. pointing pistol at the head
of the scout. said, sternly:
ii could shoot you if wished, but
I've no fondness for homicide. l adj
wise you, however, to follow that man
and my daughter without resistance. p"
And then in this Indian tie, Daisy
in front, turning now and then her
sorrowful eyes around to meet the
tranquil smile of the scout, they skirted
the hill and entered the ravine. pass
ing through gate in the high board
fence which enclosed the derrick and
rough structures about the oil well.
Here the stern-faced owner of the
mystery directing several of his
men to bind the scout-whO calmly
submitted to the indignity, for he saw
Daisy looking down upon him from a
window in tine rude shanty-then had
his prisoner thrust into the well-house
and left to the care of the workmen.
This altered his mood. So long, it
seemed, as he remained within reach
of Daisy's mournful eyes he had moth
ing but cheerful acquiescence for his
captors, until the rough oil-men, vino
knew him and had heard so much of
his cunning and temerity. now laughed
in his face and taunted him with his
craven submission. But left alone he
turned savagely upon them with a tor
rent of Oaths and shamed and Silenced
them. Indeed, as the day declined and
only the smoky gas lighted the we'll
house, he began to regret the weakness
that had led him to thrust his neck in
to such moose. When at length the
owner of the well appeared before him
the scout turned to curse aloud, but
there was kindlier look in the man s
eye that stayed his tongue. A word to
one of the men, and the ropes were
lOosened from around the ankles of the
prisoner.
"Come with me-" he said, adding.
when they were in the open air, Il did
not know until Daisy just told me that
you had decided to give up watching
us and were going away when l came
upon you. 1 don't understand why
you should have done this, and Daisy
can't make it clear, either; but 1 will
give your motive the benefit of the
doubt-that is, will give you lodging
in the kitchen instead of the well-housa,
and such food rs we have until it is
time to let you 60"
The scout had no objection to make
against this arrangements; he knew,
on the contrary, that it would be far
more convenient for him to be captured
and held by the mystery" people.
than to have returned without infor-
nation to his employers. SO he placid
ly stretched himself out on the floor of
the kitchen.
"Will you let me see Daisy to-mor.
row?" he asked.
The man frowned at him.
You see so much of her. YOU
know" said the scout, pleasantly;
land l don't, and guess after this
will never see her again."
Yes, but have right to see her, "
retorted the other, wonderingly. 1--WE
shall see" and he left the room.
And that night the wildcatters along
the creek knew something had happened
to well No. .. There was an explo sion
of natural gas at the mystery The
frail structures within the fence-der-
rick, engine we'll and dwelling house
were all razed to the ground.
Little Daisy. creeping softly from her
bed aud stepping noiselessly down the
bare stairs, had entered the kitchen
and stood silently. as she had done un-
der the great oak, looking at her big.
slumbrous friend. Suddenly as he had
awakened upon Ossie's grave his eyes
opened and saw her and laughed.
I'm awful sorry" she said. J.
Il amt, Daisy; I'm glad"
care you really?"
Really"
'.TEen 1 don't care" She came
nearer and told him in confidential