Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-07-21
THE BOOK-KEEPER.
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A stalwart form, in red shirt and
overalls, loomed up before the book
keeper in the moonlight.
Farnham at once recognized the man
who had caused him such extreme hui
initiation this night.
81 am going past the DAM" admit
ted Farnham.
"Alone?"
81 expect So"
"Mebbe you'd take a passenger?"
Certainly; get in"
The huge bully thrust himself I'M
der the robe. Farnham seated him
self beside him, and then they went
spinning away over the openings at a
rapid rate
"'Twas you with that high-strung
Lyon gal, want it?"
''Yes," admitted the book-keeper.
"She looked mad enough when I
trod on her dress. Sich trails [ don't
admire nohow. No sensible gal would
wear 'em to dance; but then I've
been thinking didn't do the squar'
thing tonight, cap, so when you see
the gal agin jest tell her I'm sorry
tore her dress; L didn't go for to do it,
nohow. You'll tell her'
Farnham said that he would. River
Dan was garrulous, and did most of
the talking, and the little ok-keeper
felt that under his rough manners the
giant riverman had good heart after
| all.
"You see, I'd been takin' too many
drinks was what allied me, cap. 1
wouldn't insult no respectable gal for
nothin' in the world"
The explanation and apology were
ample, and all this had come about
without bad blood, row and bloody
faces. On the whole, Farnham felt
that he had pursued the wisest
course, after all.
The little bookkeeper left River
Dan at the dam and finished his jour
ney to Oxbow alone.
Mr.. Lyon made no mention of the
trouble at the dance to his book
keeper. His daughter gave an account
of her escorts cowardice, but the
lumberman failed to take that interest
his daughter desired.
Matters went on after the old fash
ion. Mark Farnham had been q fre-
quent visitor at the Lyon house, but
since the dance at Maple Top he had
held himself aloof The little book
keeper had been hit in q tender spot
and he could not forget how Janet
looked when she uttered the word
coward.
The foreman came often to Oxbow,
and Janet and the handsome Apollo
were much together The loggers
coupled the name of the two, and in
timated that Dick would feather his
nest before long. The little book
keeper heard, but remained silent.
He could not discuss o subject that
was of most painful nature to him.
He believed Janet cared something for
him, until that affair at the Maple
Top dance. From that time she had
cut him effectively. He had pride, as
well as the belle of the Muskegon, and
from that fatal night they met as
strangers.
The pallor of the little bookkeeper's s
face seemed to deepen. His eyes
were hollow, and his cheeks sunken.
He attended to business devotedly,
and no one noticed any change in
little Mark Farnham.
The winter passed. Late in March
the ice in the river began to move.
Soon tremendous roaring filled the
ears of the citizens Of Oxbow. Peo-
pie gathered on the bank to see the
ice go out. 1t was a grand sight, rs
the huge cakes, nearly foot in thick
ness, went crashing down over the
dam with mighty seething, grinding
roar.
On with irresistible fury swept the
mighty mass, hurled with tremendous
fury by the rapidly rising waters
which the warm spring rains had
augmented to q mighty flood. Close
behind the ice came mighty jam Of
pine logs. The river was fast clog
ging, and a huge jam was formed
against the dam which had lately beer
built across the river.
ga jam must not be permitted tc
form there" cried John Lyon, as he
saw the rolling and tumbling mass o
logs hating, choking the river on the
brink of the dam
Among those gathered on the banl
was River Dan from the dam.
"Get your pick-levers, boysw h,
cried in a loud voice.
The logs had already formed a jam
and men in red shirts, with picks ant
peevies, were focking to the danger
Gus jam, working with might ant
main to keep the mighty mass o
, pine moving.
, The female portion of Oxbow wa
out watching the movements of tn,
red-shirts. Right in the center of tn,
river, not far from where the waite
, boiled and seethed over the dam
J was Dick Wellington, giving order.
| in stentorian voice. 1t was dan
gerous place, and Janet. Lyon
cheeks blanched as she saw him.
The logs on the further shore wer,
| kept moving, and the current of tn
river swept that way with the fury o
| an avalanche. The red-shirts hat
} been working an hour with desper
e L.