Evening star., 1898-12-17

v
are comm so peart. likely shan't get the
chahce to walk at all-but / wanter he in
o,,e tros ,, pcs deep at least-I thought maybe
'i,g er you buy EN-. and walk fer me
- l m your man. Jack said cIiItcbine
IeehS ccin ana spinning ii above his head
LIN srlnned good humoredly. Better lem
ma nave er walk and a half he SAID
| GRANT laughed eXplosively. oh these boysr''
ne sam stepping to the wagon side whore
instantly ne shouted, step up to the can
! IaIil office and settle, gentlemen. Pegs
| ItSHt mere. only q dime! Come on come on !
No such turkeys anywherer'
| Come runnin'," Haskell said clutchine
a peg ana nipping silver into Sonny's hat.
held up his hand. Cit yer binder. Doc :
he said to Grant. You go first"
1n 'ILtht whipped out a gorgeous red-and-
Yellow bandanna- Sonny mufHed his eyes
| securely, then, peg in hand he was turned
| around TWO or three times and told to walk
| toWard the central stake. A laughing shout
went up as he shaped course at right an
2dts 10 IT, Walk big 1ujuni Walk awayr
| walk Spanish! Tiptoe ffneI" the rest called
arter him as he stepped his allotted forty
PAGES. lie stepped gingerly and so high
When he stopped to pick his peg and bum6
ett fairly against the lot fence there was
| chorus of gleeful howls
r-l3,,cks! y Jacks! If I'm to win this fellow Sam
| "alker won't have a panel O. fence leftr'
| ne said pulling off his binder and rubbing
MS Gnln- Here you nice young men, put
| on this same rag and let's see if you do any
|
| "One thing sure-we can't do any worser,
| JACK retorted, as Sonny hooded Haskell
ana turned him about Haskell had an In
! dams sense of direction along with hunt
! er's trained perception He wheeled slow
/ ~ until he felt the wind cut his left cheek
ana then with a confident smile went
str4lght toward the stake and set his peg
| within a yard of It,
Good for Len! Well walked! Sure shot."
| the others called.
Thai 5 Lens turkey, dead to rights,''
! JACK Chiiders said. We couldn't beat that
| !! we tIed a year. Put up another turkey,
| sonny. and bar Len from walking"
1000 as wheat; from the crowd. Len
/ smiled quite happily. 1T Jest gives me a
better chance ter see Lassaphine,' he said
| to ChIlders. I'll walk though. fer the next
! then you lookout"
| Here goes for Teeny Walker" Jack said.
! stepping manfully out. a babel of shouts
| assailed him. but he kept straight ahead
/ and set Teeny's peg respectfully near the
! stake. The other nine walkers went wild
| hot one came within five yards of the win
| ning post One luckless fellow brought up
| al the store StepS-the rest scattered impar-
tally about. though each had been morally
/ certain with his eyes open that he could
| shut them and go straight to the goal with
| out turning 4 hair.
: '"Teny'H feel like a sport after thIs-he's
! always been sech er pious little cuss" Doc
| Grant said. Haskell nodded. But he'll be
| IN at the turkey supper. large as life" he
/ SAID ~ on must remember it's a develop
| ing process-falling in love with Lassa-
5 !
| Look yonder. There comes the preacher
| as m Twin sinner. l wonder what he's
after!"
| 'I.assaphine-like the rest of us'' Len
growIed- Doc Grant whistled shrilly. then
I nodded assent Preachers are Jest men"
/ ne SAID Boys, we might as well hang our
/ harps ON the Willows
commonly the preacher had an open coun-
/ tenance, ready and engaging smile. Now
/ his face was something set his smooth
| cheek the least bit flushed as he rode toward
/ Sonny, answering only with Il grave col
/ lective nod civil greetings from every side.
| "Rrother Murray he said not touching
/ Sonny's outstretched hand cit grieves me
/ to speak what you may not care to hear"
| Dear bless my SOUL Is anybody dead or
! n church burnt, or air you turned against
| your feed. boardin' round?'' Sonny asked
eheerfuliy. Don't he cast down. Brother
/ Mickiejohn-no matter whut happens, the
Lord II provide"
Il have no doubt of that Micklejohn
| said. trying TO speak severely and to keep
| his eyes from LaSsa phine. who had risen
and stood erect in the rickety wagon bed
| as a queen might stand beside her throne.
/ My trouble Is not material, but spiritual.
/ Il does trouble me beyond expression TO
! Ind you, Il professor of Christ, openly en-
| gagged in Il gambling scheme
"Gamblin'?" Sonny's jaw dropped, his
/ hands fell to his sides, nerveless and fac
| cid. 'Gamblin!' he repeated. Il never
! gambied in my life! / don't know whut
I you mean"
| Il do know-it's walkin for our turkeys"
I 4-S9sfi p!tIi!t SStlu, Sl1ASlnS DOWN, anu
/ standing at her fathers side. Her head
/ vas high, her eyes darted lightning a rovaI
! color burned in her cheeks. She looked
| MlckIeJOhn fun in the eye-his glance fell
! before hers Where are your wings" she
! asked with little sneering laugh. You
| ought to be an augel-you are too good for
| a mere man. Understand, though this is
/ my turkey walk, / raised the turkeys: Som
| ny Jest managin' things 10 save me trou-
! bic. I'm a probationer not a full member
! OF your church--I won't ever be ANYTIME.
more. Take my name off your books-at
| once. Do you hear?"
| Mickleiohn bowed silently His breath
came little short. Lassaphine waved him
/ toward the gate, AS he turned his horses
| head, she laughed defantly. and patted
sonny > arm. on. wish l was man,
aud he not a preacher she said then rails
| ing her voice a little. Come on every
body! After this, I'll hold pegs-and sonny
/ may have fun with the rest of YOU"
ne walking went on with a rush.
lhoGgh there were but seventeen turkeys
| Lassdphine somehow found herself at the
| end possessed of So. 1t was almost dark
! but she vent into the store. jingling the,
/ coins. iaul hing and making Jokes with an
heT court. Teeny darted out of sight-he
would never. never, undertake TO wait on
! her in the face of all those others lack
! ChiIders at once flung over the counter in
10 his vacant place, and certainly sold Las
saphlne some astonishing bargains from
The best in stock. She made no dennur-
since her encounter with MIcklejohn she
| Hdu ii royal feckleSSneSS in everything Be
f0re she had fiouted the most trinine gifts
Now she took with free hand whatever
her wooers chose to offer, thereby greatly
scandaltzlng the few other women making
belated Christmas purchases.
Let me take you home?" Jack said Iool
| ing up into her brilliant face when the buy-
| ing was done. Jack was fair and blue
| eyed and half head the lower. She smil-
ed DOWN at him, and stepped toward the
door outside there was black darkness
| she could not make out even Jinnv's male
ness against the red Of brandy SONNY
whom Grant and Haskell had managed to
| Keep mlraculoVsiy sober for Christmas eve
was already III his seat, propped all about
with parcels. "No-IH go as | came-in
my own private carriage" she called over
her shoulder. Il don't want To spoil snort
Be sure. you-all. to come tell me how The
surkey supper went off,
Zen you what. she's got grit-that girl
mas. aiker said, sticking his hands in
ms pocket by way of emphasizing his first
4eISuIe since sunrise. She amt afraid of
/ hoLnlh IN This world ner the next"
We found that out several hours hack
JACK said-and Walker could not under
| stahd WHY the others laughed SO heartily
CHRISTMAS dawned properly clear and cold
Win powdering of fine light snow over