Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1899-07-15
AN EXCITING CHASE.

-,Drv IN a booming spring flood Wnen
sfhe timber drives were sweeping ooWh'
sscareely recognized the stree IN unoer
lis present peaceful guise. For miles
the white ice stretched away from the
Dulu mill landing. Enbroken save near 1
.She vest shore. where the Upper Creek |
Hunblod its rude current into the /
broader waterway.
The river was half mile wide, ana,
although the swift current OF the creek
kept the ice open quite half It's wlutn,
there was sufficient room for an ice
Yacht to work by in the stihest breeze
shat ever swooped down the valley.
No matter how low the temperature
fell. this chasm in the ice was but
7ixhtlv SKINNED over, and the lumber
men passing up and down the river
with their sledges or heavy iceboats al
ways gave il a wide berth.
Franklin had the Ice Wrath built
under his personal superintendent
As soon as he arrived at the landing
and saw the state of the river he had
set about the construction OF the craft
For three months the ice would PROB
ably afford the easiest route up and
down the river and the possibilities
OF a swift ice boat appealed TO the
Young civil engineer at once.
The other ice boats were little better
shan wood sledges with heavy sails az
sHxed. Upon them the settlers from up
the valley transported their cordwood
TO the railway at the landing. The Ice
Wrath was built after the most ap-
proved ice-yacht plans.
F'rankiyn's duties as paymaster and
general overseer of his fathers lumber
camps took him thirty miles up the
river two or three times week. The
upper camp was beyond Bannock's and
back some distance from the river;
AFranklyn always left his boat at Ban
lnock's little landing and usually took
dinner at Bannock's house. Abe Ban
mock was rather a hard citizen. even
for the backwoods of Maine, and the
men who frequented the place were,
: lxnany OF them, worse than the proprie-
tor. Abe sold liquor to the surround
Ing lumber crews and was more than
suspected OF aiding in smuggling enter
lprises.
FRANKLIN was never molested. how
ever. He only had the money for one
crew when he reached Abe's and, as
reckless as the old fellow was known
20 be, il 1t doubtful IL he would have
cOuntenanced any scheme OF outright
robbery. Besides, Franklyn had gain
ed a friend at court in the person o.
Abe's wife. a coarse, masculine wo
mar who could use a gun, or paddle
as much liquor and hold up her enc
OF a battle with the best man who evel
came to Bannock's s. But she was a wo
man for all that, ard Frankiyn's gal
Aantry and his infectious good nature
won her at his first visit
Another member of the tavern keep
aUr's family upon whom the civil en-
gineer had made a good impression wa
4Roae. the daughter OF Abe's half
brother. She had been left to her un
tr1e's care when her father died les
than a year before. When Frankly
dad surveyed his fathers purchases
Rose had not been at the tavern, bu
from Mrs. Abe he gained all the fact
fn the case.
The woman seemed to dimly realiz
that the place was not fit for the cir
hut she confded to the young man tina
her husband had declared that VIVA
was good enough for him was goo
enough for Bills gal-ef she wa
brought up on milk and water"
when there was much company Ros
had to assist at waiting on the guest
and their coarse jests and attempts
gallantry evidently frightened her. Sh
was very pretty, with pink and whit
Rrsttiness, and she looked like a fragil
doll beside her aunt or among the ruo
fellows who congregated at the tavern
Easr form was small but pleasing; hC
Grown hair clustered about her viii
brow, upon which the blue veins show
ed plainly, and her blue eyes were
clear and pure as a child's. 81
Eranklyn could not help wonderin
-~Jtn something like a shudder, If h,
eyes would have the same innooen
for very long.
First out OF pity the young fellow b
St. -. = A 49, H.,
saw at once that she was glad to Ia
with him because he belonged to tn
outside world OF which she once b
been a part He found her very intel
gent, showing the marks of caref
home training and some education. T
more Franklyn saw OF her the mo
deeply he felt the misfortune OF b
position.
He sounded Abe once regarding b,
but very carefully, and learned that t
old man had never liked her father a.
seemed to take satisfaction In keepi
Rose In her unsavory surroundings.
"She's a-wantin' ter go Bangor W
an teach skule," said the tavern kes
or. But she's wuth too much ter ]
here. The boys like to see her 'rou
-an'-an' it draws trade"
But Franklyn learned quite by &C
dent that Abe Bannock had somethi
else in his mind. There was a fello
Hi Conley, who came frequently to
tavern and Mrs. Abe one day let DIR
something which assured the engine
that Abe intended Rose for him. I
latter was supposed to be guide in I
season, but his frequent trips to a
from the line" pointed to his conn'
ton with the "free-tradersS FraI
Ign felt a sudden tide of passion T
within him as he thought of the pC
girl sacrificed to this scoundrel.
do you mean to say Abe will ma
her marry him?" he demanded Of I
old woman.
~Ho. she might do worse" return
the tavern keepers wife, bridling
a little she amt no better blood
her veins than my Abe has / reck
she'll git used to it. She'll like