Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1900-04-03
CHAPTER X.-lCoutinued.l

NO., answered Dick, rouslng himseiI
from the abstraction into which his train
. thought had thrown him. About
what time do you think the horses were
stOlenT
Wall. we don't say right out that we
think they was STOLE answered the man.
But l allow ii kin o looks that way.
Whether they were stole or got out o
their own accord. il must ha' happened
summers 'twixt ten an daylight. They
was there. all right. when oil man Aver
sd went to bed.' au' they was missin'
when be got up this mornin. That's
bout all / can tell sc. 'eept the fence
that they must "a got out through, or
ben helped through, was good one.
an the bosses never was knowed TO be
enruly. an we don't see how they come
to take il intu their heads to git breachy
al TO onct. The fact-is, we don't b'leeEe
tliey ever got ont O. the field 'thout help;
but b'leeyin' amt KNOWN. you know"
Have you found any track of them
sety' asked Dick,
''Nothin'. 'cept as fur as the road" was
the reply. cit rained about dayight-a
regular, rigbt-smart leetle pour-down
while it lasted-an' you can't track moth
in this mornin'. on that account. only
here an there. where the grounds SO
hard it don't wash easy
haye sou any suspicious OF who could
have taken themE"
mo more'n the man in the MOON was
the reply. They're gone. an, that's all
] can tell ye. I've met nigh on to doz-
en- men this morniu', and uaae Of EN- has
seen hide or hair o the critters. It's
mighty queer. Seems jest as ef the airth
had opened an swallered en-"
1t is queer" said Dick. ''Do you
want help in looking for them:
Yes, all we can git was the answer
''AveriH he's a poor man, an cant af-
ford to lose his team. Alebbe we're wor-
ryin' 'thout any reason. an they'll turn
mp summers round the kentry; but al
low il looks ef they was took. Anyhow,
faint no more'u fair an neighborly fer
rs TO turn out au' help him hunt fer EN-"
-Of course, we'll all help" said Dick.
Is there to be an organized search. or
is every one 10 work independently
Wall you see we haln't got so fur as
hat yit." was the reply. ''We hain't
knowed what to do, cause we haint
kuowed what 10 think. They're to meet
81 Ayerili's al noon or thereabout and
FIX up some plan. Of the horses don't turn
M afOre that time.
Fifteen minutes later, Dick, Mr.. Boone
and the messenger rrop Ayeriil's rode
away together.
AS they came opposite Mr.. Porter's
they saw Wayne sitting in the doorway,
with singing book in his hand. humming
over the tunes to be sung at the next
session of the singing school.
Helo!' called out Dick to Samanthy,
who was standing at the kitchen window,
evidently wondering about the cayaIcade
she beheld. did you know there were
horse thieves about this morningy"
He watched Wayne as he asked the
question TO see what effect tie words had
Oh him.
The singing teacher looked up from his
book for q moment rs indifferently as be
might at the sound or any voice heard
unexpectedly, but either did not under
stand what had been said or felt no in
terest in it. for. when he saw who the
speaker was, he dropped his eyes upon
his book again and went on with his
singing.
You don't say" cried Samanthy, com
ing to the door. all excitement in mo-
ncut. Whose hosses have ben took!'
'Averili's, near Deer Creek" answered
Dick, with his eyes on Wayne's face. But
its quiet, uneoncerned look baffied him.
Wall, | mus say that's comm purity
elus home" remarked Samanthy. Il
wouldn't wonder bit ef they got round
these diggins fore long. Hope they'll
ketch EN- an string 'em up"
Tell Ezra" called out MIR. Boone.
Mebbe he'll want TO turn out aud help
hunt"
II will so, answered Samanthy.
Then the party rode off 1t was joined
by several others before they reached
Averilfs, where they found quite crowd
assembled. Old men, young men and
boys were there. 1t seemed as if all the
male portion Of the community had turn
cd out to help hunt horse thieves. The
excitement was intense.
Each person had theory of his own
- offer. Each person also had plan of
mis- own to propose and advocate respect
ing the search. The consequence was
that it was nearly two O'Clock before
they began 10 do anything.
You didn't see or hear nothin' o. stran-
gers las night. did YEP asked Bill Green
OF Dick as they stood together, waiting
for some plan of action to be decided on.
No. How would | be likely to see
anything OF them?' asked Dick. ""Iisn t
likely they came around Mr.. Boones."
Il didn't s'pose they did come round
Mr. Booue's." responded Bill. "But you
want there all the time. | didn't know
mt you might ha' heerd suthin' when
YOU was down this way last night"
Aren't you mistaken about my being
down this way?" asked Dick.
NO. | hain't," answered Bill. stoutly.
Il kind o reckon that you s'picioned
see ye. Was you out sparkin'y'
Bin asked his question at random.
When be asked it. Dick thought of the
idea be had had Of calling on Rhoda, and
taking that knowledge OF his Intention
iuto consideration, along with the fact
OF his having accompanied her home sew
crat times from singing school, on the
strength of which occurrence Bill Green
had prophesied match, ii seemed 10 him
that Bill must, in some way, have an
iukling OF what his intentions of the night
before had been, and he eould not keep
down the color from his face. Tie saw
that Bills suspicious were aroused in
some vague way, aud. disliking the fell
low as he did, that made him indignant,
snd he turned away with the remark that
ne didn't know that il was anybody
business where he had been or what his
business was. A most unfortunate re-
mark to make, under the circumstances,
as he had to admit, later.
III looks mighty curtis 10 me-" Bill
said to the men who had been standing
by listening TO the conversation. Hes
jeS as good as denied hein' out las night
when tackled him about it. Ne heerd
what he said about II, reckon. Now
I'm within to swear on stack o Bibles
hg's meetin' house that he went by
our house about TWO o'clock. fer | was
np a-drivin' the COW oEt o the gardin
sn' j see a man Rskalkin' along the
road, an when be See me he kind o
Sheercd of into the Shadder. as ef he
didn't want 20 be seen. But | see him
Ter all that. Jest as plains day, an il
was Dick Brayton, an he knows il
S'posen we find out whether he was &
aRybody's house las night. jest yer
make inquiries. Kind o sly. SOS 8 not 81