The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1901-07-26

watchful, restless eyes and keen intel
hgence anticipated everything which
might have embarrassed his theories
or created interrogation points in the
mind of the youth, and day after day
passed without incident other than
those of such constant occurrence that
they had ceased TO be noticeable. 1t
was rarely, too, that Craig Thompson
found an opportunity to converse with
his young friend, for whom he had
conceived such strong and unaccount-
able liking.
One day. when the work Of sorting
and separating was nearly completed
Craig rode over TO Maxwelrs camp and
asked for Isle, and one of the men
having pointed him out, at some dis
lance, where he was riding slowly to-
ward the slope of the mountains, Craig
gave chase and soon came up with
him.
"Say, Lisle," he said as soon as they
were side by side, "do you remember
Jim Cummings?"
reply.
"Well, he thinks he has heard of you.
l thought he had gone east, but he's
shown up here, and he's looking for
you"
Looking for me? don't know him.
Who is hep
Hes the fellow that worked for me
that you winged-the one who said
that you were cut out for girl and all
that Remember now"
Eyes"
"He's minus bit Of one Of his ribs,
but he's about as good rs ever, and
he's a bad egg if there ever was one.
He'll hurt you If he gets a chance.
That's what l wanted to tell you"
81 do not fear him." said Isle
haughtily.
"Who said you did? Not 1. l would
not be here preaching toyou if l thought
that you were afraid. But l want TO
warn you about this fellow. He hasn't
made any breaks. and he won't, be-
cause he knows that if l had a handle
TO take hold Of that would prove that
he was looking for you I'd make mince
meat of him in no time. He hasn't said
stands around and watches you out Of
the corners of his eyes and grins like
a bloody coyote, so that / know that
he's up to something. All that l want
ed to say on this matter is for you to
keep your eyes peeled so that he can't
get q chance to take you unawares.
The games will be coming on in a day
or so now, and then is when you must
have your peppers behind as well as in
front Of you. The boys like TO have the
games mixed up with a fight or two,
and if Cummings gets a fair chance at
you and opens the ball in what these
cusses call gentlemanly way it would
not do for me or for Dick Maxwell to
take hand in, for if we did we'd have
seven or eight outfits going all at once,
and there'd be a graveyard started
here that dozen eastern doctors could
not fill in two years. All you've got to
do is to keep your 'trinkets' in good
working order, so that you can use any
of them at short notice. Do you know
him by sight?'
"Yes-that is, l will remember him If
see him."
"All right; that's all. I'm going back
now"
He went away then, and Isle rode
on, speedily forgetting everything that
Craig Thompson had said, for his mind
was busy with other problems that had
been suggested TO it by his sojourn in
the Smoky valley and which were des-
tined to tax to the utmost the explain
atory powers Of his father.
The day soon came when the work Of
the round up was completed, and the
time for play arrived. There was a
broad stretch of level ground near the
center of the valley, and that was Sc
lected for the place where exhibitions
Of skill in Craftsmanship and the use of
various weapons were to take place.
The men, nearly 200 all told, lined up
on either side of the selected ground.
Some remained in their saddles, 9TH
ers stood leaning against their horses,
and others, still, tethered their animals
some distance away and stood in
groups, discussing the events that were
about to take place or busted them
SclNtS dildhSihS ioi SuNNNSAiiiS NASo'
1t was a wild and beautiful picture,
and even the cattle grazing along the
slopes raised their heads oftener. sniff
ed the air more frequently and MUIR
INJURED their muttering bellows in a
deeper tone, as though the excitement
of anticipation had communicated it.
. self TO them.
The first entertainment on the pro-
gramme was a foot race, and Richard
Maxwell was requested to measure off
the distance to be run. This he de-
clined to do, whereupon Isle volun-
teered to act. His services were &C.
cepted, and he dismounted from his
horse, leaving it in the care OF one OF