Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-10-26

Maybe It's fifty years-hes just the
build to live to a hundred" Joe repeat ed
still hushedly as his father went cut of
sight. Then he snatched a walnut from
laden Dough above the road, half turned
an fired it at Shadrach, shouting: Wake
up, ole niger! Wake up! Are you tryin to
break your neck and let us starve here in
the Wilderness"
mo, sireer' Shadrach too hongryi He
not gWine die dat-er-way, wild meal an
flour an middlin' meat in de wagin, Shal.
rach said, grinning broadly, as he rubbed
his eyes. But faint no wonner 1 drapt
ter sleep. all dribe dam hawses so pizen
slow de ve'y look er de wagin wheels sot
me noddin'."
Well, drive for all your team is worth
now, Joe called back. He was a hund1 ed
yards clear of the latest drove lassard
Far ahead he could see the foremost ranks
punching and crowding in the creek He
swung his whip high above his head maize
1t snap three times and went like the wind
In the wake of the plunging beasts. BY the
time he came fully up with them only TWEEN
~ stood In the stream. 1t was rolled for
100 yards up and down. The banks were
swallow and shelving. Joe knew the drove
whimsical or the least thirsty had crowded
one above the other, each eager to drink
from current unvexed and untainted.
AS he rode up the bank he saw his father,
dlsmounted, bending to rub his stiffened
legs. Johnny made a half circuit of the
meadow-he was fetching Lightly back
leaving the drove. which had followed her
divided betwixt wallowing and grazing He
scrambled down and leaned a minute on
the mares shoulder. She batted her ears
and nipped his arm, then rubbed the saddle
lightly back and forth against him. The
instant she felt 1t ungirthed she slid from
under II, letting 1t tumble from his hands
gave low, prankish kick, then ran a little
way TO level space. put her nose to earth
turned twice about, feeling for snags or
stones then lay down upon it and wallowed
ing vigorously with all her feet as she Law
poised upon her backbone
she got up and stood with her head
signify dropping, nibbling at a handful Of
grass Squire Gleaves held. Johnny went
up 10 her and made to take off the Bride
but Squire Gleaves waved him back, saw
ing: Get the halter ready first Jack No
horse, not even Lightly amt to be de-
pended on when there's rain In the air. I'm
sure It's goin' to rain tonight-that-s what
sets the drove to wallowin' and nickerIn'
So and cockin' their tails so sassy. They
won't break out without this lady, strok.
ing LightIys glossy neck; but with her
loose thar's no tellin' what migntn't hap
pen-ef once she took the notion to run
there'd be the very devil to pay
The wagon Gathering up, drowned lower
sounds, at least to human ears But ali
at once Lightly half wheeled, stretched her
neck, pricked both ears sharply forward
hung up her head and snorted. After it she
stood rigid, with faring nostrils suortine
taintly with Gerry other breath She faced
the unbroken woods thick with under
brush, which lay upon the other side Of the
road. Squire Gleaves stroked her sIoul-
der soothingly, as he said to Johnny: II
do wonder what she hears or smells? IT
CANT be varmint-if 1t was, she'd stand
forward. ready to jump at 1t and trample
It And travellers amt likely-not unless
they're lost"
Maybe its-robbers," Johnny said in a
whisper. Squire Gleaves laughed, but not
too easily-outlawry was thing all droyers
had to reckon with. He had known of
droves stampedNi, of drovers robbed and
murdered In cold blood, though he himself
had always gone scot free. He reflected
that 1t was foolhardy to have come as he
had thus light-handed, with the biggest
drove and the most valuable that had ever
left the grass country. So he was more
than relieved when a single horseman broke
out of the bush, apparently unarmed, well,
even fashionably, equipped. and splendidly
mounted, though his horse, q rakinH chest
| nut. seemed something overridden.
with a civil greeting he got down.
painting horse, then swung upon his heels,
saying: II see you mean to camp here
Will you take me in?''
1--WE are out ourselves-we don't down the
earth and the sky" Joe answered. with a
| him. Instead he addressed the squire:
I'VE are dead beat-my horse and I
have been lost all day." he said.
| white Foot is better on than his master
he can eat grass If there Is nothing better.
| am very hungry
| We'll. you won't stay so-not long" the
| squire said. You, Sam. make haste with
| that wood. The fire ought to be burnin:
/ by this-I struck light the minute got
| down."
with your gun lintr' the stranger
asked Squire Gleaves looked at him hard,
! -ssded and added. slowly: -"Yes-with my
"'nt-but you better believe primed