Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1903-11-06

the spot where Rossiter had encuun-
tered ssWhiskers.''
The valley of the Blue Creek was
at their feet. peaceful and beautiful
in. the September sunlight.
'.Sorry!. exclaimed Rossiter; very
far from it. Aid I've you toethaHl
for it ALL I feel that I'm a different
man from the vagabond you met that
day at Illica."
There's. no doubt O. that. No
body'd take you for the ssme chap.
But as for thanks, I don't want to
! thing. You don't suppose I've for
gotten what you did for me, do your"
@Wel. well call it's quits, and say
no more about it. But why did you
let on to your mother in regard to
that business in the river? She made
it mighty. uncomfortable for nae the
other day"
Becraft grinned.
ibid she?'' said he. 'She always
thought you was just about right,
but, by jinks, now you're the whole
thing, an no mistakei"
..What does she think about Ger
tain son of hers? Eth. Joe?"
Becraft tried to look unconcerned,
but his effort proved fat failure,
and so, in the best of humor, they de-
seconded into the valley. Along the
bank of the singing, cyrstal stream
they wandered, now through open
pastures, now beneath the shade of
great forest trees, and now through
a dense underground of beech and
maple. On both sides rose lofty
wooded bank, sometimes 100 yards
or more from the bed of the stream,
sometimes close at hand, so that
they could see, in moist clefts far
above their heads, great sprays of
maiden-hair and beds of the rare
walking fern. They surprised
speckled trout in dark pools, hol-
lowed by the action of the water upon
the blue slate which gave the stream
it's name; and they encountered Gu
rious fungus-growth, strange even to
Rossiter, who had picked up consid-
cradle wood-1ore in his wayfarings.
By and by they noted the branch
glen, of which Parmelee had spoken,
and turned into it. 1t was contract
ed and thickly wooded before they
emerged upon the Blue Creek road,
a highway which ran for some dis
lance parallel to the stream and then
bent away towards the Merton farm,
but above the road it expanded, and
in places the forest was less dense.
The road crossed the ravine by an
embanxment, and yet there was a
sharp dip, SO deep was the depres-
sion.
"Golly!' said Becraft, gazing about,
''if this amt wild place."
ut certainly isl responded Rossi-
ter. I'VE might be miles from a
house, and yet i presume there are
farms quite near
They did not pause to see, how
ever, but continued on their way up
the glen.
81 think we'd better climb the bank
and strike into the woods here" an
nounced Rossiter, as they reached
n spot where the ravine widened and
it's bottom was dotted with dense
clumps of scrub hemlock.
They were making for the thiclxet-
covered slope, when, on passing be-
tween two close set hemloclz clumps,
they discovered the still smouldering
ashes of a fire. Charred potato skins
and cobs from which the corn had
been eaten were strewn upon the
ground.
Were too late for breakfast" said
Rossiter, looking about him as if in
search of further traces of those
who had kindled the fire. at might
be interesting to know who feasted
here. More than one, evidently,
judging the workmen by their chips,
or if but one he'd been indulging in
pretty long fast
There was nothing further to be
discovered. SO they assembled the
bank and entered the forest. After
time, as Parmelee had predicted,
they encountered the logging-road.
and were back at the farm before the
dinner hour. That afternoon they re-
ported the finding of the remains of
the fire to Mr.. Merton's manager.
."Of course, there's no tellin' who it
might have been," Parmelee said.
We'll keep watch anyhow That
blamed monkey may still be hangin'
about after ALL