Valentine Democrat. (Valentine, Neb.) 1900-1930, 1904-12-15
An Unexpected Host.
By FISHER -AMES, JR-
2EIE1GrTS25lHS1i1G1G2G1G15EGc

NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
For six lonely weeks Ned Talbot
had been trapping along the upper
St LUCE. There had been no partic-
ul2r reason for his paying a visit to
the settlement except to break the
monotOny of camp life, and Talbot
found himself able to endure that.
But what he would not do for himself
he was willing to do for his dogs.
When the little red jiggers got into
Jessie's ears, he started Immediately
down the river trail for a supply Of
Uncle Georges insect ointment the
desultory manufacture of which form
ed the Old negro's sole business.
He started late, and it was past
noon before he reached Uncle Georges
shack. The two old people were JUST
sitting down to pOssum and roasted
vans, and the perfume Of the dinner
was all that was necessary to second
their hospitable proposal 10 set
plate for TaL5Gt.
The p0ssum was done to a nicely.
Through the cracks in Ills brown,
crisped skin the white fat laughed
unctuously, and he dripped like full
sponge as Uncle George turned him
about in the platter.
Il haven't had anything as good
as this for long time, Uncle George,
said Talbot, plying knife and fork as
siduousIy.
No, sab. 1 reckon dats right,
beamed the old negro. Mus be
mighty lonesome, too, feedin all by
yosef You Leen gone a right smart
time sab"
Any news in town since l left?"
asked Talbot, taking another sugary
yam.
Vas, sab. Dey's been a heap o
news sagashitatin' round, but l dis
remmeber exactly what it is
De circusS been YER suggested
Aunt Lily, somewhat reprovingly.
oh, it has, has it, said Talbot.
"Circuses don't often favor this town.
No, sab. And l reckon dey's
through favorin' fo' good an all. Dey
certify done bus her wide open"
Who bust her open?"
Nate Reynolds and his gang, sab. |
1t was de corn whisky done it, l reck- |
on. Dey was pirutin' round mighty |
obstrspOIus befo' dey cut de ropes. |
Dere was de bigges' kin of a fight |
right den. De cages got broke, an dey !
amt cOtched some of de animiles yet. |
cause de circus is done gone"
THAT was very reprehensible OF |
Reynolds said Talbot, lightly. In his
eyes. just then, jiggers doomed larger |
than elephants. We'll, Uncle George, |
if you'll get the stuff ready, l reckon
I'll start Looks like I'd get wet be
fore l get back
With a sardine can full Of the oint-
ment in his pocket, Talbot started on
his return to camp. The afternoon !
sky was rapidly growing black with
low. greasy rainclouds. The dust
aroused by Talbot's steps fell on the
road again close behind his heels. Not
a breath of air stirred the long needles
of the Dines. The hooking birds that
had cheered his coming had fed 70
the hammOcks.
He had been walking the better part
of two hours when the first low grow
OF thunder broke the oppressive quiet.
He was near the end of the road,
Where it dwindled away among the
I aes to the little trodden foot-path.
Six miles up the path lay the camp.
The Journey through the semitropi-
cal storm did not appeal to Talbot,
and he resolved to spend the night
at the abandoned Walton plantation.
In the dim light he saw its broken
fences just ahead.
The place had been pretentious
one in its day, but the great freeze
of 18S9-9O had ruined its master and
driven him to humber quarters. The
bIackened skeletons of the orange
trees across the way were all that re-
NAMED of the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
grove. Some scattering wild trees had
sprung up, and their boughs, now
white with bloom, cleaned among
their dead kindred like votive gar
lands.
On the front walk weeds and shrubs
eIbowed one another for existence. The
dilapidated veranda was full of pit
falls for the unwary foot. Talbot STEP
ped across it, and passing through the (
short hall, entered wha- had once
been the drawing room.
The house had warm, stagnant al
and a strange, arresting
smell quite distinct from the heavy i
mingled odors of orange flowers and
rotting vegetation nat was blown in E
through the broken windows. ,
Talbot struck a match and in the !
lights of the CHEEKY flame looked about |