Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1904-12-21
Copy right, 1903. by Lee and bhepard.)
CHAPTER XVII.-CoNr1NUED.

Il amt said word to nobody"
added the old man. with true hunters
instinct, IN l wish you wouldn't yet
awhile, n don't be thinkin' O. buying
land o. Dave Curtis n gettin' robbed
He'll croak fore many years n then
We kin get 1t fer what it's wuth; sides,
AMI might show up any day"
What reason have you for believ-
ing AMI still alve?" inquired Martin.
a little touched by the blind faith of
old Cy. mo one else here shares your
belief. so DR.. Sol says"
WAL" answered the old man, slow
ly, 'its curis notion O. mine, but
him n me wus just like two brothers,
n used to fish n hunt together, n
spend hours in the woods talkin' bout
all sorts o things. He had queer ideas
about some matters, n one wus that
all kinds of animals had souls, same
ez we hev. They all live over again.
he used to say, only they keep on
changin' shapes back n forth Birds
becomes animals, n animals birds; n
men n women become COWS n pigs
n cats n back to human shape agin.
| shal, n 50 will you, n if l change
fust, I'll find some way O. tellin' you
n l believe he would, jest as sure
ez l believe I'm Twin. Then agin, he
was good deal younger n am, n
what l call handy in the woods Give
him an ak n gun n drop him
down in the middle O. a wilderness,
n he'll take keer o. himself in the
~ iNfn - IT,
en- smellin' was keencr n a fox's,
n he could see bird or hear
squirrel mile off, n ez fur tracllin'
game, he could beat any dog that ever
run"
Il don't recall him very WE'LL" as
serted Martin. but l remember there
was bitter hatred between him and
his brother, and l always supposed
he was out of his mind when he dis
appeared. Of course l heard of the
peculiar will. but l imagined the law
had settled that long ago"
II don't believe no law kin rob a
live man O what he inherits," an
swered old Cy, earnestly, m if Aunt
Comfort n Angie was a mind, they
cud make old Dave trouble. They
won't, though. 1t hain't Aunt Com
forts natur'.'
Tell me what sort of looking man
AMI was" continued Martin, as a
curious thought came to him, land
what were his pecuiiarities. l don't
recall him very WE'LL
Wal, he was tall n lanky, with
wide starin' eyes n queer ways. He
liked to be by himself a good deal,
n once in a while ulster come onter
him alone in the woods n twangin'
jews harp. He allus carried one
with him"
For one instant Martins heart al
most stopped beating. as the wilder
ness hermit, now so accurately de-
scribed, flashed into mind. But, great
heaven! could it be possible? And
then came the thought of Angie, now
growing very dear TO him, and what
this seeming revelation might mean
to her, If true.
He sat down to think.
AS rule Martin seldom lost his
head, or spoke without thought. He
had battled with shrewd, hard-headed.
grasping men, when a word too much
or too soon meant everything, and he
had learned caution. To now disclose,
even by hint, what he felt was true
would mean to set all Greenvale in
an uproar. Old Cy might be trusted,
and again he might not. 1t was, at
least. safest not to try him.
81 don't know what to think about
Davids price," Martin said at last to
old Cy, who stood watching him; cit
staggers me. l had an idea the falls
and swamp above might be bought for
perhaps ten thousand or less
And old Cy never suspected that
dust had been thrown into his eyes
s'Td rather you'd keep to yourself
wha. I've said. Cyl" Martin added a
little later: 81 certainly won't pay
what you say David asks. and I'm not
anxious to buy at any price. If this
stranger comes around again, however
let me know at once. I'd like to meet
him"
When Martin was by himself again
and could think cOherently. new