Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1904-03-04

PLUNGED UP FROM A SLOUGH
, AND SWEPT PAST HIM IN A TEAR
ING RACE TOWARD BEARDSTOWN.
skins. The hunting shirt was some
times exchanged for one Of linsey, but
buckskin breeches, molding his supple
limbs down to his moccasins, he al
ways wore, making them himself, as
his father had done before him. In
different to weather, he stepped on
hands reach of an unsteady object
before he saw it.
Antywine gave laughing shout to
scare a wolf and followed it by an ex-
clamation He lifted the topping fig
ure in his arms and ran back with it
to the empty cabin.
Peggy had blanket around her, but
she was wet and cold and seemed
partially stunned. The puncheons or
sagged inward as if a sill had rotted
at the farther side, and the chimney
was a ruin upon its own hearth. Per-
haps wolves or wild hogs made this
place lair. Antywine had not his
tinder box with him. 1t was impossi-
BILE to get light. The fallen door he
dragged aside from its opening and
made seat for Peggy.
stay here, sweetheart" spoke Anty-
wine, using an English word which
he did not quite understand, but trans
lated in his own mind as little one"
He made the circuit of the walls,
kicking his way in the dark, satisfy
ing himself that no beast housed with
them. Then he sat down on the door
where he could shelter Peggy from
the wind.
Are you hurt. sweetheart"
Peggy found her voice with laugh.
"Goody! you've come. Antywine!
was trying to walk without my crutch
when you picked me up. l had to
hop"
How you happen where find you?"
Il don't know. The horse stumbled
and fell down. and maybe was
pitched on my head. This blanket was
round me so tight that fought to get
my mouth and nose and hands out
1t seemed like there were a dozen
horses racing, and 1 thought they
would all run over me. But when
got up was beside the road, and could
just hear the mud splashing away OF. I"
''Who is it that steal your"
"Of course, it must have been that
Pedro Lorimer man, though couldn't
see him, and only heard his voice when
he spoke to the horse. He threw a
blanket over me and made me ride on
the horses neck. and I'm so little and
lame | couldn't help myself. Are you
cold, Antywine?"
No" he answered. with a Cana
dams Indifference. But Peggy gave
him corner of the blanket and bade
him draw it around his shoulders,
which he did.
The rain beat upon shingles and
spouted from the cabin caves. There
was snugness in being housed after so
much anxiety and exertion.
I'VE wait here" The boy laughed
quietly to himself "Shickshack say
to Sieur Abe Lincoln, 'Antywine, he is
nothing but squaw.' But I find you,
and Shickshack have not"
Did he call you a squaw?"
Me, yes: he call me that"
You are like woman, Antywine," J."
said Peggy, after considering. II want
you to be like a woman"
"Tonnerre! Why?
because you are like one" &.
Antywine turned this Illogical rea-
son in his mind
How can we go home, Antywine?"
We wait" he replied. until Shick-
shack and Sieur Abe come back. They
ride the horses you think will run
over You, and they not see you in the
dark. They chase the man to Boards
town"
Are you sure?"
~ think So"
Pe@Sy''s mind at once turned back tc
80. 'sT<wOnder VIII .ly" ~