Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-03-01

as shrewd an embezzler as Henry
Thorpe. Finally he came to decision.
He communicated this decision to his
sister, 1t would have commended it.
self more logically to her had she been
able to follow step by step the consid-
GRAFTON that had led her brother to it.
As the event turned, she was forced to
accept it blindly. She knew that her
brother intended going west, but as to
his hopes and plans she was in ignc-
rance. A little sympathy, a little mu-
tual understanding, would have meant
a great deal to her, for girl whose
mother she but dimly remembers turns
naturally to her next of kin. Helen
Thorpe had always admired her BROTH
err but had never before needed him.
She had looked upon him as strong.
self contained, little moody.
At the beginning of the row in the
smoking car Thorpe laid aside his let
ter and watched with keen apprecia-
ton the direct practically of the train
mems method. When the bearded man
fell before the conductors blow, he
LII LEU " tuC 1uu1floudl dl LIS oluG.
"He knows how to hit, doesn't he?"
he observed. THAT fellow was knock
ed well off his feet"
Gle does" agreed the other dryly.
They fell into desultory conversa-
ton Of fits and starts. Woodsmen Of
the genuine sort are never talkative,
and Thorpe, as has been explained,
was constitutionally reticent. In the
course of their disjointed remarks
Thorpe explained that he was looking
for work in the woods and intended
first Of all to try the Morrison s. DAILY
camps at Beeson lake.
"Know anything about logging2" In
CURED the stranger.
Nothing" Thorpe confessed.
"Ain't much show for anything but
lumber jacks. What did you think of
doing?"
Il don't know" said Thorpe doubt
fully. II have driven horses a good
deal. thought might drive team
The woodsman turned slowly and
looked Thorpe over with a quizzical
eye. Then he faced to the front again
and spat.
"Quite like" he replied, still more
dryly.
The boys remark had amused him,
and he had showed it, as much as he
ever showed anything. Excepting al
ways the river men, the driver Of a
team commands the highest wages
among out of door workers,
It is easier to drive fire engine than
logging team.
But in spite of the naivete Of the re-
mark the woodsman had seen some
thing in Thorpe he liked. Such men be-
come rather expert in the reading of
character. He revised his first inten-
ton to let the conversation drop.
81 think M. s. D. is rather full up
just now" he remarked. "I'm waikiki
boss over there. The roads is about
all made, and roadmaking is what
a greenhorn tackles first. They's more
chance earlier In the year But II
the old fellow"-he strongly accent
ed the first word-''hain't nothin' for
you, just ask for Tim Shearer, an I'll
try to put you on the trail for some
jobber's camp"
The three who had come into COLI
sion with Jimmy and Bud were getting
noisier. They had produced a stone
jug and had collected the remainder of
the passengers, with the exception of
Shearer and Thorpe, and now were
passing the jug rapidly from hand to
hand. Soon they became musical, strik-
ing up one Of the wierd, long drawn
out chants so popular with the shanty
boy. Thorpe shrewdly guessed his
companion to be a man of some weight
and did not hesitate to ascsibe his i'm
muntty from annoyance to the others
presence.
cts bad thing" said the walking
boss. II used to be at it myself, and I
know"
''Bees'n Lake" cried Jimmy flercely
through the aperture Of the door.
you'll find the boardin' house just
across over the track" said the woods
man, holding out his hand. $50 long.
lSee you again if you don't find job
with the old fellow. My names
,Shearer."
mine is Thorpe" replied the other.
"Thank you"
Thorpe followed and found himself
on the frozen platform Of little dark
railway station. Directly across the
track from the railway station sin
gle building was pricked from the dark
by a solitary lamp In lower story
room. The four who had descended
before Thorpe made over toward this
light, stumbling and laughing uncer-
tainly, so he knew it was probably the
boarding house and prepared to follow
them.
The five were met at the steps by the
proprietor Of the boarding house. This
man was short and stout, with hare
lip and cleft palate, which at once gave