Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1904-04-14

marx 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.
II think NJ. s. D. is rather full up
just now" he remarked. I'm walkin'
boss over there. The roads is about
all made, and roadmaking is what
q greenhorn tackles first. They's more
chance earlier in the year. But If
! 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 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 man Of some weight
and did not hesitate to ascribe his i'm.
munity from annoyance to the others
presence.
TITS bad thing" said the walking
| boss. II used to be at it myself, and I
know"
"Eees'n Lake!'' cried Jimmy fercely
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.
See you again If you don't find a 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 a sim
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
him the we'll known slurring speech
Of persons so afflicted and impaired
also to the timbre Of his voice pecul-
iarly hollow, resonant, trumpetlike
note. He stumped about energetically
on wooden leg Of home manufacture.
It was a cumbersome instrument,
heavy, with deep pine socket for the
stump and a projecting brace which
passed under leather belt around the
| mans waist. This instrument he used
with the dexterity of third hand. As
Thorpe watched him he drove in pro-
jecting nail, kicked two "turkeys' in
side the open door and stuck the armed
end of his peg leg through the top and
bottom of the whisky jug that one Of
the new arrivals had set down near
the door. The whisky promptly ran
out. At this the cripple flirted the inn
paled jug from the wooden leg far out
over the rail of the veranda into the
snow.
A growl went up.
| "What n thunder's that for?" snarl-
ed one of the owners of the whisky
threateningly.
Don't allow no whisky here" snuff
ed the harelip.
The men We're very angry. They adj
vanced toward the cripple, who re-
treated with astonishing agility to the
lighted room. There he bent the wood
en- leg behind him, slipped the end Of
the brace from beneath the leather
belt, seized the other peg end in his
right hand and SO became possessed Of
murderous bludgeon. This he brand
ished, hopping at the same time back
and forth in such perfect poise and yet
with SO ludicrous an effect of popping
corn that the men were surprised into
| laughing.
Bully for you, pegleg!' they cried.
"Rules an regerlations. boys" replied
the latter, without, however. shade
Of compromising in his tones. Had
I supper?"