Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1904-12-02

LISTENED. PEERING INTO THE
DUSK"
meanwhile feeling the pipe-stem with
his lips, and then resume the nara
tive as suddenly as he had stopped.
He was lank and powerful man, six
feet tall in his stockings. He wore a
thin beard that had the appearance
of parched grass on his rudy counte-
nance. In the matter of hair, nature
had treated him with a generosity
most unusual His heavy shock was
sheared of square above his neck.
That evening, as he lay on his elbow
in the freight, D'ri had just entered
the eventful field of Renaissance. The
women were washing the dishes; my
father had gone to the spring for wa
ter. D'ri pulled up suddenly, lifted
his hat of faded felt and listened, peer
ing into the dusk.
Seems t. me them wolves Is comm
nearer" he said, thoughtfully.
Their cries were echoing in the far
timber. We all rose and listened. In
moment my father came hurrying
back with his pail of water.
"D'ri," said he, quietly, as he threw
some wood on the fire, "they smell
mutton. Mex the guns ready. We
may git a few pelts. There's a big
bounty on 'em here in York state"
We all stood about the fire listening
as the wolves came nearer.
ut g the sheep thet brings 'em,"
said my father.
Quite consid'ab number on 'em,
tew," said D'ri, as he stood cleaning
the bore Of his rife.
My young sisters began to cry.
"Need MT be scairt," said father.
''They won't come very near. Trader
OF US n We are O. 'em, good DEAL"
"Tow-w-w!" said D'ri, with laugh.
They'll be apt t. stub Their toes fore
they git very nigh us"
This did not quite agree with the
tales he had previously been telling.
went for my sword, and buckled Its
belt about me. the scabbard hanging
to my heels. Presently some creature
came bounding over the brush. 1 saw
him break through the wall of dark
ness and stop quickly in the freight.
Then D'ri brought him down with his
rife.
Started him up back there n the
woods few mile" said D'ri. "He was
mekin' fer this ERE pond-thet's what
he was dewin'."
what for?" I inquired.
Cause fer the reason why he
knowed he would MT mex no tracks n
the water, ner no SCENT" said D'ri
with some show Of contempt for my
ignorance.
The deer lay fioundering in the briers
some SO feet away. My father ran with
his knife and put him quickly out Of
misery. Then we hauled the carcass
to clear ground.
Let 1t lie where t is fer now" said
he. as we came back to the fire. Then
he got our two big traps out of the
cart and set them beside the carcass
and covered them with leaves. The
bowling of the wolves had ceased.
could hear only the creaking of dead
limb high above us, and the below Of
frogs in the near pond. We had fas.
tened the trap chains and were com.
Ing back to the fire, when the dog rose
barking fiercely; then we heard the
crack Of D'ri's rife.
More n 80 wolves eroun' here" hi
whispered as we ran up to him
Never see sech snag on EN-"
The sheep were stirring nervously
Near the pen a wolf lay kicking where
D'ri had dropped him.
REST on 'em shocked of when the
gun hollered," he went on, whispering
as before.
My mother and grandmother sal
with my sisters in the cart, hushine
their murmurs of fear. Early in the
evening had tied Rover to the cart
wheel, where he was growing hotly
impatient Of the leash.
"see?" said D'ri, pointing with his
finger. "See 'em?-there n the dark
by tibet air big hemlock."
We could make out dim stir in the
shadows where he pointed. Presently
we heard the spring and rattle of q
trap. As we turaed that way, the
stasf tTap took hold hsEd,. q Il aprsna