Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1905-01-04
CHAPTER XIII.
A TASTE OF WOOD LIFE.


One day Martin discussed with old
Cy the cause of David's scare and its
results.
Its wakin' O. his sense o. guilt"
old Cy responded to Martins inquiry,
" n wouldn't be s'prised if they found
him danglin' in the mill some mornin'.
It's fear O. Amzi comm back that ails
him, n know it,
But what scared him the night they
found him raving?" queried Martin.
do you imagine AMI has returned
and is in hiding?"
mo, not yet-not yet" answered
old Cy, slowly shaking his head, but
he'll come some day sure's the sun
rises, n when he does, I'll be the fust
to know it."
But what scared David, do you
Think"
Old Cy looked at Martin curiously.
Kin We keep a secret?" he said.
Il will for you, old friend" answered
Martin, earnestly.
wal, twas Nezer!"
"Nezer?"
Eyes, twas him ez hooked all the
tools n started the mill goin' n
finally played ghost that night. I've
known it all long n twas to git
square fer jumpin' into barbed-wire
trap that old Dave sot fer the boys in
The swimmin' hole. 1 heerd on It
next day, n I've bin watchin' Meier
ever since. tell you that boys a deal
like hornet n a bad un to play
tricks on. I've never let on, N
don't want you to. Meier scared the
wits out o old Dave that night, de-
pend on t, n he amt done yit It's
a sort O. dispensation O. Providence, SO
ter speak, n I'm willin' he should keep
at it. Old Dave robbed me O. house n
home Once, n now he's gittin' his
desarts. And old Cy's eyes twinkled.
Martin looked at him in admiration
"And yon have kept mum for a
month, while the entire village was in
an uproar," he said, land even led the
searching party!"
''Sartin, sartin," chuckled the old
man; 81 warn't goin' to spoil Nezer's
game, n I'm only waitin' fer him to
skeer old Dave agin. He'll do it fore
long, depend on t. He amt forgot
jumpin' naked into a barbed-wire net
yit, n won't let up on Dave till he's
druv him loony."
Then Martin laughed heartily as old
Cy told how Meier met his mishap, and
how he had watched the boy lurking
around the mill one night.
81 seen aim crawlin' long like cat
in the shadder," he said, en- down
under the mill, n perty soon heard
the mill start, n the next, saw Meier
come out n sneak up the hill through
the brush, n 1 follered, not wantin'
to be caught thar myself"
For a little time Martin remained
ter.
"Cy,'' he said, at last, chow would
you like to go with me for a months
trip into the wilderness, where l took
the doctor last spring? You have given
ME many days happiness when was
d boy, and now I'd like to return it.
I'll rig you up with suitable toys, and
give you months experience you
won't forget. l want you also to see
the old hermit We found"
Old Cy's eyes glistened.
Eye won't be 'shamed O. me goin' n
comm, will ye? I'm sorter out O.
place 'moug folks, We know, l s'pose."
II won't worry about that" laughed
Martin, ''and l don't know a human
being I'd enjoy camping with any bet
ter than you. The fall season for
shooting begins in few weeks, and
I'd like to see you face a big bull
moose, or bring down a deer on the
run. There's a few other wilderness
experiences I'd like to see you enjoy,
and then We may discover another wild
man. The doctor and l found a hid
away log-cabin We didn't get very close
to, and who occupied it has been a mys-
terry to me ever since"
All the rest of the way home Mar
tin enlarged upon the destinations of
wilderness life, and so elated was old
Cy at his coming treat that he scarce
ly slept that night