Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1906-07-12
too much and was too sort-was Dasa

Voo inucu anu Was 100 sOlt--WaS LIAM
too soft"
The old voice trembled a bit and
he stopped to look aside into the little
pocket he had been exploring. Billy
Brue looked back down the canyon,
where the swift stream brawled itse.f
into white foam far below.
He wouldn't use his legs; I prodded
him about it constant"
He stopped again to brace himself
against the shock. Billy Brue still
looked away.
II told him high attitudes and high
Twin would do any man" Again he
was silent.
But all he'd ever say was that
times had changed since my day, and
wasn't to mind him."
He had himself better in hand now,
why, ] nursed that boy when he
was dear, funny little red baby with
big round eyes rollin' around to take
notice; he took notice awful quick
fur a baby. Oh, my! Oh, dear! Danl!"
Again he stopped.
And 1t don't seem more'n yester-
day that was a-teachin' him to throw
the diamond hitch; he could throw
the diamond hitch with his eyes shut
Il reckon by the time he was nine or
ten. He had his faults, but they didn't
hurt him none; Dan1 ]. was a man,
now" He halted once more.
1.-THE dead millionaire" began Billy
Brue, reading from the obituary in the
Skiplap Weekly Ledge, was in his
fifty-second year. Genial, generous &c
fault, quick to resent a wrong but
unfailing in his loyalty to friend, 9
man of large ideas, with a genius fol
large operations, he was the type OF
indefatigable enterprise that has build.
ed this western empire in wilderness
and given rich sustenance and luxur
ious homes to millions Of prosperous
happy American citizens. Peace to his
ashes! And safe trip to his immor.
tai soul over the one-way trail!"
Eyes, yes-it's Dan'l j. fur sure
they got my boy Danl that time. Is
that all 1t says, Billy? Anyone with
him?"
"Why, this here dispatch is signed
by young Toler-that's his confidential
man."
Nobody else?"
The old man was peering at him
sharply from under the gray protrud-
ing brows.
well, IL you must know, Uncle
Peter, this is what the notice says that
come by wire to the Ledge Office" and
he read doggedly:
1.-THE young and beautiful Mrs. BInes,
who had been accompanying her husband
on his trip of inspection over the Sierra
Northern, is Frustrated with grief at the
shock of his sudden death"
The old man became for the first
time conscious of the tears in his eyes,
and, pulling down one of the blue
wooden shirt sleeves, wiped his wet
cheeks. The slow, painful blush of age
crept up across the iron strength of
his face, and passed. He looked away
as he spoke.
81 knew it; knew that. My Dan1
get tangled with women sooner or
later. l taxed Dan1 with it. spleened
against it and let him know it. But
| he was a man and his own master-ii
you can rightly call man his own
master that does them things. Do you
know what-fur woman this one was
| Billy?"
"Well, last time DanI j. was up tc
Skiplap, there was swell party on the
car-kind of coppery-lookin' blonde.
Allie Ash, the brakeman on No. 4, he
tells me she used to be in Spokane,
and now she'd got her hooks on to
some mimi property up in the CoeuI
d'Alene. Course, this mightn't be the
one"
The old man had ceased to listen.
He was aroused to the need of action.
Get movin', Billy! We can get
down to Eden tonight; we'll have the
moon fur two hours on the trail soon's
the suns gone. can get 'em to drive
me over to Skiplap first thing to-mor-
row, and | can have 'em make me up
train there fur Montana City. Was
he"
"Danl J. has been took home-the
noozepaper says"
They turned back down the trail, the
old man astride Billy Brue's horse, fol-
lowed by his pack mule and preceded
by Billy.
Already, such was his buoyance and
habit of quick recovery and readjust-
ment under reverses, his thoughts
were turning to his grandson. DAN
iels boy-there was the grandson of
his grandfather-the son of his father
fresh from college, and the instruc-
lions of European travel, knowing
many things his father had not known,
ready to take up the work Of his ia
Their, and capable, perhaps, of giving
1t better finish. His beloved west
had lost one of its valued builders,
but another should take his place.
His boy should come to him and finish
the tasks Of his father; and, in the
years to come, make other mighty
tasks Of empire building for himself
and the children of his children.
CHAPTER III.
THE WEST AGAINST THE EAST.
Two months later sectional war