Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1906-11-15
0lcoNT1NuEp.l
CHAPTER XXIII.
YHEN Roger Oakley appeared

Ing hand on the old convict's arm. He
reared what he might say. Then he
said to the operator: Hell 60. Go see
II you can get Antioch. Try just once
more. If you succeed tell them the en-
gines and hose will be there within an
hour or they need not look for them.
Do you underestimate
"All right, Mr.. Oakley" And Durks
moved up the platform with alacrity.
he was relieved of one irksome re-
sponsibility. He had his own theories
as to who the stranger was, but he told
himself it was one of his business.
AS soon as he was out Of hearing
Dan turned to his father and said ear
nestly:
"Look here, daddy, l can't allow you
to do it. We are neither of us popu-
70 60"
"Why can't you allow it, Dannie?'
And his son recognized the same cheer
full tone with which he had always
met and overruled his objections.
1T will end in your arrest, and we
don't want that"
"It's more than likely I'll be arrest
ed sooner or later, anyhow he said,
with a suggestion of WEAKNESS, as If
this were a matter it was a waste of
time to consider. 1.-THE Lord has set
his face against me. It's his wish l
should return. I've been stubborn and
headstrong and wouldn't see it, but
look there" And he nodded toward
the red western sky. Its q sum-
mons. l got to obey whether I want
to or not"
1T won't be safe. No telling what
they will do with you"
"That amt the question, Dannie;
that amt at all the question. It's
not what they'll do to me-" And he
softly patted the hand that rested ON
his arm.
Dan saw that his clothes hung loose
" to his mighty frame. They were
torn and stained. He had the appear
ance of a man who had endured hard
ship, p%rivation and toll. His glance
was fugitive and anxious. where
have you been all this while? ?" he ask
ed. mot hereY
"No; l have been living in the woods.
trying to escape from the country, and
the fires wouldn't let me. Wherever l
went they were there ahead of me.
driving me back"
"Why did you kill him? How did it
%happen?" Dan added. "Qr is it all a
mictako2 did vOu do n c
The smile faded from the old con.
vict's lips.
ut was q sort of accident, and it
was sort of carelessness, Dannie," he
explained, with a touch of sullenness.
II hit him-nOt hard, mind you. |
know ! shouldn't nave done it, but he
was in the wrong, and he wouldn't
listen to reason. l don't know when
I ever seen a man so set in his wick
edness."
"And now you want to go back. Do
you know what it If you are
arrested? Have you thought of that?"'
Roger Oakley waved the query aside
as though it concerned him not at all.
II want to be with you" he said
wistfully. "You may not get through
alive, and ! want to be with you.
You'll need me. There's no one you
can trust as you can me, for l won't
fail you no matter what the danger is.
And there's the girl, Dannie. Have
you thought of ler?"
Dan set his lips. my God, l can't
think of anything else"
There was q moments silence.
"Here," said Dan, thrusting his
hands into his pockets. Il am going to
give you what money I have. 1t isn't
much"
what for, DannieT"
"You are sure to be e and recog-
nized if you stay about here. Your de-
%scription has been telegraphed all over
the state. For that reason I'll take you
with me part way. Then I'll slow up,
and you can hide again. It's your only
chance. ] am sorry 1 can't do more for
YOU. ! wish l could. But perhaps we
can range to meet afterward."
His father smiled with the uncon-
scious superiority of the man who
firmly believes he is controlled by an
intelligence infinitely wise and beyond
all human conception. No amount of
argument could have convinced him
that Providence was not burning mil
lions of feet of standing timber and an
occasional town solely for his guild
ance. In his simple seriousness he saw
nothing absurd or preposterous In the
Idea. He said:
owe wanted to escape, Dannle, Tor
your sake, not for mine. But when !
seen YOU tonight ! knew the Lord In
tended we should keep together. lie
didn't bring us here Tor nothing. That
amt his way. There's no one to 60
with you but me, and you cant go
alone"
~ can-I will" Aud Dan swore IN
der his breath. He realized That no
word OF his could move his father. lie
would carry his point, just M he al
ways had.
Durks came running along tie plat
form from the depot,
wS. 80. ~. " shaking Ia ..slJ'