Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1907-07-08

iuihNSo, hO PuttSi iSChu SuStH
"Never mind, Lena. Maybe he'll get
back on time and II he doesn't-well,
I'd done as much at his age for your
mother. 4 thousand dollars will clear
the ranch. | don't blame him much"
Uelmer sighed, then suddenly bright
ened eycitedly.
Gee whillickers, suppose he'd get
Pete and bring him in for n sort of
windup for the whole thing! Talk
about fireworks! They wouldn't be in
it.'
But when Lena went back to her
room to dress for the exercises she was
not thinking of Long Pete or of fire.
works, but of her fathers words, which
rang like a refrain through her aching
head:
I'D have done as much ut his age
for your mother"
Then it had been for her-for her
after all.
When Mrs. Helmer called fretfully
from the foot of the stairs, the girl
answered that she'd be ready in Il
minute, but they might as we'll go on
without her. She'd find them at the
grove.
Ten minutes later girllsh figure
stole round the Helmer house to the
barn, mounted pony and started, not
toward the grove, but straight for
Dave Ewing's ranch.
And while she rode the exercises in
the grove commenced. The band play
ed riotously the children sang raptur-
ously and the master of ceremonies
read his address Of welcome without a
single pause. The United States SEN
ator stood alternately on his heels and
his toes, gesticulating now with one
hand, now with the other, and Oft
times with both, until his hearers We're
convinced that the present day states
men might give a few pointers to
Washington, Adams. Jefferson or any
other carver of American history. But
while the audience cheered the orator
Of the day the master Of ceremonies
felt strange chils creeping up and
down his spine. 1t was time for the
Declaration, and Dave Ewing was not
In sight. Helmer slowly rose and faced
the audience.
ladies and gentlemen, the next
number on the programme is the Dec
laration of Independence, read by Mr..
David Ewing in costume. but as Mr.
Ewing was called out Of town last
night unexpectedly and sudden I'm
afraid
Just then the speakers voice was
lost in murmur, half derisiOn, half
merriment. as a strange figure pulled
rein close to the ring of cowboys that
fringed the outer edge of the crowd.
The horse was Dave Ewing'S Cyclone.
hard pressed and foaming. and the
rider was Uncle Sam, from the red
and white striped trousers to the white
beaver browning the gray hair and
goatee. Painting, perspirng, he pushed
his way to the Platform. Helmer held
out his hand.
"Dave. you're the real thing. Shake"
But Dave was evidently nervous. He
elasped with trembling hands the pa
per from which he was to read. At
first the master Of ceremonies was puz-
zled Dawes voice sounded hoarse and
uncertain. He stumbled over the
words which the day before he had
known by heart, and then Helmer felt
sudden rush Of sympathy for the
reader 1t has been a hard ride and u
close shave. And where was Long
Pete?
AS the reader gained confidence and
his voice became firmer, there was al
most a ring OF triumph-insolent tri-
umph-in the tones.
1--WE mutually pledge to each other
our lives, our fortunes and our sacred
honor"
AS the famous peroration rang out
the audience rose and cheered. The
children waved their flags frantically.
and even the United States senator
started forward and shook hands
heartily with the flushed and persplr-
ing reader. Some one offered him a
chair at the senator's elbow, but he
shook his head and muttered hoarsely:
"Sorry, but can't STOP It's time I
was going"
With d wave Of his hand to the
amazed master Of ceremonies. he
sprang from the platform and threaded
his way rapidly to the trembling horse,
which stood in the center of an admir-
ing group of cowboys. The crowd
around Cyclone broke, and the horse
plunged forward. Then above the
murmur of voices rose clear call IN
girls voice:
stop him. Stop him."
Helmer stifed profane exclamation
Of establishment as he saw his daugh-
ter urging her pony through the crowd.
Its Long Pete, and he's killed Dave
Ewing"
The agonized words scarcely reached
beyond the edge of the crowd, but
people in the crush realized that some
thing was happening. One of the COW
boys gazing blankly after the fleeing
figure, shouted derisively:
What you givin' us? That's Dave
Ewing
With cry of baffled anger and de
spair the girl dropped the reins, raised
the rifle slung across her saddle and
fired upon the fugitive. \ howl rose
from the throng as Uncle Sam swaycd
in the saddle The shot seemed like
an insult to the flag. There was tn
multi in the grove, and the master OF
ceremonies, shading his eyes with one