Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1907-12-26

She had listened to them dutifully.
half believing. swallowed hard and
followed her uncle. her fathers
youngest brother. to the Land Of the
Dakotahs."
Now, that same dear uncle was
man OF power and position In the new
land. Only last November he had
been reelected 10 his third term on
tho bench OF his circuit with a big.
heart-stirring majority. In the day
Of his prosperity he had not forgot.
ten the little, tangle-haired girl who
had cried so inconsolably when he
went away, and the unaccountable hor.
ror in whose eyes he had tried TO
laugh away on that never.to-be-forgot.
ten day when he had wrenched his
heartstrlngs from their safe abiding.
place and gone forth In quest OF the
pot OF gold at the rainbow's end
the first OF many generations. Tradi.
ton knew no other since his ances.
tors had felled forests and built homes
Of hewn logs. Now he had sent for
Louise. His court reporter had re-
Gently left him for other fields Of
labor.
There was commotlon among her
people on receipt Of the astounding
proposition. She lived over again
the dark days OF the first fitting II
might well be her uncle had exag.
gerated the dangers OF life In the new
land. II was great fun to shock his
credulous relatives. He had surely
written them some enormous tales
during those l5 years and more. He
used to chuckle heartily TO himself
at reading some Of the sympathizing
replies. But these tales were held In
evidence against him now that he
dared to want Louise. Every letter
was brought out by Louise's dear old
grandmother and read to her over
again. Louise did not half believe
them, but they were gospel truth to
her grandmother and almost so to
her father and mother as well. She re-
membered the old spirit Of fun ram.
pant in her favorite uncle, and while
his vivid pictures took all the color
from her sensitive face. deep down In
her heart she recognized them for
what they were worth. The letters
were strange medley Of grasshoppers.
billiards. and Indians. But q ten'dol.
lar per diem was a great temptation
over q five-dollar per diem, and times
were pretty hard on the old farm.
More than all, the inexplicable some
thing that had led her uncle to throw
tradition to the four winds OF heaven
was calling her persistently and would
not be denied.
The dear hero Of her childhood
was much changed to be sure; his
big joints had taken on more flesh
and he had gained in dignity OF de-
pertinent what he had lost In ease OF
movement. His once merry eye had
grown keen with the years Of just
Judging. The lips that had laughed
no much In the old days were set In
lines OF sternness. Judge Hammond
Dale was q man who would live up to
the tenets Of his high calling without
fear or favor, through good and evil
report. Yet through all his gravity
of demeanor and the pride Of his In.
tegrity. Louise instinctively felt his
kindliness and loved him for 1t. The
loneliness fell away from her and q
measure of content had come in its
place, until the letter had come from
the states attorney up In Kemah
county:
August Is the date set for the prelImin-
airy hearing OF Jesse Black. VIII you
come and take the testimony? am very
anxious that the testimony be taken oy
a competent reporter and shall be grate-
full to you II you decide TO come.
The Judge will tell you about our poor
accommodations. Let me recommend 70
your consideration some good friends OF
mine. the Willistons. father and daugn,,
ter. They live three miles northwest OF
Kemah. The Judge will remember Will
lIston. George Williston OF the Lazy 3.
They are cultured people. though their
way of living Is necessarily primitive. I
am sure you will like II better there than
at our shabby little hotel. which Is q
rendezvous for pretty rough class OF
men. especially at court time.
II you decide to come. Mary Williston
will meet you at Velpen. Please let me
know your decision. Very sincerely,
RICHARD GORDON
So here she was, going into the In.
dian country at last. A big state.
South Dakota, and the phases OF its
civilization manifold. Having come
SO far. to refuse to 60 on seemed like
turning back with her hand already on
the pillow, so with stout heart she had
wired Richard Gordon that she would
60. But It was pretty hard now, to
be sure, and pretty dreary. coming
into Velpen knowing that she would
see no one she knew in all the wide.
wide world. The thought choke her
and the impish demon, loneliness, he
of the smirk and horns and devils
eyes. doomed leeringly before her