Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-11-16

\" exclaimed Lounsbury, spill
fT ing ground coffee into his
ssEslSJ boot tops. He strobe TO the
front OF the store, the tin scoop in his
hand still held rpcklessly upside down
A pung was passing the grocery-a
green punG drawn by q milk white
horse. On its quilt padded seat We're
two men. Above them as they slowly
proceeded Gagged high board cross.
Loumsbury glanced inquiringly about
him. His neighbors were also watch
ing the strange sight. At the windows
of the clubhouse opposite and at TIE
openings OF other buildings rear Were
many faces, wide with good natUred
Srlns. AS Lounsbury turned to the
travellers again his own mouth carved
in n smile.
But all at once he sobered. The punS
was now SO far away that the backs
of the men were presented to him,
ard between them, projecting ut
Slant over the seat. wcres the curved
tors of a pair of crutches.
/Jocular opinions of the bassersby
were being freely exchanged back ana
scoop dropped from his hand and clat-
tered upon the floor. He let it lie.
Silent and troubled. unaware of the
demands of an insistent customer, be
ioo,led after the departing sleigh.
At last he acted. Without waiting
even TO put on his cap he started at q
run up the street His race, bare
headed. increased the laughter of those
who were still watching. They yelled
to him boisterously, sic 'em, Bud."
sell 'em somethn', john Drag
'em back an skin EN- But the store
keeper was deaf Each yard made
him more certain of the identity of one
traveller. His thoughts as he pursued
were of him. He gained rapidly on
the pung. At the edge of the camp, In
the trough of a drift he stopped ii.
Lancaster spose first. for Lounsbury
was too spent. WAL, waal"' he said
crabbedly.
Excuse me-" painted the other, Civ
ing in his eagerness only glance at
David Bond, excuse me. but see
you're headed from home. I wonder
ed-I thought maybe | could do turn
for the young ladies while you're
gone
For moment the saction boss did
not reply. He was still smarting over
Dallas generalship and If anything
was more Disguised and rebelious
than when he left the shack SO In
the brief pause he gave ready ear to
the whispering of the yellow harpy.
His lids lowered. His lip curIed
You understand, I'm sure" Louns-
bury fastened TO say. 81 thought they
might be alone, that
Thank "" answered Lancaster,
swapping out each word, cthank V,
they is alone. An you'll oblige ne
d-n sight by leavin' 'em tibet way.'
He settled himself in his seat Cit
APP he said to Shadrach The pung
slipped slowly on.
Lounsbury was too taken aback Ell
Their TO follow or to retreat. For awhile
he stayed where he was, busily coin
ing forcible phrases for the relief of
his mind. As he retraced his steps the
few men who saw him were discreetly
silent, for the camp knew that there
were rare moments when it was best
to give him a wide berth.
2 The interview in the trough of the
drift was so brief that David Bond
was shut out of it. But had it been
NongeF-had he been given a chance to
speak-the result might have been the
same. The section boss had been
mute all the way to Clark's. The fact
that Dallas had told him to relate the
story of the claim was the strongest
reason for his not doing so. David
Bond therefore was left in ignorance
and had no means of connecting the
evil companion of his journey north
with the fortunes of the Lancasters.
even found some censure in his heart
for the storekeeper.
You were quite right" he said,
Ticking Shadrach gently. That young
man should pay no visit to, your daugh-
tiers while you are absent Yet'-he
could not refrain from putting a re-
proof where 1t seemed due-"yet | re-
gret your manner of addressing him,
your oath
Lancaster glared. ooh, you gram
mothers tortoise shell catr' lie said
wrathfully. For several hours there
after he added nothing to this.
Back in his store Lounsbury was
mixing brown sugar with white,
oolong tea with a green variety and
putting. thread In the pickle barrel.