Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-11-23

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 to and fro.
 ruf1ling his hair and caught up the Sharps in both hands. Then, all at once, the trickle swelled to foaming torrent of suspicion that carried him close to the truth. Maddened, cursing, he dropped the gun and fell upon the sapling, pried 1t furiously from the sod and smashed it into dozen bits.
 To Dallas, watching him in silence, the destruction of the pole was sore reminder, for, better than ever before, she realized that her father could only accomplish the nasty, childish things; that beyond these he was powerless. Without a doubt she must ask else where for aid.
 As he came limping and raging back to her she hurried forward to relieve him of the rifle and to guide his crip- pied feet Dad, I think it's about time we had a understanding at the fort" she said quietly and took him by an arm.
 He brought up short and wrung him. self out of her grasp. 9Th fort! Tn fort! Tn fort!' he repeated in fren- zy. "Lawd-a-mighty, Dallas, y make me sick"
 Its Indians," she replied steadily. "They're coming too near to be com fortable We got to have help"
 He raised his fists and shook them. Help an fiddlesticks" he clustered. "Thet ain't no Injuns. It's thet Shanty Town blackleg a-tryin' t skeer us. Go look at tn groun'-go look at tn groun', An say. See If they's moccasin tracks thereabout An bet y won't fin any" He turned back to the scattered splinters, pulling Dallas after him.
 Together they got down, examining with care. As he had said, there were no prints of an Indian shoe in the soft earth, but mingllng with the round, faint marks of his own naked heel were those, more plainly stamped, of a large boot They led up to the spot from the nearest point on the river and back upon themselves toward the same point.
 "w'at'd An tell y'T' demanded the section boss almost triumphantly. His voice quavered, however, and be gulp- ed. Its thet scalawag. an he wanted us t know 1t. Amt ev'ry Injun fin fifty mile shet up tight in yon corralf Ev'ry one 'cept Charley. an this ain't the job O thet blamed fool. No. sirree! An, then, tn mules didn' make no row las night. They'd shore snorted if 1t was Injuns"-
 "I guess that's so," agreed Dallas hastily and made him a warning sign. Marylyn was moving about inside and calling.
 But he was beyond thought for an- other. "Bosh, boshE' he cried. She's got t stop bein' coddled an know watts wat. You got stop taIkin' fort. Ah'm goin' t ketch thet low down skunk 'thout no soldiers. An Ann pepper his ugly hide. Ann make him spit blood Ike a bronchO buster. Tn idee O his havin' tn gaIl!' He rammed the Sharps Into Its rack and laughed immoderately.
 '-Oh. par expostulated Marylyn in a startled whisper and few to Dallas Her face. still pink from slumber. paled a little. She laid 1t against her sister. Long ago she had seen her ia ther reused to the same pitch. The sight had terrified her and tlunted some earlier and tenderer memories
 You git you' clothes on he ordered roughly. an rustic us some break fas'.-
 She retrested- ready for tears.
 Dallas walked up 10 him gave him his crutches and put a hand on his shoulder. Dad she said firmly. don't take out yogr mad on Msrylyn- Keep ft all for-him-- She ur5d@s s5-tn toward k5r2nno1L -Inars wners 1t belo1z-
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