Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-11-09
CHAPTER VI.

morrow"
E.-rrST Evan Lancaster pursed
C his mouth and thoughtfully
contemplated his elder daughter.
"tAh cd fgger it out" he declared
after n puzzled silence. ''ef All had tn
almanac" He hunted about. found
the pamphlet and began to study the
December page. Trouble is" he said
at last. All don know no day t fgger
fr'm-Ah los track way back yonder
at tn fore part o. tn month. Sides,
All KANT say whether this is Tuesday
er Wednesday er Thursday. Mar'lyn,
d you remember wat day o tn week
it is?'
Marylyn left the farther window
and walked slowly forward. AS she
halted beside her sister the latter put
an arm about her tcnderly and drew
her close \ change had recently come
over the younger girl-a change that
Dallas had not failed to see. yet had
utterly failed to understand. Marylyn
still performed her few tasks about
the house. but with absentminded care
lessneSs. Her work done. she took up
the loug neglected vigil at the windows,
spending many quiet and seemingly
purposeless hours there-all unmindfuI
that the beaded belt lay dusty and IN
finished on Il shelf Only by fits and
starts WINS the shrek enivened by her
happy chGtter. 1T all other times she
was wistfu and distract. Now. as sha
answered her father. Il faltering light
crept into her eyes.
The last time Mr. Lounsbury was
here" she said hcsitatingly. lit was
the 9th. and today is
l"Ah en- git it," the section boss in
Corrupted. After a moments tallying
on his fingers he sat bac,: al capped
his knees in excitement. IVY, pal-
las" he cried, "th' day after t'mor-
row s the end o. thet mans six
monthsr'
Dallas released Marylyn. yes" she
said. watching the younger girl wan
der back mechanically to the post she
had forSdken. And tomorrow you
ought TO start for Bismarck Maybe
it wouldn't matter if you waited
awhile before going. but as long as
the weather's good | think you ought
to go right Off"
''Ah reckon" he replied, but not
heartily. .-.
And so once more preparations for
trip were made. That night when
all was ready and Dallas and her fa-
Their, having given the team late
feed, We're leaving the stable together,
she spoke TO him of her sister
There's just one thing that worries
me about your leaving she said. Il
don't know if you've noticed it or not,
but AIarylyn don't seem to be feeling
good"
"Y' think mebbe she takes after her
MAJ" ventured the section boss.
Dallas nodded.
NO no." lie said. 'she favors me-
an they's no need fret. They's moth
in tn matter with her-jus' off her
oats a leetle. thet's all
The developments of the next morn
ing swept every thought from Dallas
mind save those concerning the jour
ney. For when il came time to har.
ness the mules she found that Ben had
unaccountably gone lame. Whether
his mate had Kicked him or whether
he had sprained leg while exercising
the previous afternoon she did not
know. But it was plain that, so far as
he went. the miles between quarter
section and land Office were impoSsi
BILE. At once Dallas suggested thai
Betty he driven single to a small punG
that had been built for water hauling
when the well froze up. Accordingly
the mule was put before the sleigh
Failure resulted. Though both Dalla:
and her father alternately coaXed ant
scolded, Betty, with characteristic
stubbornness, refused to bulge roc
from the lean-to without Ben.
Dallas was in despair. "She won
go; she won't CO." she said. We've
got to think of some other way"
"Yestiddy," observed the section
boss as he unfastened the tugs. ~ SAID
1t wouldn' matter eff All didn' go now
He was somewhat compliment owe
the outcome of the hitch-up.
II don't feel that way now" assert
ed Dallas.
'Thct OF man up at tn leetle ben
has bosses" he volunteered when the!
We're again within the shack.
"He took 'em to Clark's two month:
ago and walked back"
"Waal. how bout til Norwegian Owe
by tn mountain?"
He keeps oxen. If blizzard came
up they'd never lead you out of it
Then she was moved to make a sug