The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-12-05

Lounsbury glanced inquiringly about
him. His neighbors were also watch
ing the strange sight. At the windows
OF tie clubhouse opposite and at the
openings of other buildings near were
many faces. wide with good natured
grins. As Lounsbury turned TO the
travellers again his own mouth curved
In a smile
But all at once he sobered. The pung
was now so far away that the backs
OF the men were presented 10 him,
and between them. projecting at a
slant over the seat. were the curved
tops OF a pair Of crutches.
Jocular opinions Of the passersby
were being freely exchanged back and
forth He paid no heed to them. The
scoop dropped from his hand and clat-
tered upon the floor He let II lie.
Silent and troubled. unaware OF the
demands of an insistent customer. he
looked after the departing sleigh.
At last he acted. Without waiting
even 70 put on his cap he started at a
run up the street His race. bare
headed. increased the laughter of those
who were still watching They yelled
70 him boisterously. Sic 'em. Budr'
Sell 'em somethin'. John1 Drag
EN- back an skin 'emw But the store
keeper was deaf. Each yard made
MIN more certain of the identity OF one
traveller. His thoughts as he pursued
We're OF him. lie gained rapidly on
the pung. At the edge Of the camp, In
the trough of drift. he stopped II.
Lancaster spoke first for Lounsbury
was too spent WAL, waal!' he said
crabbedly.
Excuse me-" painted the other. Civ
Ing in his eagerness only a glance at
David Bono, excuse me. but SEQ
you're headed from home. I wonder-
ed thought maybe could do a turn
for the young ladies while you're
| gone"
For moment the section boss did
not reply. He was still smarting over
Dallas generalship and II anything
was more disguised and rebellious
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. I,orns-
bury FASTENED to say. Il thought they
might be alone, that
Thank v" answered Lancaster,
swapping out each word, thank y,
they is alone. An you'll oblige me q
| d-n sight by leavin' 'em thet wayr'
He settled himself in his seat cit
apr he said to Shadrach The pung
slipped slowly on.
! Lounsbury was too taken aback ell
Their to follow or to retreat For awhile
be stayed where he was, busily coin.
ing forcible phrases for the relief OF
his mind. AS he retraced his steps the
i few men who saw him were discreetly
silent, for the camp knew that there
were rare moments when 1t was best
to give him q wide berth.
The interview In the trough OF the
drift was so brief that David aud
was shut out Of IT. But had en
Ionger-had he been given a cl., &c
speak-the result might have xath 10
| same The section boss hsE8Sk zen
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.
SO as they left Lounsbury behind he
even found some censure In his heart
for the storekeeper.
you were quite right" he said.
| Atal~2px Chrdx~o oh <xapffw sarrhaf vogrrae -
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 I re-
! greet your manner Of addressing him,
your OATH
/ Lancaster glared. ooh, you gram
mothers tortoise she'll catF' he said
, wrathfully. For several hours there
after he added nothing to this.
t Back in his store Lounsbury was
i mixing brown sugar with white,
: oolong tea with a green variety and
Z putting thread In the pickle barrel.
simultaneously he was torturing him
self Had the section boss left home
with no danger threatening? But-the
t green pung was undoubtedly bound
: for Bismarck. Whar was II that had
suddenly made him see the necessity
i of attending to the claimg Along with
this came self arraignment After all,
5 he should have told Lancaster that
E man who claimed the quarter section
on the peninsula had been called from
r Dodge City. Lounsbury had been GER
/ tain that Matthews could not reach
Fort Brannon before the spring. But
It had never occurred to him that the
: section boss would leave his girls
3 aloneI Now, he vowed that If any
i harm befell Dallas and Marylyn he
had only himself TO blame.
He buckled on bis pistol belt and
padlocked the door Il don't care
whether the old man likes it or not, .
he declared aloud, I'm going down
/ there"