Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1907-12-25

Lounsbury's face dyed to a deep
scarlet. "No?" he said. "And why?"
Again the section boss gave a shrill
knocking laugh. TOO fat an too
mouthy," he answered.
For an instant Lounsbury wavered
In that instant the deep scarlet faded
his eyes opened, his nostrils spread.
PA! Pa" 1t was Marylyn, half
weeping.
Lounsburys cool voice cleared the
air. I'm a Bismarck man." he said
there. My name is John Lounsbury."
He held out his hand to Dallas.
She advanced again and took it. "Oh.
thank you, thank you," she breathed.
Bismarck man." 1t was Lancas-
ter once more. "Waal, wy the devil
dom y stay thar"
Lounsbury took no notice of him.
am be hoofing it." he said to Dallas.
But If I can do anything, you under
stand" and went out
David Bonds keen eyes studied the
elder girl. He expected an outburst
of anger and blame. He was sur
prised when, without speaking. she
brought the benches to the fire and set
about clearing the table. Lancaster
seated himself and sucked modify at
his pipe. Marylyn fitted behind him
to disappear through the swinging
blankets. The evangelist walked up
and down.
1t was not long before the silence
told on the section boss and forced him
to talk. EFF you-all got anythin' {
say" he snarled presently, "y' might
as well spit 1t out"
No one answered.
"Ah got jes' this t say" he contin-
ued: "Ah amt goin' T. hev no lubber
O. a storekeeper slaverin' aroun' my
gals!'
Again no one answered, but David
Bond as he watched Dallas question
ingly determined to be silent no longer
He paused in his walk. my friend"
he said solemnly, 'you talk like mad
man. For shame"
Dallas stood stock still, her eyes
warning him. But 1t was too late.
Her father snickered, drew on his
pipe once or twice and then grinned up
at the evangelist. Its gittin' light
outdoors" he said significantly. "Ah
reckon y could cross tn river"
And so David Bond and the white
horse went the way of Lounsbury.
Nearly an hour passed before the
section boss addressed Dallas. "Waal,
wal, waal?"
She was wrapping up to do the morn
ing chores. Just as well, guess,
dad" she said YEARLY 1.-THE meal
and bacon's pretty low. I've been
cooking out of the seed sacks lately"
9TH meal an bacon's got t. las" he
answered. Use tn seed eff " want t.,
an dom give tibet Injun so much. We
shan't asst tick O. no lallygaggin', do-a-
grapevine-twist dandy"
Dallas sighed, found Marylyn to kiss
her and gratefully breasted the chill air
beyond the door.
His dismissal from the shack brought
no hardship upon David Bond. He
found an old acquaintance in Colonel
Cummings, who joyfully greeted him
as interpreter in the absence of Mat
thews. He found familiar faces among
the hostages, whose sullen reserve In
his presence he laid to their imprison-
ment At barracks the enlisted men
chaffed him mischievously, christened
him "Methuselah" and installed him
as official doom sealer" of the post.
But when he passed them by to give
every hour of his days and nights to
young Jamieson-young Jameson, bat
Ting with all his might against col
lapse-the men ceased chatting and lis
tened to him with respect A crank on
religion was one thing, a man with one
eye on the Bible and his sleeves rolled
up for hard duty was another The
troopers cared little for sermonizing,
but they honored service. Then, it
was Jameson for whom the evangelist
was caring And Jameson held the
very heartstrings Of the garrison.
AS for Lounsbury, Brannon enter
tanned him no less gladly. His was the
rare good humor that enlivens every
occasion. He practiced at target shoot
ing with the enlisted men; he played
billiards with the officers; he dined
made up sleigh rides. lent himself to
theatricals, furnished a fourth at cards
and at the frequent dances led out
homely and pretty alike.
To David Bond it seemed as if the
storekeeper were Indifferent TO his own
dismissal from the shack. But one
morning the evangelist accidentally
came upon the younger man. He was
watching the bend through tele-
scope, and his face was anxious and
troubled.
Lancaster hasn't started for the
land office again." he said. Then. aft
er a moments silence. I've just about
decided to go Bismarck way myself to-
day. When you can, will you let me
know how they are over there"
Charles will keep me posted" an
swered the evangelist. land l shall