Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-11-14


 girls alone At least they should have something for defense.'
 Lancaster instantly agreed, observ- ing to himself that the evangelist after all had some common sense. Shore" " he replied. "Ah'll put tn gun back an we'll take yourn."
 But he was corrected with severity. T carry no weapons, sir said David Bond. T stand for peace"
 Then tn gun goes," declared the section boss. 9Th gals was alone be- fore 'thout it. They was no snow on tn groun' then an heap more chance of some one comin' They aint no danger. An eff An take tn gun mebbe Ah c'n git a deer on tn way back. We need tn meat"
 The evangelist considered a moment. "Very we'll" he said, "but I would ad- wise differently"
 "Ah, shucks" retorted the other, struggling with his coat
 A moment later his irritation was in- creased. At the same time the visitor unknowingly covered himself forever with suspicion. Through the frosty air and the darkness rang out the first trumpet blast from Brannon, and, as if totally unconscious of the action, David Bond reached up and barred his head.
 T love that summons" he said. "It bids our good lads wake and do their duty"
 Lancaster was not unmindful of the courtesy due a guest. But any refer ence to patriotism was offensive, and he had been particularly provoked So behind the broad shoulders of the other he disdainfully turned up his nose.
 They were off at last, with Marylyn watching them from a window and Dallas walking alongside for few rods to say goodby and to pat Shad- rach's bony white Hanks encouraging ly. Morning was stealing up the dun east, yet overhead the stars were shin ing And their near radiance, reflected upon the snow, coupled with the light of the slowly growing dawn, made 1t possible for the girls to follow the travellers straight course for miles. But long after Marylyn left the win dow the elder girl remained outside. The dun of the east was painted out with uprushing waves of pink, The stars sank back into the heavens, grew smaller and dinner and, one by one, disappeared. Finally yellow rind haloed in mist was thrust above the level of the prairie. AS Dallas greeted 1t the distant ridge of snow drift, rose tinged like the sky, hid the crawling speck that was the pung.
 
 On his arrival behind David Bond Nick Matthews had found that full pockets were plentiful among the sol diery and had promptly gone about emptying them. Soon after entering the Troopers Delight he sat down to chip piled table. His quarry sur rounded him. And there he stayed throughout the long night, wide awake, sharp witted, unwearied, adding to his heap of colored disks, honestly and otherwise. Not until reveille, a clar- ion warning, sent his fellow players scurrying back across the river did he put his cards one side and throw him self down. fo., though a confirmed night hawk, he needed a short nap to prepare for some business that lay be- fore him.
 Babe" direct contrast to his broth CT, being thick necked. stumpy and dark, had not failed to garner his share of the rich harvest. From his station behind the long counter, which was made of four heavy blanks SUD- ported on barrels at either end, he had poured strange mixtures into beer mugs and exchanged them for good government coin. When he was not performing his part as bartender he was scraping lily timed tunes upon a fiddle.
 I when shortly after noon his brother awoke, swallowed some whisky and armed himself with brace of pistols. Then, with no word to the few loun- gers in the saloon. the latter set out, the road that led up the riv- CT to the ferry landing. At the cut he climbed the bank at a leisurely pace and continued his way eastward, making straight across the snow to- ward the squat shack of the Lancas- ters.
 His approach was instantly marked. Marylyn was once more at her post studying the square Iar5zcape framed by window. When he made a quick figure on that landscape she saw him and called to Dallas.
 Here's some one coming" she an- inwardly glad at the possibili- ty of diversion.
 Dallas hurriedly joined her. "who can it be?' she asked.
 The door was unbOlted. the other window not fastened. Yet so far were her thoughts from moIestation that she left them so.
 Going to ask him inT questioned Marylyn-
 Not till I find out who he is"
 They fell silent. conjecturing.
 When Matthews reached the drift before the shack he halted and sig 1aled for them to open their window That attitude toward them-cIeariy he did not expect a veIcOme-at once reused Dallas suspicion
 ~MaryIyn.- she said. making as If to obey their visitor. draw the bolt Of Inc do,r-