Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-11-14
Ghe --
! PlOW Woman !
! By ELEANOR GATES.
Author Biography o a Prairie Girl" I
COPYRIGHT. MCCLURE. PHILLIPS COMPANY.
COPYRIGHT 1906 BY MCCLURE PHILLIPS T. COMPANY.
CHAPTER VIII.
By ELEANOR GATES,
Author Of 1.-THE Biography of a Prairie Girl

ly surprised and not altogeth-
EC59 er delighted at being reused
vsG:EEy early the following morning
with the news that he could start at
once for Bismarck. AS Dallas voice
penetrated the partition he returned
the only reply his icebound mustache
and goatee would permlt-a muffled
growl She did not hear it, yet she
knew how he felt. The previous day,
though a casual observer might have
been misled by his garrulous frettlng
over Ben's lameness, she was quick to
note and with pang that secretly he
was relieved. But her pain at his laxi-
ty and Indifference was not unmiXed
with pity, for to her crippled father,
whose clutches in the snow hindered
rather than helped him, she guessed
how long and lonely and bitter cold
seemed the way to the land office.
Yet it was something more than
these aspects of the journey that caus-
ed Lancaster to view it unfavorably.
He knew that in another thirty-siX
hours, when the original applicants
half year was up, he and not the other
would have the clearer right to the
quarter section. Therefore he regard
ed the proposed declaration of aban-
donment, the canceling of the old en-
try and the fling of Il new as forms
which need not be gone through with
hurriedly, since the first claimant had
undoubtedly disappeared for good and
all, but which might be attended to
quite as well the coming spring, when
the roads would be open and the days
warm. Confident of his perfect securl-
ty on the peninsula and possessed by
sneaking but denied adherence for
rush and discomfort, he reioiced 1T de-
lay. So having left his snug bed to
tumble about in the dark for his
clothes and, these donned, having lOos-
ed his speech before the grateful blaze
in the fireplace, he did not argue ia
tigue or freezing as an excuse for pro
crastination. He passed over these
rather too briefly and enlarged upon
his safe status as settler.
IAN bosh,' he asserted rs he watch
ed Dallas and Marylyn busy with
preparations for breakfast. "A hull
regiment of soldiers couldn' put us
often this Ian, t. say nothin' of a man
tibet amt done a thing on it sence he
took 1t up. All might jes' as well stay
home"
But he found that Dallas was firm
on the question of his going-'haid.
strong" he termed it-and would not
even pause for a discussion. She had
risen early to feed the occupants Of the
lean-to, Shadrach in particular. Next
with a promise of rest later on, she
had awaked Marylyn. Formerly the
younger girl would have persisted in
questioning her about the proposed
journey and in knowing its purpose
Now, however, her interest in it, like
that in most things, was so small thai
she appeared totally Indifferent and
went about her work silently. Despite
the fact that this somewhat revived
Dallas anxiety over her sister, the
elder girl felt freshly strengthened IL
spirit. In all her twenty years of life
no other morning had like this ont
promised her so much happiness.
When the evangelist emerged and
after sojourn In front of the hearth
Joined the family at table Lancaster
pinned to ask him what he thought o.
their Drawing the elements fooliShly
Not that the section boss esteemed hi
aged guest. On the contrary, Dallas
evident interest in the stranger haC
stirred the unnatural jealousy In he
fathers wien brain. Already h
hated David Bond and had him Sc
down for a crank But Dallas needle,
a lesson. 1t was all very we'll for he
to do the outside duties as if she wer
a man. That did not privilege her t
ride roughshod over his opinions or t
rule affairs In general with a heav
hand. However, he found no opportu
nifty for questions. She, reading impa
tience and mutiny in her fathers ever
glance, kept up throughout the mes
an unwonted flow of talk.
Dad" she said, covering his plat
with a crisp, hot cake for the dozent
time, 81 haven't told Mr.. Bond a
about the claim-all the reasons VIII
we want him to take you to Bi.
marck"-the section boss grunted g
the "we"-"so you please tell him q
you're going along. And don't let you
coat get unbuttoned or your ears froz,
heated some big rocks for the bottoI
of the sleigh and some little ones &c
your pockets. You'll both weigh s
much that Shadrach can't run away
he wants TO, and you can't fall OIL
into drift
Not a word from the..others checke