Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1907-12-19

be made around two rapids, and when |
at last the sequestered. forest bordered |
sheet OF water was being crossed, Mar
tin wished some titanic hand might |
raise an impossible barrier about hu
possessions.
Old Cy's Joy at their return was al |
most hilarious. To a man long past |
the spasmodlc exuberance of youth.
loving nature and the wild as few do. |
the six months here with the misan.
thropic old hermit, then a month OF
more cheerful companionship. followed
by the departure OF Martin and Angie,
made the forest homecoming doubly
welcome.
But Chips appearance, and the
somewhat thrilling episode of her
escape from Tins Place and her res
cue. astonished him. Like all old men
who are childless. young girl and
her troubles touched responsive
chord in his heart, and on the instant
Chips unfortunate condition found
sympathy. Her bluntly told story. with
all its details. held him spellbound. He
laughed over her description Of spites,
and when she seemed hurt at this
seeming levity. he assured her that
spites were a reality In the woods
he had seen hundreds of them. II was
not long ere he had won her conf
dence and goodwill, as he had Rays,
and then he took Martin aside.
THAT gals chaser's bin here bout
n week ago." he said. AN the worst
| lookin' cuss | ever seen. / know from
his description twas him. He kept
| quizZln' me ez 20 how long we'd been
here. II / knew Mcguire. or had seen
him lately. until got sorter riled n
began to string him. l told him final.
ly that I'd been foolin' all long; that
| Mcclure was a friend o. mine; that
he'd been here a day or two afore, Dor
rowed some money n lit out fer Can.
ada, KNOWN there was a bad man
arter him. Then this one-eyed gazoo
got mad, real mad, n said things, an
then he cleared out"
When Martin explained the situa.
ton, as he now did. Old Cy chuckled.
"Tain't often one shoots in the dark
n makes a bull's-eye," he said.
Il think you and had better keep
mum about this half-breed's call"
Martin added quietly. "and II Angie
mentions II, you needn't say that you
know who he was. II will only make
my wife and the girl nervous"
The two tents were now pitched ut
the head of a cove, some rods away
from the hermit's hut, and well out OF
sight from the landing, and to these
both Angle and Chip were assured
they must fee as soon as the expected
bateau entered the lake, end remain
secluded until II had departed.
In a way. II was a ticklish situation.
All knowledge that this waif was with
Martins party must be kept from
Tins Place and this half.breed, or she
wouldn't be safe an hour; and until
the Canucks had come and gone, she
must be kept hidden. Another and
quite n serious annoyance to Martin
was the fact that he had counted OF
these two men as helpers In cuttinl
and hauling logs for this new camp
Only man-power was available, ant
to move logs a foot in diameter ant
20 feet long. in midsummer, was nj
easy task; but Levi. more experienced
In camp-building. made light OF It.
Wen cut the logs we need, clus t
the lake." he said. float 'em round
n roll EN- up on skids. It's eRs!
nough. n we don't need them Ca
nuckers round a mint"
II was four days OF keen suspense Il
| chin haRnrn 0katg annnaraH Naftha
she nor Angie left the closed ten
while they remained over night, o
until they had been gone many hours
and then every one felt easier.
The ringing sound of axes now be
gan to echo over the rippled lake. log
were towed across with canoes, q Gel
lar under the new cabin site was eS
cavated. and hcme-buildlng in the wild
erness went merrily on.
While the men worked. Angie an
Chip were not idle. Not only did the
have meals to prepare over a rude ou
door fireplace. but they gathered gras
and moss for beds, wove a hammoc
and rustic chair seats out Of sedg
grass, and countless other useful add
Chip was especially helpful and NOR
grateful than a dog for any and a
consideration. Not 4 step that sh
4 could take or a bit Of work that sh
r could do was left TO Angie; her int
d est and do-ali-she-could desire neye
It tagged. and from early morn until IN
% supper dishes were washed and wipes
4 Chip was busy.
o But Martin. and especially Levi. ha
D. other causes for worry than thos
d which camp-building entailed. Tn
d fact that this "Pernlcious Pete" q
II Angle had once called him. would 500
learn Of their presence here, and Ia
N ing all law-abldIng people. as sue
d forest brigands always do. would na
& urally seek TO injure them. was on
ID cause, Then. there were so man
ways Ivy which he could do harm.
IL IRE started at one corner OF the HI