Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-12-26
CHAPTER ".

IE1sSs the Indians safe in the ste
ls1sIJ AIDE and the troopers 0,
more in barracks when some first lah,
like down pluCked by the wind fr
the breasts Of the southwark hasteui.
wild fowl came floating out Of the SIX.
Soon the long sumac leaves on Il!
coulee edge were dropping under
crystalline weight, the black plovc,
strip was blending with the unplowcc
prairie, and the shock head of the cot
tonwood shack was donuing spotlcsS
nightcap and SO heavy and ceasclcs
was the downfall that at supper time
the sweet trumpet notes Of retreat
were waited out from Brannon acres
a covered plain.
When morning dawned the heaven
were cloudless, and the laggard sun a
1t rose shone With binding glory upon
peaceful miles Nowhere was a sign
of wallow, path or road, and the couleo
yawned, white Tipped. Even the Mis-
souri, was not unchanged, for away to
the northwest there had been mighty
ralnstorm, and the murky river tum
blcd by in waves that were angry and
swollen.
Since his early boyhood the section
boss had not known snow Before thu
previous day Dallas and Marylyn had
never seen it. 1t was with exclama-
tons of delight, therefore that, crowd
ing together In the doorway, the three
first caught sight Of the giisteninc
drifts.
PA, it's like n Christmas card"
cried the younger girl, and, barchcal
ed, she ran out to frolic before the
shack
To Dallas the scene had a deeper
meaning. Here was what would dis
courage and block any one who had
put off necessary improvements. And
this would last long after the cypira.
ton of that six months. Il gucS-
there'll be no building or plowinc
now" she said to her father happily.
He, fully as relieved, returned con
fdent assent.
a little later old Michael. the ferry
man, drove by, breaking a track aIonl
the blotted road. His ancient cordH
roys, known to every river man from
Bismarck to Baton Rouge, were hid Zen
beneath layers of overcoats. Through
the wool cap, pulled down to his col
lar, two wide holes gave him outlook;
third and smaller aperture was filed
by the stem of corncob pipe He
was headed for the cattle camp, the
lines over a four-in-hand hitched to
three empty wagons, a third team tied
to the tailboard of the hindmost box.
On the arrival of the saloon gang
the pilot had left his steamboat in the
hands Of his two helpers and made his
way to Shanty Town. There in Il
shinge hut, pcrched atop whisk,
cask and kicking its rotund belly com
placently with his heels, he had We
throat, long dry, from the ambe
depths beneath him.
With each succeeding glass his oh
legations had grown apace. Neverthe
less, for a lifetime of rough service
had brought about an immunity tina
belied his Celtic blood, his brain re
manned clear, his step steady and hi;
EYE unbleared. Thus it happened tina
when, cut off from grazing, it was nee
essary for the Shanty Town teams t,
be returned at once 10 Clarks OLE
Michael was on hand and in condition
TO take them and by so doing wip,
out his drinking account
AS he came opposite the shack Mary
Ign was still running about in thu
snow, while Dallas was sweeping GU
come long narrow drifts that hat
sfted in through window and doc
cracks. Squirting across at them, h
recalled all at once Il heated converse
ton that had taken place at Shant
Town the afternoon of the southwar,
departure of Dodge City courier
And he shook his head sorrowfully.
yell have yer hans fule befor
long" he advised aloud, cor It's III
that's not good ut guessin'.' And. lift
ing the front Of his cap, he sympathet
ically blew the purple bump tina
served him for nose TIL it ran
through the crisp air like a throat
bugle.
Farther on as he sat bordering deel
~ and letting the leaders choose thel
course horseman came canterng Il
ward him and drew rein beside hi
wheel. 1t was Lounsbury. buried t
the ears In a buffalo coat
'Sure, It's somethln' important JohI
that's a-bringin' We out t'day," erie
old Michael rosuishly, his brogue dl!
closing his identity. IT'S ayther tillt
grams or l-a-a-ydies.'
The storekeeper colored under hi
visor. It's nayther," he mocke
laughingly.
None O. yer shillyshallin'," warne
the ferryman, giving the other a pla.
full whack with his CAD "Ol kin rad
ye loike buke."
you can't read book declare
LOunsbury. But I'll tell you, II
going to the Lancasters."
Old Michael nodded, with a sly win
through the portfolios Of his mas
"Oi knowed 1t" he said. Then, aftt
fishing out tobacco bag from undo
his many coats and lighting the corr
cob in the protecting bowl of b
palms, I'm that case, man, OF g
somethin' t. say t. ye."
He leaned over the wheel confdel
TALLY, and Lounsbury bent towar
him, SO that the smoke of the PHI
fed the stOrekeeper's nostrils. The
talked for half hour, the one rela
Ing his story, the other putting
quick questions. At the end OF the