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


her close \ change had recently come
over the younger grl-a change that
! Dallas had not failed TO see yet had
! utterly failed to understand. Marylyu
still performed her few tasks about
the house, but with absentmin1ed care
! csSncss. Her work done. she took up
! The long neglected vigil at the windows,
| spending many quiet and seemingly
| purposeless hours there-all unmlndful
| that the beaded belt lay dusty and un.
| finished on shelf Only by fits and
starts was the shack enlivencd by her
! happy chatter. At all other times She
was wistful and distract. Now as she
answered her father. a faltering light
crept into her eyes.
"The last time Mr.. Lounsbury was
here" she said hesitatingly, ut was
tho 9Th. and today Isl
"Ah en- git It," the section boss in
terrupted. After a moments tallyinY
on his fingers he sat back and clapped
his knees In excitement. wy, Dal
las" he cried, 'th' day after t'mor-
row g the end o thet mans six
| months"
Dallas released Marylyn. Yes" she
said, watching the younger girl wan.
der back mechanically to the post she
had forsakcn. And tomorrow you
ought to start for Bismarck. Maybe
it wouldn't matter If you waited
awhile before going but as long as
the wcnthcr's good l think you ought
to 90 right off"
"Ah reckon" he replied but nov
heartily
And so once more preparations for
trip werc made That night when
all was ready and Dallas and her IA
ther, having given the team n late
feed, were leaving the stable together.
She spoke to him OF her sister.
There's just one thing that worries
me about your leaving" she said. II
don't know IL you've noticed it or not,
but Marylyn don't seem to be feeling
good"
"Y' think mobile she takes after her
MAJ" ventured the section boss.
Dallas nodded.
no, no. he said. she favors me-
an thcys no need t fret. Theys moth.
In tn matter with her-jus' off her
OuIS IL leeiIe, llel = All.
I The DEVELOPMENTS of the next morn
ing swept every thought from Dallas
y mind save those concerning the Jour.
e ney. For when 1t came time to hsr.
! ness the mules she found that Ben had
unaccountably gone lame. Whether
his mate had kicked him or whether
n he had sprained leg while exercising
7 the previous afternoon she did not
4 know. But 1t was plain that, so far as
/ he went the miles between quarter
d section and land Office were impossi-
, bic. At once Dallas suggested that
Il Betty be driven single to a small pung
: that had been built for water hauling
L. when the well froze up. Accordingly
n the mule was put before the sleigh.
Failure resulted. Though both Dallas
4. and her father alternately coaXed and
e, scolded, Betty, with characteristic
II stubbornness, refused TO bulge a rod
N from the lean-to without Ben.
lie Dallas was In despair. "She won't
$. go; she won't CO. she said. We've
W got to think of some other way"
d "Yestiddy." observed the section
If boss as he unfastened the tugs "y' said
it vouldn' matter eff All didn go now"
He was somewhat complacent over
Il the outcome OF the htch-up.
@ Il don't feel that way now" assert
e ed Dallas.
4. Tibet OF man up at tn leetle ben
L. has hosses" he volunteered when they
@. were again within the shack.
He took EN- to Clarks two months
q. ago and walked back"