Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-11-18


 The evangelist shook the reins a
 Shadrach. "A storm, cold, want" h, replied. There are many evils tha
 might befall two young women alon, ln shanty on the prairie"
 "Waal, nothin' s ever happened t 'em before," declared Lancaster. Bu he whistled to stay change in goot fortune and rapped the wood of the wagon box with his bare knuckles.
 David Bond busted himself witl urging on his horse. God will watcl over them,' he said devoutly "'Be hold, he that keepeth Israel shall nei ther slumber nor sleep"
 The section boss sniffed Sure of the safe trend of his affairs, he was in a mood to scoff at any religious allusion. Reverence with him was entirely a matter of urgent physical need. He had called to his Maker but twice ill his llfe-once when an ugly tempered peon threatened him with a spade, again when, falling from his swiftly moving fiat car, he felt the heavy wheels grinding him flesh and bone.
 Storm kaint tech tn shack" he said proudly. "She's built like a ship. t stan any win. She's warm, too, an thet Injun he brings us plenty of wood. An they s grub 'nough t las"
 The evangelist was politely atten- tive.
 ''They s jes' one man thet might come botherin' 'em," Lancaster went on. But 'tain't likely he'll see these parts before spring. An An don b'lieve he'll come then"
 David Bond set his brows together. The previous night an unshaped thought had made him pause a second before leaving Dallas. Now that thought became a suspicion-a sus- picion of the real truth. "A manY he said questioningly. "A manT
 Being thus prompted on the subject of the claim, Lancaster was willing to proceed, for he mad no feeling that he was Obeying Dallas. "Ah'm speakin' of man thet filed on my section in July" he said. His siNmonths Is up t'day, So An reckon he'll hev t work a new piece of track. For An inten' t hang on t thet quarter-it's goin' t be worth a pile"
 The evangelist threw him q swift glance. What Is the name of that man?" he asked.
 "Ah dunno. An clean gone an f'got it. An ought t wrote it down
 Would you know it if you heard it?"
 "W'y. yes-'twas some ornery name"
 Was it-was it Matthews?"
 Complete bewilderment spoke from Lancaster's wide open eyes and mouth. He whirled about upon the evangelist and seized the reins. Shadrach came to a squatting stop. his ears turning round to catch command "Thets it. Thet's it." cried the section boss. An how q you know?" The two men looked at each other in silence. Lancaster's face was dark with distrust; David Bonds pale with | alarm. How" exclaimed the latter. when his tongue at last answered his will. | How? Because Matthews came north | with me yesterday"
 If Shadrach possessed the sense his master claimed for him he must have then and there that the hu- man beings in the pung had gone stark mad. For after some excited shouting, the one to the other. they brought him square about and sent lim scurrying back toward Brannon. They did not retrace their way, but 'teered due south. thus saving the few niles that could take them again through Clark's. Shadrach approved |, he change in direction. which pointed o a snug corner beside the friendly ,ull calf. and fairly skinned the hard now. He had already gone forty long niles since morning. Yet. undaunted, e took up the return with good zest, olding a smart pace unwearily. He reathed deep. and his long Roman out on a line with his Ocking baek-smoked like an eager harger's
 In the first half hour that followed le evangelist's diSquieting admission e listened to a wild. prOfane tirade- i: gainst himself for having failed to 1 peak of Matthews. against Dallas for , aing fin such a tarnal hurry. against on general principles. The I sction boss found only one person holly exempt from blame-himseIf r } he cursed. threatened, he wrung 6 hands. he grabbed a crutch and. aning forward. poked the straInIng inks Of the white horse. . Gentle. gentle" admOnisheti David {, Ond. "He goes fastest who goes Y eadIly. I have driven shadrach nine miles in twenty-twO hours. And If P are patient with him now he will ii { us home by reveiIle- - But Lancaster only groaned un- atefully and continued to ply the t uteh- ', On they vent As the short day !, dei and darkness came they steered ,, -ther to the left. for there was a e ssible danger Of pitching over the = CT hank When they zppr8zched z, ? couIee the same perl again met =, zm Shadrach. however. Ensuret e m against accfde1t- He s-ruck hfs a n tran and knew n At O1ce hs ;, ickezed his speed. puIIinz the reEns IL Behfnd hl- lie master. th.-rh eTiy wezrs@Sl kept awake to uatch -- .sr cozrze ard cazus1d kfz kEz1Iy- s.