Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1907-12-11

The section boss slipped at his saucer.
"Ah dom carry on no dealin's with
Yankee soldier trash" he answered
CURLY. They keep they side o. tn riv-
er, an we-all keep ourn."
Lounsbury laughed. WELL" he said
you'll find when the redskins get mas
ty that the army blue looks pretty
good"
The other shrugged.
The 'storekeeper tapped the holster
hanging upon thigh. 1T carry a pop
gun regular" He set down the cup
pulled at his boot legs and arose.
"Ah reckon All en- hor my own,
sah." Lancaster's pride was touched.
/ mo doubt of it, assured the youn-
ger man, preparing to go. II hope" he
continued. that you'n call on me at
any tlme-if you need more provisions.
say
Lancaster did not misunderstood the
offer of credit. Thank y" he replied
stiff1y. 'but we certainly got 'nough t.
las through
Lounsbury remembered how small
compared with the orders of other
wintering settlers. was the Lancaste.
stock, and thought too, how likely 1t
was that every passerby would be FED
with true southern hospitality, thus
diminishing the supply. But he refrain
ed from making any further sugges-
ton. He babe the family goodby, lin
gering a little at parting beside the
younger girl.
Miss Marylyn,'' he said, before an
other winter you'll be the belle of the
town of Lancaster"
She put her hand in his bashfully.
"And Miss DaIlas?" His voice en-
treated little.
Il hope you'fl be the biggest store
keeper" she said.
To Loucsburv's surprise, he saw a
trace OF fun lurking In her eye. "Ah,
you've forgiven mel" he declared tri-
umphantly.
/ Eut she made no answer as she turn
ed away.
/ The next moment he was galloping
! toward the coulee crossing.
Marylyn watched him go. When,
having disappeared into the ravine, he
came into sight again on the farther
3 GAdC hC anu SAW
her. He took off his hat and waved
1t. She answered with a farewell sig
nal and stood. looking after him, until
distance tdwarfed horse and rider to q
dot
On the storekeeper's departure the
shack became a scene of action. Ian
caster gave over walking the floor and
collected bedding for journey. Mary
Flyn was called in to prepare box of
food for her municipalities from
the Goals Of the fireplace, cured pig
meat from the souse barrel, bread and
| q jug of coffee-while Dallas caught
the mules, gave them some grain and a
rubbing down with straw wisps and
1 creased the wagon wheels. All being
made ready, the section boss took leave
OF his daughters, urging them to keep
within the next day when the survey
ors came up and to deny his going
Then with Ben and Betty at a smart
trot he set off for Bismarck and the
land Office.
! When he was gone the squat shack
on the bend became vigilant Cease
lessiy its eyes covered the stretch Of
road between ferry landing and coules
-ceaselessly, though Dallas alone kept
watch for wayfarers. Not until night
/ fell and the cloud masked moon dis
appeared behind the western bluffs
were small blankets pinned into place
across the windows and the peerfng
( shock head. made sightless.
( But even with the house darkened,
the early supper eaten and Marylyn
asleep In her bed before the hearth
the elder girl still kept on the alert.
A nervousness born of loneliness had
taken possession of her. If the door
latch ratified, she raised herself, listen
ing. If Simon rubbed himself against
the warm outer stones of the fireplace,
she sprang up, startled sentinel, with
wide eyes and clinched hands
But an hour passed. The wind lull-
ed. Simon lay down. She fell to think
ing OF the storekeeper. She felt surer
than ever now that ne did not eovet
the bend. Setting aside the fact that
he had brought them good news, she
was glad he had come. 1t gave them
"a neighbor. And, yes, she forgave
him the smile that had provoked her
resentment After all, the name Dal-
las did sound Texas.
With morning and the rising of the
sun she was up and doing the few
chores about lean,to and shack. Bat
when the surveyors arrived, making
short work OF their last few miles, she
and Marylyn shut themselves in and
escaped being seen. The engineers
gone toward Clark's, Dallas again took
up her watch.
Twice before night she was reward
ed. The mail sergeant passed, bring
ing batch of letters to a grateful
post, and late In the afternoon an In
dian runner came into sight from up
the Missouri. Scorning to use the fer
~, he dropped into the river where