The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-11-30
0ContinuedA

- Is nm NtOSElgs HOW u NQtue
git away firm businessf" he queried
well, you see" Lounsbury answer
ed. 1--WE got an Al man in my Bis
marck store. and at Clark's there's
nothing to do weekdays hardly. so |
just took some tobacco to Skinney's.
where the boys could get at it. and
Hoped down here" Then playfully.
"But l don't see much happening in
these parts" He stretched toward
window. 1.-The town OF Lancaster
amt growing very fast"
Dallas. seated on bench with Mary
lyn. looked across at him smilinglv.
I'm glad of it," she declared I'VE
amt used to towns"
You folks We never lived in one?"
mo, we never even been in one"
He puckered his forehead. Funny"
he said Somehow. l always think
of you two as town girls"
Jaw, shucks" exclaimed Lancaster,
scowling
But Dallas was leaning forward. in
terested. That's on account of our
teachers" she said. There was a
schoolhouse up the track, in Texas.
and we went to it on the hand car
Every year we had different teacher,
and all of 'em came from big eastern
places like New Orleans or st. Louis.
$3.50, you see. we kinda got towny
from our schoolma'ams."
lone had a gold TOOTH" put in Mary
lyn. Her eyes, wide with recollection,
were fixed upon Lounsbury.
but you passed through cities COM
Ing north" argued the storekeeper.
"N-n-no" said Dallas slowly. 1--WE
we skirted 'em"
"What a pityp he turned to the sec
ton boss.
''Pity!' echoed the latter. Huh!
You save you pity. My gals is better
of eff they dom meet no town hood
lums."
1t had been soldier trash" before
now 1t was town hoodlums." Louns-
bury wondered why he had been al
lowed a second call. He glanced at
the girls. There was a sudden shadow
on each young face. He changed to
the fire and looked hard at it. How
cut o9 they werel Where was their
happiIPss-ex in their home? And
could lie tell them even that was
threatkEed?
''Not by a long shot!" he vowed.
''I'll trust old Michael
He set himself to be agreeable. and
especially toward the section boss He
told Of the Norwegian at Medicine
mountain and of the old man who liv-
ed with wife and children at the 'lit-
tie bend" up the river. He admired
the Navajo blankets and explained
their symbolic figures of men, animals
and suns. He leaned back, clasping a
knee, and branched into comical sto-
ries
The little shack awoke to unaccus-
toned merriment Lancaster warmed
to the storekeepers genial attentions
and burst into frequent outlaws. Dal-
las and Marylyn followed his every
word, breaking IN from time to time
with little gleeful laughs.
But in the midst of it there came
from outside startling interruption
shouts and loud. pistol-like cracking,
powdery swirls over the windows, a
frightened lowing and heavy thumps
against the shack.
The noise without produced a change
within. Incredibly agile, Lancaster
got to a pane; while Dallas, spring
ing up, screened Marylyn and waited
as If In suspense.
Dark bulks now shot past, pursued
by mounted men. But very soon the
herd was gone, and all was again
quiet Then followed a moment that
was full Of embarrassment. Keenly
Lounsbury looked from father tc
daughter, the one striving to assume
an easy air, the other incapable of hid
Ing alarm. All at once he felt certain
they shared old NIichaers informa-
ton. He determined to tell them that
he, too, knew what and whom they
feared.
Expecting some one, Miss DauasY
he asked tentatively.
The section boss fastened to answer
"Expeetin' nothin'," he snapped. Then
10 cut short any further questioning
DALLAS, Y clean forgot them mules
t'day. Lawd help us, y goiu' T. LET
'em starveT'
Lounsbury sat quiet. realizing thai
the team was but a pretext The ED
er girl found her cloak, picked up a
bucket and left the room Marylvr
shrank into the dusk at the hearthside
Lancaster was hobbling up and down
his crutch ends digging at the packed
dirt of the floor.
The storekeeper. putting aside hi.
determination, went on as though he
had not noticed the others attitude
1.-THE storm was hard on the stool
last night. They must "a drifted thir
ty miles with it. Our loss is bic. like
~ The punchers II bunch everythins
on four hoofs and drive EN- into tn,
coulee. Cows II be out Of the wind
there and live on browse TIL tht
ground clears"
But as he was talking the section boss
made himself ready for the cold. Be
l. - IL