Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-01-30


dian, for her gaze was upon the shack
He swung himself into the rafting
box. There lay Marylyn, still in the
grasp of the stupor that had bound
them brain and body through the
night
Before the mules brought up at the
lean-to Dallas was over wheel and
lettering in quest of her father. Out
of the shack as she searched it sound
ed her plaintive cry: Daddy, daddy,
where are you? Oh, daddy, daddy,
come back"
Squaw Charley. bringing Marylyn in,
found the elder girl kneeling behind
the partition. her arms thrown out to
grasp the vacant bunk
lie put his load down gently; then,
| unbidden, rushed through the door for
| Brannon.
When Captain Oliver arrived with
! Fraser, a surgeon and detachment of
mounted men Dallas was seated in the
doorway, rocking Marylyn against her
breast. She looked up dry eyed as he
/ hurried to her.
"What'd they do 1t for?" she asked
him brokenly. How could they hurt
you, dad? Oh, the land wasn't worth
it, the land wasn't worth it,
Something to quicken life in Mary
/ Ign was the first thought. Then food
and drink were given the girls. Mean
while the troopers We're sent out un-
der Fraser to range the bend and beat
the coulee.
Oliver stayed. But to his questions
Dallas. her reason tottering like hel
steps, could only return others that
were heartrending
Hell come back, won't he? They
wouldn't kill him! oh, you don't think
he's dead"
We'll find him." said the captain
He-was ptiful in his regret. This trag
edy was striking home to him as even
the Jameson failure had not. His
long, sad face was more like a walrus
than ever.
''AIr. Bond said we'd have good luck
here" she went on despairingly. Blu
there was danger by night, wasn't
there? There was danger
shes knocked silly" Oliver muir
INJURED to the surgeon. "The child
doesn't know what she's saying"
You're right. Clean blunted," was
the answer But I'll straighten 'em
both out by noon"
long halloo summoned the captain
to the door. A group of men Were
gathered in the swale between the
shack and Shanty Town. Fraser was
among them. Oliver signaled, and the
young officer wheeled and came gallop
ing in.
What Is it,"
"Old mans gun. discharged, out
there in the grass
"Yes?"
And two sets of footprints coming
and going across that bit of low
ground. One set looks about two days
old and was made by boots; other Is
newer and made by moccasins."
"ahw
There's something strange abou
.hese last. Coming this way the marks
are so light you can hardly see EN-
going back they're sunk way down"
Carried load, eh?"
at looks like it," Oliver mounted
and they rode Off to the swale
Noon was past when the captain call
ed at the shack again. He found TIT
surgeon gone, but his promise full
filled. Food and medicine had gon
far to revive his patients physically
Tears had mercifully combined will
returning strength to right their minds
This time the elder girl met Olive
with no incoherence, but with bray
quiet. All her self command had re
turned. She asked him in and show
ed tender forethought for MarylyI
by sending her out into the sunshln
and the garden before she listened I
what he had to tell When he wa
| done she began her story with tn
, finding of the pole.
! "Redskins. he exclaimed.
Boot marks were around, though,
, she said.
"You are sure? wish your fatho
had asked my advice. feel as If
had come short in my duty"
"Please don't" she entreated. "Yo
see, we thought we could tend to IT.
long s we knew who it was"
He turned astonished eyes upon he
. "Knew" he exclaimed. well, fc
Q heavens sake out with it them
"Matthews-he wanted the land"
1 | sUTho iptorprofari Rut Inst night