River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1908-02-20

| so confidently. Most men would have
sooner gone against a Kansas cyclone,
CT a nest of rattlers, or q band Of
| Apaches than to stir up Sandy Smith.
| When he left in a hurry short time
later without the boy he knew Sandy
| better
The next day the sheriff came
alone. He knew Sandy, and loved him,
and dreaded the trip. He knew that to
bring a posse would mean a fight in
! which many men would die. He knew
that cid Sandy Smith. unless infiu-
enced by reason alone, would unfiinch-
ingly fight regiment Of soldiers to
hold the thing he loved. But Sandy
and the sheriff were friends, so it
didn't come to that.
So it was that the big tamaracks
moaned that Night, and the flowers
around the cabin dropped, while in
company with them an old squaw
moaned upon the floor, and a bent,
wearied, heart-stricken old man sat on
the doorstep with his fingers clutched
through his hair-rObbed-deso
and alone.
OF course, Sandy and Rebecky knew
within day or so where Mods had
been taken There was just one ridge
"a low divide-between Canada Gulch
and Poor Mans Gulch, where Mods
father had taken his claim. But it was
several days before either Sandy or
Rebecky tried to see the boy.
In the meantime, Sandy didn't work.
He was kinder to Rebecky than usual,
because he knew how the old woman
suffered. He wandered 1imlessly
around the cabin or out among the
flowers where Mods had dug holes.
One day Sandy went down across
the gulch and up to the brow of the
opposite hill, where he could look on
that other cabin. He was hungry for
sight of his boy. On the doorstep,
dirty, unkempt and detected, sat little
Mods, while at his feet, covering in
fear of something, sat a three-legged
dog, which had already found the way
across the hills
Mods father didn't seem to like the
dogs presence. He was puttering
around at something, when Sandy,
spraWled on top of the ridge and peer
ing over, first saw him, then he cams
over to Mods, shook him, and, when
the dog bristled. gave him kick. The
dog wanted to fight, but the man beat
him off to a safe distance, while Mods
apparently cried. Mods father then
slapped him.
And the man came pretty Aear going
out of the game about that minute. On
top of the ridge, a long, red-haired fell
low had shut his teeth, pulled heavy
Colts from his pocket, and was taking
very careful aim. Things he drew a
bead on didn't live long, as rule.
Then he decided the distance was too
far. Decided something else, also; and
that was that he would go down and
kill this brute, if it cost him his own
life. his hope of the hereafter, and
Mods That boy should never be
cuffed again He would see to that,
! he muttered, as he crashed down into
| the clearing.
The man started to say something,
but got good square look into Sandy's
flaming eyes. and decided this wasn't
his hour to talk. Mods looked up, and
with cries of Daddy Sands! Dear
| Daddy Sands! l knew you'd come. |
| knew you would find me-" rushed fran
tically over and clasped his arms tight
ly around Sandy's legs. Then Sandy
| grabbed up the boy
Sandy had an errand to perform.
He wasn't the quiet Sandy of the last
| two years, but the old Sandy of the
| Geronimo and other border days. He
had mission.
And Mods father read it and grew
white, and lost his defiant grin. There
in front of him stood Death. Just wait
ing a few minutes to do its work. And
it would be done-the CLINT of the
white-hot steel sbone in the eyes, and
told him so.
Sandy finally put Mods down on the
ground. When he did so, he saw three
black-and-blue welts on the bare skin
where the unbuttoned blouse was open
Well-he would have a little satisfac-
ton for that, anyway. He made one
quick jump to where the man stood
his arm shot out with terrific force
and Mods father fairly flew into the
air.
Before he could realize what had
| hammered Sandy was on him one hand