The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1908-06-17
CHAPTER XIII Continued.

"a telegram has come calling me
home iran the letterl. 1t says my
mother is ill-'seriously ilr-and l am
afraid it's put that way to hide some
thing worse. 1t is the only thing that
could take me out of Dakota now. But
am not leaving you unprotected. Be-
fore | left BrannOn ! arranged to
have Matthews watched every hour of
the day and night. And he is the only
thing that might make you trouble. for
If the Indians get nasty | know Oliver
will insist on bringing you in. Still.
shall worry terribly till get back.
wish could write all would like to-
But 1t would be what | have already
told you-you will understand"
Thus 1t ended.
Dallas thrust 1t into the pocket of
her skirt, took the reins and lifted the
blacksnake Ben saw the threatening
movement from behind his bride
blinds. He sprang forward. The wheel
rolled from under Braden's elbow.
"Well, I'll be dr. he growled.
"Ain't you going to say ta-ta?" He
strobe along at the tailboard. Sinking
up at the two in an attempt to be
friendly. Maybe you'd like company
going home" he said. Lonely trip for
girls, specially when they amt got a
gum He gave Marylyn bold wink.
THANK YOU" replied Dallas shortly.
1--WE don't want company-and we
have got gun" She lifted the pistol
from the seat.
Braden fell behind. stop and drink
some In here. You mustn't be mad at
me because Johnnie's mamma sent for
him. Come on back"
To this no answer was made. Dallas
gave the team few smart cuts. The
wagon rumbled out of the street.
And now began the return journey.
Five hours had been consumed in
reaching Clark's. Ten minutes had
been wasted there. Another five
would be passed at the first clear wa
ter. But allowing for the teams faster
gait when they were headed for home
and for twelve miles of down grade,
they should not take more than four
hours to reach the bend. Twilight
would be settling then.
Dallas figured the return thus-but
1t was soon plain to her that sunset
would find them miles from the shack.
Poor feed. with the blowing and the
narrowing, had thinned the mules.
After the first squirt they paid no heed
to the whip and fairly crawled. Mary
iyn, tired, gave way to passionate COM
planning. Dallas folded a blanket in
the bottom of the wagon and coaxed
her sister to lie down upon 1t. her
face shielded by the seat. To further
dishearten the elder girl Ben and Bet
ty showed signs of sore footedness.
Guided out upon the grass they tray-
eled better.
1t took three precious hours to gain
the summit. The afternoon was then
FAR gone. Across the wide valley dark
clouds were piling upon the western
range. They added to its height and
augufed the day early closing. When
the Throat gaped alongside. the fieecy
horizon had rolled still higher. and be-
meath 1t the setting sun showed
through like harvest moon. blood red.
Swiftly the day withdrew and the
stars came out. Then the breeze lull-
ed and mist rose from the coulee's
wooded bottom. From 1t came the
tremulous call of an owl. Dallas slip
ped to her feet and welded the black
snake vigorously.
The mules shot forward for wagon
length. The sudden Jolt awakened
Marylyn. She got to her knees-and
there were the cottonwoods with the
laden boughs!
Spunky little sister," encouraged
the elder girl and helped the other to
the seat.
The road was so dark now that it
TOOK on the aspect of standing man,
who was no sooner overridden than
ne rose again in the lead. This was a
beginning for all manner of fears
Dallas fought her own. But she could
not conquer them. for they enlarged
enormously and changed to a premo-
milton that ran riot
Listening and watching. she had suf-
Tered the previous night Yet that suf-
iering was nothing compared to the
agony that stole into her heart and
heid it'll she forgot Marylyn's pres
ence. She seemed to see a figure
skuiking through the dusk about the
SNACK 1t entered the lean-to and
crouched In hiding. She saw 1t come
forth again. keeping close to the logs.
us eyes shone in the dark.
Where she had left him. He was gaz-
ing straight ahead. as IL he expected
the enemy to approach only from the