Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-01-23

Nak0saAE- hnssG2/
"My friend, you'U hist to t,po thousand
pretty Soon"
not a darned pound of ice was left in
Boston. Well, what d. " think nv
old man does? He rents the fastest
coast steamer he can find. Then he
goes way up north in the Atlantic ard
lays to with his weather eye open.
Day or two long comes a iceberg big
as a house, and, by -, he bitches to
1t, and Boston gifts ice"
And now, like a ponderous bobcat
descending upon It's prey, Brnden stole
soft footed across the room. Nick"
he said. His Jaws came together with
the click of steel trap.
Matthews lowered bis heels. Jump
In buffalo, he cried In amazement
al Braden, Whore d you come
from7" He took the others hand, at
the same time pulling him slowly to-
ward the door. Away from the crowd.
they brought up.
"Well, you're nice one" was Bra
den's answer. you're nice one!
"Lettin' that bend slip through your
hngersv
All the interpreters cocksureness was
gone. He threw the cigar into the
sand box under the stove and looked
on the verge of following it.
Say, you talk of feecin'." tainted
Braden. why, you been skinned clean
IS whistle. And by a old fool duffer
from Texas
Of nOI ba
snarled Matthews finding his voice.
What you 60 strcakin' off to Dodge
| for after the tip l giye?'
well, no one here was talkin rail
road so well, II
Braden addressed the ceiling. his fat
hands outspread. "No one here was
talkin' railroad; no one here was talkin'
railroad he mimlcked.
so l didn't put much stock in your
letter"
you didn't, eh?" Braden searched a
coat pocket, found newspaper clip
ping and thrust 1t under Matthews
nose. We'll, read that"
Read it yourself" said Matthews.
You know blamed WE'LL
Braden interrupted him by begin
ming. He lowered his voice and in
toned, giving the interpreter a glance
| designed to wilt him with the words
that called for stress:
1.-The proposed line will open up
country Of rich grasses and ground
and Of unexcelled hunting. The In
dams, while still troublesome beyond
the Missouri are rapidly being brought
to see the advisability of remaining on
the reservations and little more an
noyance on their part may be appre-
hended. Fort Brannon he declares, is
In the hands of several hundred brave
fighting men and may be looked upon
as place of certain refuge In case Of
an outbreak. The soldiers are proving
to be such Il menace to those Indians
who will not agree to reservation life
that whole bands of the more savage
redskins are leaving for the bad lands
and me rougher country farther west
No Indian war parties have been seen
east of the big river for some time. AL
ready there is an increasing interest In
land along the survey, and it is be-
lieved that when the last ties of the
new line are laid there will be few I'M
claimed quarter sections between the
Big Sioux and the Missouri
There Braden wound up and
gradin begun already at the Missis-
Sippi"
1.-THE HI you say
Believe me now, won't you? Didn't
they have IA banquit. with champag
ney? All the state mig bugs, head sur
veyor. and so on
TOO bad!"
That's what say, and I'll say
| more. or course we was TO 20 pard-
| ners on this thing. So far, so good
but here you amt did your half. and
you can't kick If | deal from now on
with old man Lancaster"
Matthews understood. "By -,
done my best" he cried. ~ can't
come any of that on me, Braden.'
Keep on your shirt. Nick; keep on
your shirt. | looked into this thing at
Bismarck, and under the law you amt
got one right Lancaster owns that
bend, and if | pay him out of my own
money why amt it squareT
The Interpreter hung his head.
"Of course" Braden went on, I'D
rather divvy. l can see he's one of
them greedy old ducks that's hard to
talk money with. Maybe you can think
up how to get the land back"
Matthews leaned close Il had
schcme'-he nodded south In the d.
rection of Medicine mountain-"but the
reds can't come | had t. go slow.
There's women in tn family Natlly
all the men up and down the Muddy
want t see Lancaster stay. There's
been dude firm Bismarck here of
and on-tony cuss, sleeps between
sheets, nice about his paws ms cat
He's been ready t. tattle or roll gun"
Braden shifted "What trick s he