Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1908-09-03
CHAPTER X.-Continued.

CHAPTER X.-Continued.
Some deviltry to our company.
Say! You know everything; maybe
the word. ! amt supposed to let any
one see what goes over the wire, you
know. So long" He handed her a
bulky envelope and turned.
is it all this?" Stella began, when
Alvin broke in:
oh, my works in there, too. Say,
Miss Stella, you're a bully teacher!
My brains are growing so fast my
skull aches. l must skip or my
chiefn call me before l get back, and
across his throat, laughed merrily and
almost closed the door when he turned
back a sheepish face and in a voice to
match said: There's a note to vi in
there; would you-would YOU"
Stella laughed. ooh, yes, l will; but
III tell her mother, too"
Yes, I s'pose that goes, o. K,
too. Goodbye. I'm gone"
Stella heard him stamping off down
the street, watched him through the
dim light climb the muddy hill to the
little box where he was jailed with the
''clicker" "a hours a day, save the
three-sometimes only two-short res
pites the chief operator in Sacra-
mento gave him for meals. Stella
thought of the eerie nights, thought of
Alvin's social nature and sighed. No
wonder his predecessor had been dis
charged for drunkenness. But Alvin
was made of better stuff.
Tonight the budget went unopened.
Stella extracted the note addressed
to Vialo, carried the rest to her home
made desk in grandma'am's room and
went to supper.
But Vic Wah's best efforts were I'M
appreciated, She toyed with her food,
listening tensely for a herald of the
stage and was gladdened at last by
the shout that announced its coming.
Doors we're flung open and anxious
eyes peered into darkness, watching
a black object embody itself from the
night and labor up to the lamp-lit ex-
press office. Stella saw a rigid form
on the box and ran down the sidewalk
to learn for herself if it was really
Uncle Billy. He did not move; only
a feeble voice testified to life.
Some one take the lines, II CANT
open-my ingehs," he said, as kind
hands held hot whisky to his lips.
Don't mind me yet" The words came
thickly between swallows. Take the
po' fellehs out from where they stand,
won't you? Boys, you all take hold
those bosses played a lone hand-don't
make EN- pull the ole-wagon up that
muddy hill-to-night. Po' Snorteh!
Its goodbye for him-I reckon. He's
-"
His words dwindled to a whisper,
and the huddled figure, relaxed from
the long strain, dropped lower and
lower.
Boys, he'll fall Some O. you lift
him down." called Sally B. sharply.
BE keerful! Don't straighten his fin,
gers too quick"
And some of your bear me also to
my downy couch, won't you? l. too,
am a frozen wayfarer, Sally B."
Phineas climbed out of the coach and
stepped up to Sally B. with proffered
hand.
"Oh, you git!" she said, half vexed,
though she laughed. Why didn't you
set on the box an spell Uncle Billy
with the lines, you skunk? You are
younger'n him"
Il amt driving Charley Crocker's
stage. I'm his passenger"
Sally B. hustled him aside and
cleared the way for the men who car
ried Uncle Billy, protesting feebly, to
her best chamber, where the two
women took him in charge.
But their ministratiOns and the
sight of Stella's plying face, reused
him for a minute only; he was soon
in the vision-laden spaces where trick
sizes make jest of human travail. For
long hours, under a wearying conglom-
Grafton of angles and curves that
grandma'am called a dream of the
night. poor Uncle Billy tossed and
moaned, fought over again his lonely
battle with the storm.
Keep 1t up a little longeh, boys.
Lights %ahead-no, lights out, Fly,
boys! The mountains falling! Po'
Saorteh, down again! Git up, boy!
Pull up, there! Now, altogether!
Uncle Billy must stick--by the stage,
live-or die-save the treasure-don't,
Stella, dearl The old man amt wo'th
a teah from-yo' sweet-good-bye, fit.
tie one, Uncle Billy CANT go any"
Stella's tears fell UNDECIDED on the
stiff blistered hands while the story
Of the awful drive grew out of his
feyered babblings. Towards morning
he was quioter. Stella declared she
could not rest, but Sally B. drove her