Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-01-02

grins. AS Lounsbury turned to the
travellers again his own mouth curved
in a smile.
But all at once he sobered. The pung
was now so far away that the backs
OF the men were presented to him,
and between them, projecting at "A
Slant over the seat, were the curved
tops OF a pair OF crutches.
Jocuiar opinions of the passersby
we're being freely exchanged back and
forth. He paid no heed to them. The
scoop dropped from his hand and clat'
tered upon the floor. He let 1T lie.
Silent and troubled. unaware of the
demands Of an insistent customer, he
looked after the departing sleigh.
At last he acted. without waiting
even to- put on his cap he started at a
run up the street. His race. bare.
headed, increased the laughter of those
who were still watching. They yelled
to him boisterously, sic 'em, Bud!'
sell EN- somethin', john Drag
'em back IN skin EN-" But the store.
keeper was deaf. Each yard made
him more certain of the Identity Of one
traveller. His thoughts as he pursued
were of him. lie gained rapidly on
the pung. At the edge of the camp, In
the trough Of a drift, he stopped ii.
Lancaster spoke first, for Lounsbury
was too spent, "Waal, wall" he said
crabbcdly.
Excuse me-" painted the other, CIV
Ina Tn tfy -.s,1r a. ,Io ,nn 4, >
David Bond, excuse me, but l see
you're headed from home. I wonder
ed thought maybe ! could do Il turn
for the young ladies while you're
gone"
For a moment the section boss did
not reply. He was still smartlng over
Dallas generalship and If anything
was more Disguised and rebellious
than when he left the shack. SO In
the brief pause he gave ready ear to
the whispering Of the yellow harpy.
His lids lowered. His lip curled.
"You understand, I'm sure" Louns-
bury FASTENED to say. Il thought they
might be alone, that
Thank "" answered Lancaster,
swapping out each word, thank y,
they is alone. An you'll oblige me a
d-n sight by leavin' EN- tibet way"
He settled himself in his seat. Cit
ap."' he said to Shadrach. The pung
slipped slowly on.
Lounsbury was too taken aback Ell
Their to follow or to retreat. For awhile
he stayed where be was. busily col
ing forcible phrases for the relief Of
his mind. AS he retraced his steps the
few men who saw him were discreetly
silent, for the camp knew that there
were rare moments when it was best
to give him a wide berth.
The interview in the trough Of the
drift was SO brief that David Bond
was shut out Of It But had 1t been
longer-had he been given a chance to
speak-the result might have been the
same. The section boss had been
mute all the way to Clark's. The fact
that Dallas had told him to relate the
reason for his not doing so. David
Bond therefore was left in ignorance
and had no means Of connecting the
evil companion of his journey north
with the fortunes Of the Lancasters.
So as they left Lounsbury behind he
even found some censure in his heart
for the s~torekeeper.
You were quite right" he said,
Ticking Shadrach gently. That young
man should pay no yisft to your daugh-
tiers while you are absent. Yet"-he
could not refrain from putting a re-
proof where it seemed due-"yet re-
greet your manner of addressing him,
your oath
Lancaster glared. ooh, yol' gram
mothers tortoise shell cat he said
wrathfully. For several hours there
after he added nothing to this.
Back In his store L%ounsbury was
mixing brown sugar with white,
oolong tea with a green variety and
putting thread in the pickle barrel.
Simultaneously ne was ~torturing him
self. Had the section boss left home
with no danger threatening? But-the
green pung was undoubtedly bound
for Bismarck. What was it that had
suddenly made him see the necessity
Of attending to the claim? Along with
this came self arraignment. After all,
he should have told Lancaster that a
man who claimed the quarter section
on the peninsula had beer called from
Dodge City. L%ouusbury had bcen GER
tain that Matthews could not reach
Fort Brannon before the spring. But
it had never occurred to him that the
section boss would leave his girls
alone! Now, he vowed that If any
harm befcll Dallas and Marylyn he
had only himself to blame.
He buckled on his pistol belt and
padlocked the door. II don't care
whether the old man likes it or not
he declared aloud, I'm going down
there"
AS he swung through the camp on
his way TO the corral he saw one Of
old Michaels helpers coming toward
him, picking his steps in the slush.
The man motioucd and held out out a
white something. It was an envelope,
grlmy and unadlresscd.
Lounsbury ripped it open and pulled
out a written sheet.
der mr. l%unsbery iran the MOTEL mathuse
com las MIC in n quere outnt with a
kra%y prsecher tie preacher think Is at