Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1908-02-13
CHAPTER XII.

WHAT gtts
Waiting.
The man found dead the night the
Lazy was burned out was not east
" identified. He was half.breed.
but halfbreeds were many west OF the
river, and the places where they laid
their heads at night were as shifting
a. the sands Of that rapid. ominous,
changing stream OF theirs, which ever
cut them on from the world OF their
fathers and kept them bound, but rest
less, chatting, In that same land where
their mothers had stared stolidly at a
strange little boatioad tugging up the
river that was the forerunner OF the
ultimate destiny of this broad north.
west country; but which brought In
incidentally-as do all big destinies In
the great scheme bring sorrow to
some one-wrong. misunderstanding,
forgetfulness. to once proud, free
people now In subsection.
At last the authorities found trace
Of him far away at Standing Rock.
through the agent there. who knew
him as Of an ugly reputation-a dis
sipated, rowing proflgate. who had
long since squandered his government
patrimony. He had been mixed up In
sundry bad affairs in the past, and
had been an inveterate gambler So
much. only were the Kemah county
sauthoritiesuAialA.tNu uncover Of the way
ward earthly career OF e DEAman:
OF his haunts and cronies OF the
period Immediately preceding his
death, the agent could tell nothing.
He had not been seen at the agency
for nearly year. The reprobate band
had covered. its tracks well. There
was nothing to do but lay the. dead
body away and shovel oblivion over
its secret.
In the early morning after the re-
turn OF the men from their unsuccess'
fui man hunt, Gordon. gray and bag.
gard from loss of sleep and from hard
thought, stepped out into the kitchen
70 stretch his cramped limbs. He
stumbled over the figure Of Langford
prone upon the floor. dead asleep in
utter exhaustion. He smiled under
standingly and opened the outerdoor
quietly, hoping he had not aroused the
vornout boss. The air was fresh and
cool. with q hint Of autumn sharpness,
and q premature Indian summer haze,
that softened. the gauntness OF the
lkndscape. and made the distances
blue and rest-giving. He felt the need
IL inauguration after his nights virgil
,snd' struck OF down the road with
long strides, in pleasant anticipation
Of . coming appetite for breakfast.
Thus II was that Langford, strug'
ding 10 a sitting posture, rubbing his,
heavy eyes with dim consciousness
that he had been disturbed. and won
aerinK drowsIly why he was SO stupid,
felt something seeping through his
,sanses that told him he did not do
well to sleep. So he decided he would
take q plunge into the cold artesian
:pond. and with such drastic measures
Sanish once and for all the elusive yet
.aIlperyading cobwebs which chung to
him. Rising to his feet with unusual
saWkwardness, he looked with scorn
-nDon the bare floor and accused 1t
.bImdly and bitterly rs the direct
{ csuse Of the strange soreness that be-
sci his whole anatomy. The. lay Of the
noor had changed IN q night Where
was hes He glanced helplesslyl
about. Then he knew. Us
Thus Il was, that when Mary Ian
.nulaly opened her eyes . little later.
Il was the boss who sat beside her
I ana smiIeA resssutingly. !. Z q 4
s.You have not slept q wink." she
.crsid, aecusingiy.
INDEED I have" he said. Three
whole hours, I feel tip-top."
{ aYou -1bbinBsr she said. Your
syss look 80 tired and Jour fase ~
Bis heart Isspsd i. vsitA the ,ss- d ir,
16ilpitude.
you are wrong" be laughed.
teasingIy. Il slept On TIE floor; and ;
nod bed II was, too No. Miss Willis
lon, am not an n yet by any
maanB." - sd
N his new consciousness, q ,neF
'fprmaiity ierept into his vas-6 ID
,arsssins her She I'D not paaI
notice IT,
Forgive me lsr fortetting. last
iiEht," she said. earnestly. i was
very selfish. Lforgot that you had not
dept for, nearly tuo daJ1 and Rsre
riding II the whIIl ll=Qu behalf