Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1909-07-23

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klhd Of rHft 10 roBie, aid 50 Is tBf,
fell q
"What's he got TO do with IT." said
the one eyed miner jealousy. Cant
you and ne bring her back?"
Hell marry her! God. won't there
never be a boat"
For the huEdredth time that morn.
Ing he went to the door OF the post
and strained his eyes downstream.
"Well, well. Them two goin' to be
married" SAID Lee "Stark licked. and
Necia goin' to be married-aIl at once
l hate to see II. John. He amt good
enough. She could "a done Il heap bet
ter. There's lot of reg lar men around
here, and she could "a had her pick. OF
course. always bein' broke like Il dog
myself | amt kept up my personal ap-
pearance like ! ought, but I've got some
new clothes now, and you wouldn't
know me. / bought 'em off q tender.
foot with cold feet, but they're the
goods, and you'd see a big improve
ment in me-
He's a good man." said Gale, "bet-
ter than you or me, and he's all torn
up over this. | never saw man act
so. When he learned about it thought
he'd go mad. He's haunted the river
bank ever since, raging about for some
means of following her, and If hadn't
fairly held him he'd have set out single
handed
While they were talking Burrell
came In, and mo Creek" saw that the
night had affected the youth even more
than it had Gale, or at least he showed
the marks more plainly, for his face
was drawn, his eyes were sunken as II
from hunger, and his whole body
seemed to have fallen away till his
uniform hung upon him loose, unkempt
and careless.
II can't wait much longer" said Bur-
lell and sank YEARLY into seat AL
most the next instant he was on his
feet again, saying to the trader, as he
had said It score of times already:
"Runnion comes to me, Gale! You IN
derstand he's mine, don't your
The old man nodded. Eyes; you can
take him."
"Well, who do / git?' asked Lee.
"YOu can't come along" the trader
said. 1--WE may have to follow the
hound clean to the States. Think of
your mine"
ITO blazes with the miner exploded
the shaggy prospector 81 reckon I'm
kind of daddy to your gal. and I'm
goin' to be in at the finish.'
Suddenly the lieutenant uttered a
cry, and with bound Gale was beside
him.
Look! Over the pointl Down yon-
der! | saw smoke"
The three stared at the distant for
est fringe that masked the bend of the
river until their eyes ached.
You're tired, my boy" said Gale.
Wait"
He obeyed and finally over the tree
tops saw faint streamer of black.
at Isl 1t isp cried the soldier.
I'm going for my war bag" And be-
fore the steamboat had hove into
sight he was back with his scanty |
bundle OF baggage, behaving like one
daft, talking and laughing and run
ming here and there. Lee watched
him closely, then went behind the bar
and poured out stiff glass Of whisky,
which he made Burrell drink. TO Gale
he whispered a moment later:
keep your eye on him. John. He'll |
go mad at this rate"
They waited, it seemed unfortunately. |
until at last q white hull slowly round |
ed the point then shaped course
across the current toward the other |
bank, where the water was less swift. |
AS it came fully into sight Gale swore |
aloud in despair:
Its the mission boatw
We'll what of thatY said Burrell |
We'll hire it-buy it-take itT
"It's no use She amt got but three
dog power to her engines" Lee ex-
planned. She's q down river boat
has to run with the current to move"
1--WE can't use her." Gale gave in re
luctantly. shed only lose time for
US. We've got to wait for one of the
A. C. boats"
"Waitp' cried Burreil. We've done |
nothing but wait, wait, wait! Let's do
somethingw
you go back yonder and set down"
commanded Lee. "We'll have boat |
before long"