The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-12-26

old man Hogan the lumber king, had led the
way. Black wastes, dotted here and there
with fallen redwood giants, deserted mills and
empty cabins marked his progress up the mountain
sides A trested chute of unprecedented length and
height had enabled him reach virgin forest hith-
inaccessible the ravages of man. and this hot
afternoon Hogan's Mills, the town, deserted
aspect because Hogans mills themselves running
at full force, the Chinese cook having been
pressed Into service. Mrs. O'Byrne and Mrs Monag-
han, the feminine element in the place, resting
in their cabins the hill In front Of the board
inghouse, cooling their bare feet in the dust Mag
gle and Terry Byrne the sole representatives OF idle
and youth in the camp.
Almost hour had passed since they had seen,
down in the valley the spiral cloud OF dust that her
aided the approach of the stage; they knew it
was creakng slowly up the mountain road; in mo-
ment they would hear the crack of Meerss whip, the
rattle of harness, and tearing around the in
last desperate rush would appear the leaders, the
wheeers and then the weather-beaten dust-begrimed
stage
This vehicle itself matter of no importance to
the children No passengers came to the Mills
the end of summer, and the weekly mail and loads
of provisions did not interest them, but there
nevertheless, momentous question. Would Meters
have the white the brown leaders?
"The white" asserted Maggie.
Brown, contradicted Terry just to take the other
side.
at was the brown last week." remembered Maggie.
ayes, and it will be the brown this week." persisted
the boy.
Their sharp little voices cashed and their eyes shot
wrath and defiance. Finally Terry, putting his hand
into his pocket and searching among the treasures
therein, said
" If it's the six it's the brown life
small ivory cube, distracted from the sweepings
OF the barroom appeared in his dirty little hand, and
six half-ob1iterated dots visible. Now there
good and sufficient why these six spots did turn
up and the accounted for the thing hav-
ing been swept out with the dust from under the bar.
Lawrence the starter who had left the Mills sud
denly might have enlightened Terry on the subject
But the boy knew nothing about the small cubes
cept that important questions were decided through
their agency and he had heard the triumphant shout
the six often that naturally stood for success
in his small mind at least if not success, for sig
nal that things going he desired expected.
"There! Didn't I tell your" And he staggered
with masculine bravado. "What do girls know about
horses?"
Maggie though inwardy admitting the augury,
yelled even louder than before.
Il tell you it's the white, just the same.
And there might have been OByrne the less at
Hogan's Mills ii Meters had cracked his whip at
the very instant when Terry, standing Maggie in
ungovernable rage, ready to annhilate her with
words weapons.
But the long lash sang through the air, the dusty
white leaders spurted forward to the boarding
and then settled deecedy down into their harness
the children did not look, but Magge's triumph
short lived for Terry, lodging the Ticking end Of the
lash with which Meters greeted him, in the stage
a passenger two passengers, man. dark, stern and
forbidding and, lying beside him the seat. child
with white, drawn face and big black eyes,
"Hooray!" shouted Terry in greeting, but the little
face turned resoluely away and the lips did not
"Where's SIM" demanded Meters the stranger
descended from the stage.
cover at the chute answered Terry.
And both the wimmen lazyin' usual. I suppose.
&C. Never mind,' interrupted the man roughly. " Iou
give hand, can't you?S
Meters climbing down from his high took from
the top of the stage thing half stretcher halfrecln
ing chair On this they put the little crippled lad and
carried him into the dinng-room OF the boarding.
house
"Old Sin ought to be here grumbled the driver.
"Wherc's your mother?" he asked. turning Maggie.
his voice roughened by sympathy for his unoomplain-
ing little passenger.
"She amt my mother, Terry said. soto roee, but
aggressively My mothers in heaven"
"Mrs. O'Byrne's at the cabin" answered Maggie.
looking the little boy with hungry mothery
But she amt much good, Meters l can do more
than she can
"My mothers in heaven. too hali-whspered the
child on the chair this bond OF sympathy seeming to
draw him toward the touseled little girl. Meters
swered Terrys challenge, but spoke to the stranger.
1.-The boys right. Their own mother is dead, and
he married this last spring. I guess she amt
much good"
Then in response to Magge's womanly interest. he
added: 50 This is Mr. Harris, Bob Harris. He's come
to work at tie mills and he's going to live in the
empty cabin under the slide. Perhaps you help
him some"
But Mr.. Harris took nc:ice Of Maggie He was
unloading packs and bundles the back of the
stage. and. shoudering all he could carry he started
off in the direction OF the old slide where dapdated
cabin presented anything but an inviting aspect