The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1909-10-06
an harmless,' 3 Todd commented. ioc


! an harmless, Todd commented, Joe
ularly, as he deposited it In a corner.
a mageek lantern, eh?" observed
Bill. And he viewed the box with .
great deal Of interest.
During the preparation of supper
Bill and Todd explained to Howell
what fashion of folk were the dwell.
ers in the lodge across the river, and
dwelt with much emphasis on the fact
that they were undesirable.
ITS no RIGHT for the Government
tae allow the red deevils tae squat in
body's dooryard, as ye might say, .
Bill concluded, angrlly; "tae say nae.
thin o. their KILN the puir antelope
till therell no be anither bunch come
tae the Red Deer for ten year"
"Bill has been a-wishin' he was a
heap big medicine man, Todd, the
irrepressible, cunfided to Howell, so
that he could get out an scare these
here Blackfeet oir'n the face uh the
earth"
After supper the three clustered
round the stove, for the mercury was
marking time around the ~twenty-be-
low" point. and the hoar frost hung
thick on the window panes. Howell
and Todd discussed the various phases
of the Indian question, but Bill sat
silent, putting industriously at his
pipe. He seemed to be studying over
some matters, and at times his eyes
rested speculatiyely on Frank How
ellis lantern case.
Suddenly Bill dropped his feet from
the top OF the oven door with a thump
that brought reproving look from
Todd. He knocked the ashes out of
his pipe on the stove front, and
slowed it away in his pocket. Then
he looked from one to the other and
spoke. Il hae plan for scarin' these
red bodies finely" he began, rather
obviously.
Throw 1t out uh yuh, scotty, "
cried Todd, enthusiastically. I'm
the greatest son-of-a-gun t work out
schemes yuh ever saw--only | never
can think uh cne t. work"
Its no on we I'll be dependin' tae
wark DOT the thing" retorted Bill.
"Ye'll no hae big part tae play. It's
on Mr.. Howell here ma plan depen's.
an maybe he'll no care tae tax a
ham"
Lets hear your plan, by all
means" Howell said, impulsively. IF
there's any sport in it I'll be right
with you"
Thus pressed Bill voiced his idea.
and when he had done Todd WAYNE
and the schoolteacher were idiotically
giggling.
"Yuh've shore got vivid imagina-
ton" Todd assured him. "Yuh ought
t been one uh these here story-writin
sharps, Bill, with sech noble set uh
think-works-yuh shore hadi"
u prophesy that we startle the no.
Bile red man a little, anyway" How
ell chuckled, gleefully, "eyen if it
doesn't act as Bill thinks it will"
1t was cloudy night, and the
ranch lay under high bank. which
masked the cabin and stable. the cor
rails and calf sheds with unbroken
gloom Bill and Todd bundled them
selves in fur coats and caps; they put
on extra socks and dry moccasins and
went outside. Their actions did not
betray anything unusual. They sim
ply secured an axe each, and split a
good sized pile of firewood.
They piled the wood forty or fifty
yards from the cabin almost on the
river bank. While Todd Whitfield
shayings to start fire Bill diyed
into the cabin, reappearing in mo-
ment with ten-foot square of white
cotton This he fastened securely to
line that ran from the woodpile to
the stable, placing blocks OF wood on
the lower edge to hold it taut.
When Bill had completed his task
Todd signified that he was ready to
start the fire. Bill shouted to the
cabin: We're ready moo, If ye are"
The window lights were abruptly
blotted out a second after he spoke.
They famed the fire a little, and as
the fame shot up nipping night
breeze caught and blew it to a roaring
blaze. From the blackness of the
cabin wall a yellow glare of light shot
forth, wavered a moment, then fast
ened fairly on the white cotton
square, and disappeared.
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