The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1910-05-18

beach and turned In at the upper end
of the Cut Through.
You never In your life heard such a
row as there was in that wagon, Cha
rissa and me yelling to Lonesome to
keep off, forgetting that he was stone
def and dumb, and James vowing
that he was going to be slaughtered in
cold blood. And the Creased Light
ming p'inted just so she'd split that
cart amidships and coming well, you
know how she can go.
She never budged until she was
within ten foot Of the fat, and then
she sheered Off and went past in a
wide curve, with Lonesome steering
with one hand and shaking his pitch
fork at Todd with t'other. And such
faces as he made up! They'd have got
him hung in any court In the world.
He run up the Cut Through little
ways and then come about, and back
he comes again, never Stacking speed
mite and running close to the shoal as
he could shave and all the time going
through the bloodiest kind Of panto-
lu1luCSs <1AQ past nC guys w wheel
round and commence all over again.
Thinks I: 'Why don't he ease up
and lay us aboard? He's got all the
weapons there is. Is he scart?''
And then 1t come to me-the reason
why. He didn't know how to- stop her
He could steer first rate. being used to
sailboats, but an electric auto launch
was a new idea for him, and he didn't
understand her works. And he dasn't
run her aground at the speed she was
making. 'Twould have finished her
and, more n likely, him too.
I don't s'pose there ever was another
mess just like 1t afore or sence. Here
was u.s.. stranded with a horse we
couldn't make go, being chased by a
Teller who was run away with in a
boat he couldn't stop.
just as I'd about give up hope i
heard somebody calling from the beach
behind us. turned, and there was
Becky Huckleberries, Lonesome's
daughter. She had the dead decoys
by the legs in one hand.
"Hir' says she.
"Hir' says I. "How do you get this
giraffe Of yours under wayT
She held up the decoys.
"Who kill-a dem ducks?" says she.
p'inted to the reverend. HE did,"
says i. And then I cal'late / must
have had one OF them things they call
an inspiration. "And he's willing to
pay for 'em, says.
"Pay thirty-ive dollaT' says she.
"You betv' says /.
But I'd forgot Clarissa. She rose up
in that waterlogged cart like a statue
Of Liberty. "Never!' says she. I'VE
will never submit to such extortion
Wen drown first"
Becky heard her. She didn't look
disapp' inted nor nothing. Just turned
and begun to walk up the beach. "All
right" says he. "Goo'by."
The Todds stood it for a jiffy. Then
James give in. "I'll pay it," he hollers.
"Ill pay ity'
Even then Becky didn't smile. She
just come about again and walked
back to the shore. Then she took up
that tin pan and one Of the potaters
we'd jounced out OF the cart.
eli, Rosa!" she hollers. That mare
turned her head and looked. And for
the first time sence she hove anchor on
that fiat the critter unfurled her ears
and histed 'em to the masthead.
"Hi, Rosay says Becky again and
begun to pound the pan with the po-
later. And give you my word that that
mare started up, turned the wagon
around nice as could be and begun to
swim ashore When we got where the
critters legs touched bottom Becky
remarks eWhoaw
"Here! I yells. 'sWhat did you do
that for?''
"Pay thirty-fve dolla now" says
she. she was business, that girl.
Todd got his wallet from under
matches and counted out the thirty
five, keeping one eye on Lonesome,
who was swooping up and down in
the launch, looking as If he wanted to
cut In, but dasn't. tied the bills to
my jackknife to give 'em weight and
tossed the whole thing ashore. Becky,
she counted the cash and slowed 1t
away in her apron pocket.
"All right" says she. Hi, Rosa!'
The potater and pan performance be-
gun again, and Rosa picked up her
hoofs and dragged US to dry land, and
it sartinly felt good to the feet.
"Say," says, Becky. it's none Of
my affairs as / know of, but is that
the way you usually start that horse
of yours"
she said it was, and Rosa ate the
| potater.
Becky asked me how to stop the
launch, and / told her. She made q
lot OF finger signs to Lonesome, and
inside Of five minutes the Creased
Lightning was anchored In front Of
us. Old Man Huckleberries was still
laundering to interview Todd with the
pitchfork, but Becky settled that all
right. she jumped In front Of him,
and her eyes snapped, and her feet
stamped, and her fingers few. And