Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1909-1915, 1910-01-07
Continued from page three)

accoruin'. And If was you II d lay
low about her and not have every
numbskull in Cody on to the game
p This advice was most excellent, but
Lame Mort was aware 1t had not been
followed when be reached Cody Thurs
day evening. s<'to,fs, III s$.ss sss:3
The prospective bridegroom, forget
ting that he was hull Sunday
school," had for two days lived ZIP to
his light socially with the effect Of
adding to the weakness In his knees.
but subtracting from the "faintness aof
bis heart, until all Cody knew OF; the
prospective arrival of Heart ana
Hand bride. Ideas as to- her appear
ance, however, were confused owing
to the bridegroom's lapse OF memory.
The first evening of his, arrival he
swung lightly around the circle of sa-
looms just "lookin' up old friends :
After he had looked up goodly num-
Der bis lips unsealed on the subject Of
Olga Helm. whom he described as u
''sweet little blond with true blue eyes,
ivory skin and pink cheeks" .- ;5s; {
BY noon of the following day she
was q Handsome brunette with spar
king black eyes" At & O'Clock. when
the stage arrived at the Irma. Goat
was sitting on the bar dourishing an
empty glass and assuring a delighted
audience that the lady of his choice
was "a rosy brunette with white
cheeks, sparkling hair and true blue
nose" - .5s*%
At this juncture the recitation was
brought to an abrupt end by the en-
trance Of Lame Mort. You're q pref.
ty bridegroom. amt you2" he stormed
wrathfully. And me writin' to ,801
that you're a sober. Industrious citi-
zen! Lord: You look 1t. don't you,
and only two hours till train time" +.
Whereupon. weighed down by feel.
ing of responsibility to the bride. Lame
Mort took forcible possession Of the
erring groom. assuring the public that
it would no more behold him until he
was delivered safely-and as soberly
as the limited time permitted-intor the
hands of Miss Helm. And the male
public. except the justice. who reluc.
family sat in his Office awaiting bis
'Job." were on the platform when the
train came to see her arrive and Incl.
dentally to see how Goat would "brace
up" Goat was there standing near
the platforms edge just ahead OF
Lame Mort-ahead Of him because the
latter discerned symptoms Of fight
since Goat had been brought to a4rean,
cation of the nearness Of his fate
Only q strong staying hand prevented
sudden development of the symp'
toms as the train slowed up and wo'
man was seen making her way down
the aisle of the rear coach. > =.
As she neared the door every man
on the platform held bis breath and
craned his neck to secure as good q
view as the one lantern swinging over
the station door permitted. Lame
Mort frightened his grip on Goat pre-
paratory 10 making Of him aprojectile
headed toward the car, steps the mo-
ment S0l appeared. But when she
did appear be not only forgot his in.
tentions. but the bridegroom as we'll
so transfixed was he by her appear.
ance.
She swung down the car steps, a
straight six feet Of muscle surmount.
ed by a mans hat of black felt with
broad. Tapping brim drawn over her
face. Hanging clear Of a pair of
heavy, thick soled half calf was a
scant black skirt which seemed to i'm.
pede the free movements of her limbs
Her shoulders were loosely incased
in mans black coat buttoned to the
chin over high chest. the tails of
the coat reaching the hem of her skirt
On her head with one hand she bal
anced large bundle tied up in red
checkered tablerloth, the other hand
bearing lightly heavy. bulging tele,
scope, strapped to which and extend.
Ing far beyond were hoe. a pitchfork
and shovel.
us there Mr.. Wilson here:" she
asked In an uncertain voice. quite de.
void of joyful anticipation.
The station agent. reduced TO speech
/ iessness, jerked his thumb over bis
shoulder, at the platform. toward
which Miss Helm courageously ad
vanced. As she scanned the specta.
tors they faded away In the dark
ness. and an instant later Lame Mort
realized that Goat had also faded. and
he stood alone before the deserted
bride elect.
"Are you Mr.. Wilson," she asked IN
a distinctly forbidding tone. without
looking up.
mo. ma'am." he faltered in confu
sion and alarm. "Goat-that is. Mr.
Wilson. was here a minute ago. but
but
Run away. did hep interrupted the
girl hopefully. That's exactly wha,
| counted on bis DOM"
Lame Mort was struck dumb BY the
unlocked for relief expressed in he,
words and in every line of her figure
as she deposited her bundle on the
edge If the platform. tossed her tele
scope after it with vigorous swing
sat down on the latter amid Jingle
of the farming implements attached