The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1910-06-30

porting one of the substantial old
wheels of the oxwagon. She had
snatched a long, faded ribbon from
her hair. letting down the tumbled
masses of black, and now she bound
the message firmly to the hub of the
| wheel and then dictated another to
the astounded Rexford:
Mister Agent, send this soon's you
clap eyes on it, er don't you never
show yourself near Ellen"
She tied this command securely to
Rexford's message, observing sagely
that he would understand, meaning
the operator.
But surely" cried Rexford, you
are not so mad as to think you can
roll that wheel down the side, blocked
as it is by a thousand obstacles?"
"Mad?" said the girl Il don't git
mad very often, stranger"
She vanished behind a huge rock,
which on the lower side partially cut
Off the view of the valley.
Tormented beyond words by an ag-
ony of mind worse than that of his
body, Rexford actually rose. He was
near the boulder. BY clinging to its
rough surface he managed to attain
the other side.
Then he understood her idea. Fifty
feet below them began an almost per-
pendicular tie-chute, or slide, once
used for sending white-oak ties to the
railroad below. 1t ran sheer to the
track. As far as Rexford could see
nothing stood in the way.
The girl having struggled to good
starting point now stood posing the
great wheel Her long hair blew
backward in the wind, her wide eyes
were fixed eagerly on the course.
Never helmsman looked more anXiously
to his ship than she to her wheel Of
fortune. Her small, bare feet, SEEM
ing the smaller for her 1.-the and
graceful height, were dug desperately
into the leaf.mould, for the weight Of
the wheel was pulling to be free.
At last. after what seemed to Rex
ford an age, she loosed it. 1t bounded
wildly forward, while she, glancing
upward to her companion, capped her
hands joyously.
It's gwine!" she cried. It's gwine!
It'll go plum to the very kyar-track,
plum into Seth's door! Thar it goes
thar Thar"
In anguished suspense, Rexford
chung to the bowlder, while his com
panion called out the progress his
eyes were too dim to follow.
See how small it's gittin-no big
ger than mammy's ole platter. You'll
halter go pretty fast, mister man
down thar, if you git in fust. Hard
work ketchin up with a woman an a
wheel, Thar, clip. hits on the track.
Hooray, Seth's seed hit-hes on ther
kyar-line hisself. Id know that red
shirt of hisn in a thousan'. He's bend
in over hit"
She turned and climbed back
toward Rexford, tossing the windtan-
| gled hair from her forehead with sat
| isfaction as she talked. Don't ye fret.
stranger, hits all right. | reckon l
might ez we'll tell ye-Seth will do
anything fer me. He's to be my man.
| don't alters run ez wild-lookin' ez
you ketched me, fer | had jest slipped
down here ter peep at Their office from
! that bis rock. You bet he'll send it.
! You warn't foolin' me bout that mon
! ey-was you?'
This query was not answered until
later, when she met full assurance OF
her prize. Rexford had tainted.
Below, the astounded agent had
barely secured and promptly dis
patched the message so cavalierly
hurled at him The happened to be
Iounging on the platform as the inn
promptu wheel struck the track when
a horseman galloped up and swung in
to the narrow Office.
send that message, instantly" he
said imperatively, flinging piece of
paper on the table. Mark it rush "
The operator read it slowly aloud,
TO make sure he had deciphered 1t
correctly, then as he sat down he said
dryly, with the freedom of the pro-
vincial:
Sort of a contrairy-minded fel
low, Air you his agent"
Carshalton nodded. "Why?"
ooh, nothin; only | jest sent one
from him to the same party sayin' the
Lady Lu' wuz the biggest swindle out
Carshalton went purple.
you lie, He could not. | left him
that is, | know | got here first"
Il amt disputin that" returned the
agent coolly, his shrewd mind sud
denly grasping an inkling of the truth
"IIe amt been here, but his message
Mas Thar's the copy eff you un don't
believe me-"
Carshalton snatched up the shakily
scrawled message. How did it get
here?" he asked, burning with sup
pressed rage.
How'd it come? It-say, do you
want me to send this er not?"
Damn you-no! How did this
Gomez"
by the particular post" said the
operator, grinning. See that ole
wheel ont thar? Smartes' woman in
me state sent It down the tie-chute!
Come like CREASED lightnin,' just afore
you turned up and--say, stranger. but
YOU can swear."
Consistent.
Uncle Joe Cannon says he Is only
the servant of the house of represent
atives"
| .