Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1910-03-17

OF the CUT through.
You never in your life heard such a
row as there was in that wagon, Cla-
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 pinted just so she'd split that
cart amidships and coming-well, you
know how she can go.
She budged until she was
within ten foot Of the fiat, 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 a little
ways and then come about, and back
he comes again, never Stacking speed a
mite and running close to the shoal as
he could shave and all the time going
through the bloodiest kind of panto-
mines. And past he goes to wheel
round and commence all over again.
Thinks l: Why don't he ease up
and lay us aboard? He's got all the
weapons there is. Is he scarf"
And then it come to me-the reason
why. He didn't know how to stop her
He could steer first rate, being used to
sailboats, but Ill 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 it afore or sence. Here
was us, stranded with a horse we
couldn't make go, being chased by u
Teller who was run away with in a
boat he couldn't stop.
Just as I'd about give up hope l
heard somebody calling from the beach
behind us. | turned, and there was
Becky U%uckleberries, Lonesome's
daughter. She had the dead decoys
by the legs in hand.
eli" says she.
"Hi!" says l. 'How do you get this
giraffe of yours under way"
She held up the decoys.
"Who kill-a dem ducks?" says she.
I p'inted to the reverend. HE did,"
says l. And then l cal'late l must
have had one of them things they call
an inspiration. "And he's willing to
pay for 'em, l says.
"Pay t%hirty-fve dolla?" says she.
you bet" says l.
But I'd forgot Clarissa. She rose up
in that waterlogged cart like a statue
of Liberty. ''Never!" says she. 1--WE
will never submit to such extortion.
Well drown first"
Becky heard her. She didn't look
disappointed 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. "Ill pay it" he hollers,
"Ill pay itw
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 fol
the first time sence she hove anchor on
that fat the critter unfurled her ears
and histed 'em to the masthead.
eli, Rosa!" says Becky again and
begun to pound the pan with the pc
later. And I give you my word that that
mare started up, turned the wagon
around nice as could be and begun tc
swim ashore. When we got where the
critters legs touched bottom Becky
remarks "Whoa!"
"Here" 1 yells. "What did you dc
that for?"
"Pay thirty-five dolla now" says
she. She was business, that girl.
Todd got his wallet from under
matches and counted out the thirty
five, keeping Il eye on Lonesome
who was swooping up and down il
the launch, looking as if he wanted tt
cut in, but dasn't. I tied the bills tt
my jackknife to give 'em weight anC
tossed the whole thing ashore. Becky
she counted the cash and slowed /
away in her apron pocket.
Cali right says she. Hi, Rosa!
The potater and pan performance be
gun again, and Rosa picked up hel
hoofs and dragged us to dry land, anC
it sartinly felt good to the feet.
"Say," I says, Becky, it's none Of
my affairs as I know of, but is thai
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 l told her. She made
lot Of finger signs to Lonesome, anc
inside Of five minutes the Creased
Lightning was anchored in front OF
us. Old Man Huckleberries was still
hankering to interview Todd with the
p%itchfork, but Becky settled that al
right. She jumped in front of him
and her eyes snapped, and her feet
stamped, and her fingers flew. AND
'twould have done you good to see hel
dad shrivel up and get humble. 1 al
ways had thought that a woman
wasn't much good as a boss of the
-. ,,1oa che o,,I how +orryo