The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1911-01-03

been sold or even bid for One
- is Gabe Lumley's ''depot wag-
on" and the other is "Dan1 Web
ster," the horse which draws it. Both
are very ancient, sadly in need of up
holstery and jerky of locomotion.
Gabe was. as usual, waiting at the
station when the down train arrived
on the Tuesday or Wednesday of the
selectmen's meeting. The train was
due, according to the time table, at
11:45. A cloud of white Nsmoke bill
lowed above the clump of cedars at
the bend of the track. Then the loco
motive rounded the curve and bore
down upon the station.
The conductor stepped from the pas
senger coach. Following him came
briskly short, thickset man with a
reddish gray beard and grayish red
hair.
Coin down to the village, mister?'
inquired Mr.. Lumley. Carriage right
here"
The stranger inspected the driver of
the depot wagon, inspected him DELHI
erately from top to toe. Then he said:
'Down to the village? Why. yes.
wouldn't wonder Say. you're Lum-
ley, amt your
''Why, why-yes, i be! How'd you
know that? Amt ever seen you afore.
have ~
Guess not" with a quiet chuckle
Eve never seen you either. but I've
seen your nose. I'd know a Lumley
nose if run across it in China"
The possessor of the "Lumley nose"
rubbed that organ in a bewldered
fashion. Recovering in measure, he
laughed rather half heartedly and
begged to know if the trunk, then be-
ing unloaded from the baggage car be-
longed to his prospective passenger.
AS the answer was an affirmative nod,
he secured the trunk check and de-
parted, still rubbing his nose. a.
When he returned with the trunk on
the truck the stranger sprang into the
depot wagon with bounce that made
the old vehicle rock ON it's springs
"Jerushy.' he exclaimed. "She rolls
some, don't she? Never mind; my bal
last II keep her on an even keel
Trunk made fast astern? All right
Say, you might furl some of this spare
canvas SOS i can take an observation
as we go along Don't go so fast that
the scenery gets blurred, will you?
It's been some time since made this
cruise, and I'd rather like to keep a
lookout"
The driver "furled the canvas"-that
is, he rolled up the curtains at the
sides of the carryall Then he climbed
to the front seat and took up the reins.
"Git upl" he shouted savagely
Danl pricked up one ear, then hoof,
and slowly got under way. AS the
equipage passed the Baker homestead
the whole family was clustered about
the gate, staring at the occupant Of
the wagon. The stare was returned.
"Who lives in there?" demanded the
stranger. "Who are those folks?"
"Ceph Bakers tribe" was the sullen
answer.
Baker. hey? Humph! New folks,
presume likely. Used to be Seth
Shows house. that did. Where'd Seth
60 tor
Gabe grunted that he did not know.
He believed Mr.. Snow was dead, had
died years before.
'Humph! Dead, hey? Then l know
where he went"
Finally the newcomer leaned from
the carriage and gazed steadily up the
slope ahead And his gaze, strange
to say, was not directed at the i'm
posing Atkins estate, but at its op-
posite neighbor. the old Cy Whitaker
place.
Slowly, laboriously, Dan'l Webster
mounted the hill. At the crest he
would have paused to take breath
but the driver would not let him.
'Git along, your he commanded.
Tapping the reins
And then Mr.. Lpmley suffered the
shock of a surprise. The hitherto
cool and self possessed occupant of
the rear seat seemed very much *
cited His big red hand clasped Mv
Lumley's over the reins. and Dan
was brought to an abrupt standstil
"Heave tor he ordered sharply. ana
the tone was that Of one who has Civ