The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1911-12-07
CHAPTER !.

drumming Of the trucks, the prolong-
I'd and husky roar of q locomotive
whistle saluted an immediate grade
crossing.
Reused by this sound from his soil
earJ' musings in the parlor car OF
which he happened temporarily to be
the sole occupant, Mr.. David Amber
put aside the magazine over which
he had been dreaming, and looked tout
woodland road shining white between
somber walls Of stunted zine. Lastly
he consulted his watch.
TITS not for nothing" he observed
pensively, that this railroad wears
its reputation; we are consistently
late"
His gaze, again diverted to the n.y.
ing countrywide, noted that 1t had
changed character, pine yielding to
scrub-oak and second-growth - the
ragged vestments of an area some
years since denuded by fire. This,
too. presently swung away. giving
place to cleared land-arable acres
golden with the stubble Of garnered
harvests or sentinelled with unkempt
shocks Of corn.
In the south a simmer of laughing
gold and blue edged the faded hori-
zon.
Eagerly the young man leaned for
ward. dark eyes tightening, lips part
ing as II already he could taste the
SAVIOUR of the sea.
Then, quite without warning, deep
elbow of the bay swept up almost to
the railway, its surface mirror-like,
profoundly blue, profoundly beautiful.
II think" said the traveller softly
4 think it's mighty fine to be alive
and-here!"
He lounged back comfortably again.
smiling as he watched the wheeling
landscape. his eyes glowing with ex-
pectancy. For his cares were negli-
gible, his content boundless: he was
experiencing, for the first time in
many years, sense Of freedom akin
to that felt by schoolboy at the be-
| ginning Of the summer vacation. The
| work of his heart and hand for a little
time belonged equally to a forgotten
Yesterday and an uncontemplated To-
morrow; he existed only for the con.
fident Today. He had put behind him
the haunts Of men, and his yearning
for the open places that lay before
him was almost childlike in its fer.
vency; he would, indeed, have been
quite satisfied If assured that he was
to md nothing to do save to play aim
lessly in the sun. But, in point OF
fact, he looked forward to an employ
ment much more pleasurable; he was
of to shoot duck with his very deal
friend, Mr.. Anthony Quain OF Tangle
wood lodge, Nokomis, Long Island
Again the whistle bawled uncannily
and the train began to moderate its
speed. Objects in the foreground that
otherwise had been mere streaked
blurs assumed recognizable contours
North OF the line string of squat
square, unlovely frame" ediflces
aligned upon country road, drifted
back. A brakeman popped head and
shoulders into the car and out again
leaving the echo of an abrupt bark tc
be interpreted at the passengers
leisure.
Slowly jolting across a rutted. dusty
road, the cars stopped. Amber. alight
ing. found himself upon a length Of
boardwalk platform and confronted
by a distressingly matterof-fact wood
en- structure, combining the functions
of waiting room and ticket and tele
graph Offices. From its caves de
pended a weather-worn board bearing
the legend: .'Nokomis."
The train. pausing only long enough
to disgorge from the baggage car, {
trunk or two and from the day coach
es thin trickle of passengers, flunf
on into the wilderness, cracked bel
clanking somewhat disdainfully.
By degrees the platform cleared, thu
erstwhile patrons of the road and tn,
station loafers-for the most part hall
marked natives of the region-strag
Cling OF upon their several ways
some afoot, majority in dilapidatet
surreys and buckboards. Ambe
watched them go with unassumed in
difference; their type interested hin
| lltI10. out Ia IuSAI COmQ0uy ne pT06
emily discovered one, figure 8,
thoroughly foreign and aloof in atti
tude, that 1t caught his eye, and, hav
ing caught. held 1t clouded with per
plexity.
Abruptly he abandoned his belong
ings and gave chase, overtaking tn,
. object Of his attention at the far en-,
of the station
"Loggott!" he cried. Il say, Dog
gott!"
His hand, railing lsHhtly upon tn
mans shoulder, brought him square
ly about, his expression TRANSIENT.
startled, II not a shade truculent.
"Doggott. what the deuce brings yo
here? And Mr.. Rutton?"
Ambax's cordially educed no re
J sponse.' The gray eyes, meeting eye
dark, kindly. and penetrating, flicker
ed and fell; SO much emotion they b.
trayed, no more. and that as disinger
uous as you could wish.
"Doggott!" insisted Amber. dil
concerted. Surely you haven't FOL