Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1911-06-07
CHAPTER 7.

: 81 LOUIS sI2SE9S VINCE

u uulLuinS OF Ll6 IruCEss the prOlCn6-
ed and husky roar Of a locomotive
whistle saluted an immediate grade
crossing
Reused by this sound from his soil
tary 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 out
Of the window. catching glimpse OF
woodland road shining white between
somber walls of stunted pine. Lazily
he consulted his watch.
It's not for nothing" he observed
pensively, that this railroad wears
its reputation; we are consistently
late"
His gaze. again diverted to the fly
ing countryside, 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 if already he could taste the
SAVIOUR of the sea.
Then, quite without warning, a deep
elbow of the bay swept up almost to
the railway, its surface mirfor-like,
profoundly blue, profoundly beautiful.
Il think" said the traveller softly
Il think it's mighty fine to be alive
and-herei"
He lounged back comfortably again.
smiling as he watched the wheeling
landscape, his eyes glowing with ex-
pectancy. Tor 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 a 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
.yency; he would, indeed, have been
quite satisfied II assured that he was
to find 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
off to shoot duck with his very dear
friend, Mr.. Anthony Quain of Tangle-
wood lodge, Nokomis. Long Island.
Again the whistle bawled uncannily,
and the train began to moderate it's
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" edifces,
aligned upon a country road, drifted
back A brakeman popped head and
shoulders into tie car and out again,
leaving the echo of an abrupt bark to
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 Interestingly matter-of.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 a
trunk or two and from the day coach
es a thin trickle of passengers, flung
on into the wilderness, cracked bell
clanking somewhat disdainfully.
By degrees the platform cleared. the
erstwhile patrons Of the road and the
station loafers-for the most part hall
marked natives Of the region-strag-
CLING off upon their several ways.
some afoot, a majority in dilapidated
surreys and buckboards. Amber
watched them 70 with unassumed IN
difference; their type interested him
little. But in their company he pres
entity discovered one, a figure so
thoroughly foreign and aloof in atti-
tude, that it caught his eye, and, hav-
ing caught, held it clouded with per.
plexity.
Abruptly he abandoned his belong
ings and gave chase. overtaking the
object of his attention at the far end
of the station.
"Doggott!" he cried 81 say, Dog
gott!"
His hand, falling lightly upon the
mans shoulder, brought him square
" about, his expression transiently
startled, if not shade truculent.
"Doggott, what the deuce brings you
here? And Mr.. Rutton?"
Amber's cordiality educed no re-
Spouse. The gray eyes. meeting eyes
dark, kindly, and penetrating, flicker
ed and fell; so much emotion they be-
trayed, no more, and that as disingen-
uous as you could wish.
"Doggottl" insisted Amber, dis
concerted. Surely you haven't for
gotten me-Mr. Amber?"
The man shook his head. BEG par
don. sir" he said; you've got my