Omaha daily bee., 1911-05-14

He hesitated a moment then lifted his
cup with iovial sentlmentality Il meant
the Flower of Moryan township-the
Flower Of the Pines-the widrower Of the
Swamp. by gadl Mary Petersen Of Lost
Hollow. and 'wriggles' of-of the devil, l
give you a toast. Here's to the brownest
beauty that ever showed a neat bare ankle!
here's to pretty Sue Buckaloo,'
sue Buckaloo!" cried the Swede. ''Are
you after her, Squirrel"
After her-thats the very word" re-
sponded the careless fellow. I'm after
her so hard that I've already had a good
slap or two from Sue. Her blackfaced old
father has threatened to blow my head off
with his shotgun, too, I'm after her, but
don't mind telling you, Mary, that
doubt II I'll ever get her"
I'm glad of it," retorted the old woman
with spirit She snatched the cup and
bottle from his hands. "why, Squirrel
would you chase after a charcoal burners
daughter. when the others just waitin
for your"
Bram's eyes followed the liquor long
ingly. He broke into a rueful laugh.
There you go! You always spoil my
best dreams Mary. 1 wasn't talking about
marrying Sue. was 1? Besides, the other
girl isn't waiting for me. BY CAD no.
I'm beginning to think that's only another
one of our dreams"
The Swede knet beside him and placed
her hand affectonately on his knee.
"oh, yes my dear" she said softly.
she's waitin' for you. To be sure, she
don't know she is; but she's waitin' for
you-here-now,"
Here? What do you mean?'
"Why-what say, my dear, TO be sure"
He stared down at her "Shes hereY-
in this shanty 9-at this time Of night?"
Yes, yes. sent her letter. ] said I
wanted to talk over things with her. I
told her not to come till late-rd be away
with a sick woman. Yes, yes, nursn'
sick woman in the swamp"
well! YOU are a"
"she came, but she wouldn't touch food
nor drink But, by and by. little 'Wrig-
giles scared her, so she took some tea for
her nerves. After that she went to Sleep
and very pretty she must look, sleepin
there so sweet"
His eyes sought the inner room. In
there?"
Yes She was looking up at him, her
white hair beautiful in the freight.
She'll stay asleep for an hour yet, Squire
II made the tea. Yes, yes, j made the
tea" She gave her little. silvery laugh.
Bram's face turned g shade redder than
ordinary He sprang to his feet by
God you are devil"
"Eh, SquireT' She scanned his glover
ing face. Didn't you just tell me you
were after Sue Buckaloo? Is this any
different, eh?"
He sat down heavily. "Sue Buckaloo 6
only a piners daughter" he growled. Il
may be damned already. but l won't have
this on my SOUL
She regarded him with that placid gaze
that 1 now understood served to mask a
devilish malignity of purpose,
well, well, my dear Don't you ever
say / didn't do my best for you. You
know you're the only thing I care about
in this world. But my! myl when was
nursin' you, II I'd known how obstinate
you'd be when you grew up, 1 wouldn't
have let myself get so fond of you, Don't
you see, it would put a stop to all her
|, shilly-shallyin over marryin you? It's
only for your own sake old Mary wants
to see you a rich man before she dies"
Yes. I know" said Bran tolerantly
but drop it, will you? Look here! where,
brownie Davis. and the rest of the boys
I haven't seen anything OF 'em since Henry
, Morvan came. They're coming tonight
, aren't they?"
ITO be sure, my dear"
''They ought to be here now. As lazy
lot of rips as 1 ever saw! They hans
around Bat Merry's all day. rolling bullets
and pitching quoits-and at night, Coo
only knows what they're up tor
But they've been watchin' him, SPUR,
t --findin' out his little ways. They're prett.
slow at doln' anything, though, that's
, fact"
Three men stepped abruptly into tn
, cabin-the door had been left aJar by tn
careless Bram
Don't YOU believe it, granny"
"Slow-nothin', old womant"
: Bran leaped to his feet. by CAD
'Brownier Hello, boysl Where did yor
D come from?"
' The newcomers nickname fitted him ex
ceedlngly well. He was a powerful fel
{ low, with a queer. impish face, at presen
e smutted with streaks of charcoal. Hi
head as he threw his cap on the table
e showed oddly high and pointed. The tw
: men who followed him were as rough look
ing as himself. Each carried a fowlin
Y piece.
v Where did we come from?' responde
- Brownie" We've been on a little sid
r issue, so 10 speak. lie tlung a heaV
k horse pistol on his cap. "A side issue
( that's about it. Catch the idea, Squire
e But no luck!"
d "Confound you, 'Browniev exclaime
= Bran with some heat your side issue
s will get us all hanged some fine day.
!. advise you to drop them. And you, too
q Garrison-Lenz-d'ye hear?'
s Amt any danger" returned Brownie
coolly. Everybody thinks it's Tom BE
Il loose again. Ha, ha! Besides there can
d be any trouble, can there?-not Will
n Squire Arnold rules the roost in Fairvie,
d township, and you in this one, so I
d speak"
y Yes, but how long will we rule III
roost. II It's discovered we're in leagu
10 with foOtpads7 our roost will be the loos
1. end Of a rope, that's the sort! And
st anything happens 10 us, worse will happe
70 you, count on that. Now 7 want
!? stopped, dye hear? We've bigger bus
It ness on hand-business thatll make a
It your fortunes, as we'll as my own
r IAN right, all right" grumbled the othe
It Il said it was ony a side issue, didn't II
He turned TO the Swede. Now, thei
= old WOmau bavauff xrott cot f.,