The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1911-05-26
CHAPTER I.
Destiny and the saou-
I,lUS II LAAtSALJ u|"S
o,j1s tloeSE9T VINCE


Breaking suddenly upon 'N0 800
drumming of the trucks, the proIone ,
"a art husky roar Of locomot'so
"u 80 a aa1,,+ed an immediate grade
crossing. ~ ,
po,sad hv this sound from HIS sol',
,arv musings In the parlor car %
,~h;cb he happened temporarily 10 10
xha sole occupant. Mr. David Am u,en
nv, aside the magazine over ~h'oa
10 had been dreaming, and looked ous
~ tho window, catching glimpse y.
Woodland road shining white oetNeu ur
somber walls OF stunted pine ~
he consulted his watch
"rt,s not for nothing" ne observer
pensively, that this railroad WV
Its reputation; we are coHS''
late" ,no Nv.
ma vaze again diverted to the ny,
ing countryside. noted that IL nsu
hanged character. pine yielding "
.cr,h-oak and second-groWth - 'ne
ragged yestments OF an are" e Su,
uaoTs since denuded by fire. ms
too presently swung away siVihs
r,oce to cleared iand-araole acres
Golden with the stubble OF garnerea
harvests or sentinelled with unAenpS
shocks Of corn. ill.,,
IN the south simmer OF iaushlns
cold and blue edged the faded hofi'
gon.
Eagerly the young man leaned Tor
ward dark eyes tightening. lips part
ing % II already he could tasta 'ns
SAVIOUR Of the sea.
Then quite without warning, a oeei
elbow of the bay swept up almost u
the railway, Its surface mirroF,li aE
profoundly blue, profoundly oeauuiu
II think" said the traveller sot'iy-
81 think it's mighty fine to De a'l'
and-here!"
He lounged back comfortably asai'
smiling as he watched the wheeiiD
landscape, his eyes glowing WIN Z
pectancy. For his cares were neg
g,b,e his content boundless; ne WI
axnariencing. for the first time
II
MANY wears, sense Of freedom ak
to that felt by schoolboy az the ~ =
ginning of the summer yacation' ~, 4
x.orp of his heart and hand for ht'
,;me belonged equally to forgott
Yesterday and an uncontempiated
morrow: he existed only for the G.
ndeut Today. He had put oehlha II
,he haunts Of men, and his yearh'
for the open places that lay Dei'
MIN was almost childlike IN its
vency. he would, indeed, have d.
quite satisfied II assured that ne
70 find nothing to do save to play a
.,essly In the sun. But, IN point
fact he looked forward to an emp
ment much more pleasurable; he
of to shoot duck with his very
friend. MIR. Anthony Quain Of Tan
wood lodge, Nokomis. Long Island
Again the whistle bawled uncanl
and the train began to moderate
speed. Objects in the foreground
otherwise had been mere stre'
h,urs assumed recognizable contt
North of the line a string OF 81
sopare. unloyely frame" edii
aligned upon country road, DR.
back. A brakeman popped head
anouiders into the car and out a
leaving the echo Of an abrupt pa
be interpreted at the passen
leisure.
Slowly jolting across rutted,
road. the cars stopped. Amber. q
ing, found himself upon ieng
boardwalk platform and confr
NV distressingly matter-of-fact
an structure, combining the fun
Of waiting room and ticket and
graph offices. From tts cave
nended weather-worn board D
The legend: "Nokomis."
q The train, pausing only long
u 70 disgorge from the baggage
trunk or two and from the day
go a thin trickle Of passengers
on into the wilderness, crack'
clanking somewhat disdainfully
BY degrees the platform clear
erstwhile patrons of the road
station loafers-for the most p'
marked natives Of the region
Cling of upon their several
some afoot, majority In dila
surveys and buckboards.
watched them 80 with unassu
differences; their type interes
little. But In their company
entity discovered one. Il
thoroughly foreign and aloof
tude that 1t caught his eye
ing caught, held It clouded
plexity.
Abruptly he abandoned hi
,ngs and gave chase. overta
object of his attention at the
OF the station.
"Doggott!" he cried. !
gott!"
His hand, falling lightly
MANS shoulder. brought hin
IL about, his expression Il
startled, if not shade true
..Doggott, what the deuce
nereq And Mr.. Rutton?"