Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1911-03-24

time, and promptly at ten o'clock Col
Inns rose from the log by he roadside
where they had been sitting.
I'VE must obey the governors or
ders, gentlemen" said Collins courte.
ously, "and march at once to Ardsley'
|, you understand, am only a courier,
and your guest for the present.
IF you please" asked Cooke, when
the line had begun to move forward,
what Is that wagon yer there?'
He pointed to a mule team hitched
to a quartermaster's wagon that a
negro was driving into position across
the rough field. 1t was piled high
with luggage, a pyramid that rose
black against the heavens. One OF
the militia officers, evidently greatly
annoyed, bawled to the driver to get
Jack out of the way.
Pardon me-" said Collins politely,
but is that your personal baggage,
gentlemen"
THAT belongs to Col. Gillingwater,"
remarked the uuartermaster The
rest of us have a suitcase apiece"
The pyramidal baggage wagon had
gained the road behind them, and lin
gered uncertainty, with the driver
asleep and waiting for orders. The
conspirators were about to gallop for
ward to the head of the moving col
umn, when Collins pointed across the
abandoned c~amp-ground to where a
horseman, who had evidently made a
wide detour of the advancing column,
rode madly toward the baggage wagon.
THE gentleman's trying to kill his
horse, l should Judge murmured Ard
more. by Jove!"
It's Gillingwater!" chorused the
trio.
The rider in his haste had over
looked the men in the road. He dash
ed through the wide opening in the
fence, left by the militiamen, took the
ditch by the roadside at a leap,
wakened the sleeping driver on the
wagon with a roa and himself leaped
upon the box and began turning the
horses.
What do you think he's doing?"
asked Cooke.
Hes in a hurry to get back to
mothers cooking" replied Ardmore.
Hes seen Miss Dangerfield and
learned that war is at hand, and he's
going to get his clothes out of danger.
Lordy! Listen to him slashing the
mules"
but you don't think"
The wagon had swung round, and
already was in rapid flight. Collins
howled in glee.
Come on! We can't miss a show
like this!"
Leave the horses then! There's a
hill there that will break his neck.
We'd better stop him If we cant"
cried Cooke, dismounting.
They threw their reins to the driver
of the wagon, who had been brushed
from his seat by the impatient adju-
tant general, and a chanting weird
ly to himself at the roadside.
The wagon, piled high with trunks
and boxes, was dashing forward, Gil
lingwater b%elaboring the mules furi
ously, and, hearing the shouts OF
strange pursuers, yelling at the team
in a voice shrill with fear.
Come on, boys!" shouted Ardmore,
thoroughly aroused, "catch the spy
and traitor!"
The load dipped down into the shad-
dow of a deep cut, where the moons
rays but feebly penetrated, and where
the flow of springs had softened the
surface; but the pursuers were led on
by the rumble of the wagon, which
swung from side to side ~perilously,
the boxes swinging about noisily and
topping t~hreateningly. at the apex.
Down the sharp declivity the wagon
plunged like a ship bound for the bot
tom of the sea.
The pursuers bent gamely to their
task in the rough road, with Cooke
slightly in the lead. Suddenly he
shouted w%arningly to the others, as
something rose darkly Above them
like a black cloud, and a trunk fell
with a mighty crash only a few feet
ahead of them. The top had been
shaken off in the fall, and into it head
first plunged Ardmore.
There's another coming!" yelled
Collins, and a much larger trunk
struck and split upon a rock at the
roadside. Clothing of many kinds
strewed the highway. A pair of trou.
sers, flung f1ercely into the air, caught
on the limb of a tree, shook free like
a banner, and hung there somberly
etched against the stars.
Ardmore crawled out of the trunk,
screaming with delight. The fra
GRANGE of toilet water broke freshly
upon the air.
Its his ammunition" bawled Ard
more, rubbing his head where he had
struck the edge of a tray. His scent
bottles are smashed, and it's only by
the grace of Providence that 1 haven't
cut myself on broken glass"
They went down the road, stum-
bling now and then over a bit of
debris from the vanished wagon.
Its like walking on carpet" OBJ
served Cooke, picking up a ~feathered
chapeau. 81 didn't know there were
so many clothes in all the world"
They abandoned the idea of farther
pursuit on reaching a trunk standing
on end, from which a uniform dress
coat dropped sadly.
"This is not our trouble; it's his
trouble. I guess he's struck a smooth
er road down there. We'd better go
back" said Cooke.
In a moment they had climbed the
hill and were in hot pursuit of the ad-