Gloucester County Democrat., 1912-05-09
CHAPTER VII.
The Wreck on the River.

ID the TWO Gays since my arrlY-
al at Jefferson barracks. but on
49, the morning following the awk-
ward ending of my match with Orme
8 had opportunity and occasion to take
stock of myself and of my plans. The
mails brought me two letters posted
at WaIlingford soon after my depar-
ture, one from Grace Sheraton and
one from my mother The first one
was- what shall I says Better per
haps that I should say nothing save
that it was like Grace Sheraton her
self, formal. correct and cold. 1t was
the first written word had ever re-
ceived from my fiancee. and / had ex-
pected-I do not know what. Certain
" had not expected to see sitting on
the page written in my f1ancee's hand
the face of another woman. hated
myself for 1t.
The second letter was from my moth
er, and it left me still more disconcert-
ed and sad. "Jack," it said, II grieve
unspeAkably. am sad beyond all
imaginings of sadness. need thee.
Come back the first day thee can to
thy mother"
Yet the post adjutant had received
word that Colonel Meriwether would
be gone for some days or weeks on the
upper frontier Therefore wrote my
fiancee and my mother that 1t would
be impossible for me to return at the
time or at any positive future time
then determinable That night l took
passage on the River Belle. bound up
the Missouri. Our churning wheels had
hardly reached the turbid food of the
Missouri before the spell of the from
tier had caught me.
/ made friends with many of these
strange travellers and was attracted es-
peciaIly by one, reticent man OF
perhaps sixty odd years, in western
garb, full Of beard and with long hair
reaching to his shoulders. Auberry was
his name, and his tales set my blood
a-tingle. He was bound. as he inform
ed me, for Laramie: always provided
that the Sioux, now grown exceedingly
restless over the many wagon trains
pushing up the Platte to all the swiftly
opening west. had not by this time
swooped down and closed all the trails
entirely.
Among the skin clad trappers, hunt
ers and long haired plainsmen / saw
but one woman. l should say that she
was at least sixty years Of age and
81 3v. Ho3<r III mn a
wrinkled and sinewy. She wore sum
bonnet of enormous projection, dipped
snuff vigorously every few moments
and never allowed from her hands
long squirrel rife She was accompa-
MED by her son. a tall. thin, ague smit-
ten youth of perhaps seventeen years
and q height about as great as her
own. When | first saw them she was
driving her son before her to spot
where an opening offered near the bow
Of the boat. In full sight Of the pas
sengers, Of whose attention she was
quite oblivious.
"Git up. there, Andy Jackson!' she
said. 'Stan' upr,
The boy. his long legs braiding under
him and his peaked face still more
pale did as he was bid. He had no
sooner taken his position than to my
surprise saw his mother cover him
win the long barrel Of dragon re-
volyeF.
!. Pull your gun, you low down cow
ard" she commanded Reluctantly the
boy compiled. his own revolver trem-
bling In his hand.
sNow, whut'd you do If a man was
to Hvver you Ike I'm a-doin' nowY"
demanded his mother.
"G-g-g-gosh. maw, dunno! think
I'd iii jump OF in the river" confess
ed the boy.
..shore you would. and good luck if
you'd git plumb drownded, you white
livered son of misery. Whatever in
this yere ole world you was borned for
certainly is more'n / can tell, and
your NAV at that. that orto know II
anybody could
Madam" interrupted, what dc
you mean by such talk to your son,
1Ol pEet3ulAS Ac 10 Jul SoA
"Shut up and mind yore own bust
nessr' answered the yirago, swiftly
turning the barrel of her weapon upon
me. .sWhut business is this here OF
yores?''
..None. madam" bowed, but was
only curious"
~You keep your own curiosity to
yourself eft your goin' to travel In
these parts. That's mighty good
thing for you to learn You. Andrew
jackson. stick your pistol up agin
your head the way l tol' you. Now
snap 1t, dash youl Snap 1t till you
git through bein' scared Of it Do il
now, or, by gosh, I'll chase you oveI
the side Of the boat and feed you tt
the catfish. you low down imertatioT
OF he tbingr'
aMy good woman" said !. do YOU
mind telling me what is your name7"
Names HANDY McGovern, and