Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1913-01-09
CHAPTER Xxx.
The Tempter's Voice..

allowed Bivens to have his
~ way. The little man clam
bered Oh deck and hustled
about, giving orders to the sailor who
was slowing the lunch and ammuni-
ton.
When Stuart stopped the tender at
the first blind, about 500 yards away.
B1vens protested.
"Here, here! I'm no mollycoddle if
I have been sick. Il can throw a stone
to this blind. This isn't the one l
want. There it is down yonder to-
ward the end Of that marsh. 1 saw
thousands of ducks circling around it
yesterday. I've given in to you every
day we've been down here. I'm going
to have my way this time"
He turned to the sailor who was
running the tenders engine and spoke
sharply.
go to that other blind!"
The sailor sprang to the wheel, and
the tender shot ahead. Stuart settled
back in his seat with angry disgust.
and Bivens laughed.
"Cheer up; it's no use to give orders
for a funeral yet. If we can't get
back to that yacht in fifteen minutes
against any wind that blows today I'll
eat my hat. I'm feeling better than
I have for months. I'm in for a good
time. Don't be a piker."
Stuart determined to make the best
of it.
Gail right" he answered cheerfully.
"Good Lord, man, I could walk back
to the yacht at low water-it all goes
bare"
eyes, unless the wind hauls in to
the northeast and rolls in a big tide
through that inlet"
"All right; let her roll. The tender
will come back and pull us in"
BY the time the decoys were out it
began to spit snow, and the wind had
freshened.
AS the sailor was about to start
back Stuart spoke sharply:
Listen to me now, Niels. Keep a
sharp watch on this weather. If you
see the wind haul to the north put a
compass in your tender, take your
bearing from the yacht to this blind
In case it should shut in thick and
come after us in double quick time.
You understands"
eyes, sir"
IF it looks bad don't wait too long. If
it should be blowing a gale you'd bet
ter bring the cook along to steer while
you watch your engine. Have him fix
a light supper before he starts"
Bivens was vastly amused at Stu
arts orders.
Stuart scanned the horizon, watch
ing a flock Of ducks working their way
northward. The sign was ominous.
Birds know which way the wind is
going to blow before it comes, and if a
gale is on the way they always work
into the teeth Of it.
It was useless to tell this to Biyens.
He didn't have sense enough to under
stand it. But Stuart quietly made up
his mind to take up the decoys and
row in as 500 as the tide ebbed down
to two feet of water.
In the meantime he would make the
best of the situations. The ducks be-
gan to come in and decoy like chick
ems. He killed half a dozen and in the
excitement began to forget the fool
hardness of the trip.
Bivens shot Il dozen times, missed,
got Disguised and began to fret and
complain. He said:
Jim, would you mind telling me the
mental process by which you rejected
my offer? You're the only man I've
struck on this earth that didn't have
his price,"
Perhaps we have different ways Of
fixing values. You are not yet fifty
years old and a wreck. What's the
use? What can you do with your
money nown a.ass ssss;
t IT brings luxury, ease, indulgence,
powell admiration q wonder and the
envy Of the world"
whats the good of luxury If you
can't enjoy it, ase if you nev@ take
it, indulgence>When you have lost the
capacity to play, power if you're too
busy getting more TO stop and WELD
it?"
"Jim, you're the biggest fool ever
knew, without q single exception
Stuart glanced %anxiously toward the
Yacht. 1t was 3 o'clock. The tide had
,ebbed half out and there was barely
enough water on the flats now for the
tender to cross. 1t was showing nara
or and the wind had begun to lnch IN
toward the north.
"No more ducks today. Cal" Stuart
said briskly. returning to his tone o
friendly comradeship. We've got t(