The Oakes times., 1913-08-07
CHAPTER VII.
The Wreck on the River

y VENTS had somewhat hurried me
r. in the two days since my arriv-
al at Jefferson barracks. but on
~ the morning following the awk-
ward ending Of my match with Orme
l had opportunity and occasion to take
stock of myself and of my plans. The
mails brought ME two letters posted
1t Wallingford soon after my depur-
:ure. ole from Grace Sheraton and
one from my mother. The first one
was what shal. say: Better In'
haps that ShO I'D say nnlhn@ save
that it was like Grace Sheraton her
self, formal, correct aud cold II WAS
the first written word had ever +"
ceived from my tiancee. aud had TX
pected-l do not know what. Certain
~ had not expected to see sitting on
the page written in my Hancee's hand
the face Of another woman. | hated
.ayself for 1t.
The second letter was from my moth
er. and it left me still more disconcert.
ed and sad Jack" 1t said. Il grieve
unspeakably. am sad beyond all
1maginings of sadness. | need thee.
Come back the first day thee can to
thy mother"
Yet the post adjutant had received
word that Colonel Meriwether wou'!
be gone for some days or weeks on the
upper frontier. Therefore wrote my
fianeee and my mother that it would
be impossible for me to return at the
time or at any positive future time
then determinable. That night took
passage on the River Belle. bound UP
the Missouri. Our churninS wheels had
hardly reached the trrbd flood of the
Missouri before the spell OF HE from
tier had caught me.
| made friends with many OF these
strange travellers and was attracted eS-
pecially by one. reticent man or
perhaps sixty ODD years. in western
carb, full of beard and with long hair
reac hing to his shoulders. Anberry was
his name, and his tales set my blood
! a-tinrle. He was bound, as be 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
onening west, had not by this time
swooped down and closed all the trail.
entirely.
Among the skin clad trappers. hunt
ers and long haired plainsmen saw
but one woman. should say that sh'
was at least sixty years of age ant
nearly six feet in height, thin. angular
wr,nkled and sinewy. She wore sun
bonnet of enormous projection, dipped
snuff vigorously every few moment
and never allowed from her hands
long squirrel rifle. She was arcoHp;'
MED by her son. tall. thin. aGue sml'
ten youth of perhaps seventeen year
and a height about as great as he
own. When / first saw them she wa
driving her son before her to spo
where an opening offered near the boy
of the boat. in full sight OF the pas
sanoors of whose attention she wa
quite oblivious. ow ~,
said. f"Stan' up!
The boy, his long legs braiding unde
him and his peaked face still MOI
male did as he was bid. he nao
sooner taken his position than to N
snrnr,se / saw his mother cover hi1
with the long barrel of dragon r
volver, 49,
: ..pnlI YOUR gun. you low down GOV
ord !" she commanded. Reluctantly Il
hov complied. his Own revolver tren
bling in his hand.
.Now.. wbut'd you do IT man wy
70 kivver you like I'm a-doin now
demanded his mother.
.G-g-e-gosh. nav. dunno: ! tnll
I'd i-ji,jump of in the river coofes
..shore you would. and good luck !.
you'd Iii plumb drownded. you Will
i,yered son OF misery Wnatevel
this we're ole world you was borned I
certainly is more'n can tei: anu
vonr nav at that. that orto know
MADAM" / INTERRUPTED, what
~on mean By such talk to your 50
a. @ presume he II your son?"
- ..shut dp and mind syore own ~ 1s u
n.ss.,, answered the yirago. sw11e