The Detroit times., 1913-05-14

shaken whisper, "a want counting on
seeing you.
II bet you wa'ni. said Rogers
! briefly, but with grim sarcasm; and
moving forward "A step he kicked Ray
mond's rifle yet further into the brush.
There ensued an omnous silence. A
tortured slCkly smile seemed 10 snatch
az the corners OF the desertei' : mouth,
but II was past his power 10 fix Il
there IL left him loose-lipped, gaping
| helplessly down the muzzle OF RoS'
erss long rifle. He was struggling
with a terrible fear that the Californ-
ian might make some sudden and
deadly use of his weapon. He remem-
bered how they had found the half
breed with the single round hole III
his hunting-shirt attestins 10 the eX.
cellence OF his slayer's Workmanship.
why don't you shoot he cried at
last in agony.
Hold your jaw said Rogers in a
savage whisper.
III you're going TO shoot. why don
you?" the deserter demanded with
hoarse. dry-throated rage.
II reckon that's something I'll take
my time TO, said Rogers calmly.
Maybe I'll shoot and maybe | won't.
I'm thinking about it--hard. FAN
back step, | got no laundering for
your company. There. thatll do, and
| IL you so much as raise your voice
! again" he did not finish the SEN
tence, but tapped the stock OF his rifle
with sinister significance. There was
| another pause and then Rogers said
more mildly, Il reckon YOU can tel
me how you happen to be here"
Raymond took grace OF his altered
| tone: with final desperate twitching
of the lips the smile fixed itself ar the
corners of his mouth. Won pretty
| nearly took my breath away he fat
! tered
You're right there. did, said Rog-
ers with sudden ferocity.
Raymony smiled vaguely. To the
very marrow of his bones he feared
this gaunt captor OF his
Quick nov. said Rogers sternly,
what are you doing here?"
We'll, you see I've give Basil the
slip"
That's a lie retorted Rogers.
Whose smoke Is that off yonder back
of you?"
ltthOH you mean NY
That's another lie. Some ones
been throwing on wood, green wood.
since we been standing here said
Rogers with an ugly grin. Look and
see--the smoke'll tell you that as plain
as it tells me-
You're plumb suspicious, Mr.. Rog-
ers, it's my camp; amt always been
a friend?'
You amt friend TO no man. unless
It be to yourself, that's my idea OF
YOU" said Rogers.
It's my campfire tell YOU"
Yes, and Basils there, and the
half-breeds there he took his eyes
off Raymond's face. and for the frs.
time noticed that he had exchanged
his ragged uniform for an excellent
suit OF grey home-spun. You've
crossed the range and been down into
the valley. Now what are you doing
here on the back track when you were
all so keen for trying your luck in
California;"
Well said the deserter with a
quick shift Of ground. maybe Basil Is
there. and maybe the half-breed is
there: what does II signify"
But at this Raymond shook his head
vehemently. Following you-and
why'd we be following you? I'll tell
you the truth, fact is, sometimes II
gravels me TO tell the truth; but with
a friend--we're taking a party or
Saints back to the Missouri. There
was money in the job, and darn Cali
fornia anyhow: it's long way of. and
they say in the valley the bottoms
dropped clean out OF this here gold
business. It's all rank foolishness
they are beginning to come back, and
the Saints are feeding them and help
ing them on toward the States; we
mighty soon got shut OF that notion
when we'd seen and talked with few
Of them that'd crossed to the coast:
and when Young offered to hire us to
take a score OF his missionaries to the
Missouri we jumped at the chance"
You daren't go near Fort Laramie. -
said Rogers, but his theories as TO
what had brought Raymond there had
been rather shaken by the excellent
account he was now giving Of him.
self
II want aware | said | was going
near the fort. No, sir, we're going out
the way We come in. We allow TO hit
| the trail hundred miles the other
side Of old Laramie
| Rogers looked at him doubtfully, yet
he was almost inclined to believe that
, IL was as he said, that the first rush
OF emigration might have encountered
few discouraged ones who had gone
/ into California the preceding fall. ana
who having been unfortunate were
making the best OF their@way back 10
the States-this might even have re-
suited In a stampede among the emf
grants He recalled how the fear OF