The Washington herald., 1913-08-10
CHAPTER i.

LACE of Oregon not over half an hour late.
Pretty near on time" remarked the
little station agent, surveying the long.
dusty platform. and holding his mouth
open in surprise as he saw a short, fash
ionably dressed gentleman alight from the
parlor car followed by a porter with two
grips.
The train moved on and the stranger
stood looking about him with quizzical
violet eyes; suddenly he picked up his
grips and started toward the station
agent, who still stood in wonder before
his small Office.
u wonder If you could tell me where 1
could find a good, comfortable place %
spend a couple of weeks?" asked the well
dressed newcomer. dropping his grips and
looking up at the station agent Il don't
want a regular boarding house. 1 don't
want a place where 1 can go fishing,
don't want TO do any hunting. 1 just
want to rest
Il guess Oregon is the place for You.
That is all there is to do here" remarked
the agent. There is lots Of people in
town who would like to make little
extra money, and l guess you can get
pretty good food most anywhere"
Its been my experience" said the
stranger with a soft Eastern intona ton,
that farmers sell their good butter and
their cream and their best eggs in the city
and live off what's left But l don't
care so much for the food as l do for
an absolute change. l don't want any
place near the village ! had rather go
out three or four miles. on a little road
where there aren't any automobiles pass
ing all day.
4 guess the Shepard's would be about
the right place for you.' offered the
genial agent Just wait a minute and
! will call EN- up and see If they VIII
take you in
That would be very good of you: my
name is Poe, Christopher Poe" the East
erner held out his hand and the agent
clasped it, giving his name as Henry
Stone.
Much obliged to meet you." continued
the agent with conscious grin. turning
into the Office door to cover his evidenl
embarrassment. Wait just a minute"
With a series of energetic turns at
bell handle he primed the party phone.
and after a few minutes. conversation
hung up the receiver and called out to
MIR. Poe: Yes: the Shepards say they
will take you. if So amt too much"
No; that will be all right. 1 guess
can stand it. How can get out to this
house,"
Tom Hedges. over at the livery stable,
will take you out for dollar" answered
the agent practically.
Christopher Poe picked up his grips
thanked his informant. and stepped
across the road TO a ramshackle building
sheltering a hay and feed store and
livery stable. In ten minutes time he
was being driven through a picturesque
road out into the open country.
There's lots OF funny people lives
around here" remarked old Tom Hedges,
squirting OF toward the horizon and
stroking his tobacco-stained beard with
his free hand You'll ind the Barrys a
funny lot They live on the farm next
20 Shepards'. Old man Barry, he's pretty
sick, an he's got two sons that wish
he'd die"
We'll, that's rather unnatural" smiled
Poe. thinking that old Tom Hedges him.
self was quite as queer as any of the
characters he mentioned.
Well you wouldn't think so il you
knew old Bill Barry. He's as tight as
a drum. Never been known to spend
cent. He amt got no more morals nor
conscience than a rabbit. He's kept
them two boys out of school an work
ing on his farm all their lives. and they
Jack. he wants to get married"
Old Tom Hedges drawled along during
the entire ride. relating uninterestins
anecdotes about his queer friends and
neishbors. Christopher Poe was but lit
tie interested. and his thoughts were
busy with the beautiful, prosperous farms
through which they drove
He found the Shepards a family quite
to his liking, and was gwen a room
ley. The remainder Of the day he spent
strolIing about aimlessly, idly. through
the fields and woods On his return home
he was suddenly reminder OF Hedges
description of the curious Barry family
by coming upon a strange girl, who
looked half wild, wood sprite, wild
flower. She was trudging along with
two milk pals, when suddenly young
fellow who answered Hedges descrip-
ton of Jack Barry came running up.
snatched one of the pals from her hand,
and scolded her for struggling with such
burden.
Christopher Poe walked slowly behind
the pair and watched them with idle
interest, until a big. brawny fellow came
running nut of the little hillside house
toward which they were headed.
Bills worse. Better send for the doc
tor" he cried.
A believing voice came from a room
above, II don't want no doctor. You
send for one and I'll lambaste your hide.
That's ALL"
At that moment the Shepards' supper
bell rang and Christopher Poe dropped
his interest in the Barry family and hur-
ried home with the anticipation of din
ner.
After a thoroughly satisfying meal con-
sisting of greasy potatoes and smoky,
thin beefsteak, Poe lighted a cigar and
sat upon the veranda, enjoying the cool
evening and thoroughly at rest At 8
O'Clock he went to bed in the hope of
sleeping until s, but before it was light
a rush of feet awakened him. He sat
up in bed and looked out of the window
to find an excited group on the porch
below, talking in loud, Eysterical tones.
II the dim light he made out the forms
of Jack Barry and the girl he had seen
with the milk pals.
He couldn't have killed himself"
Jack Barry cried. The sheep shears
was lying on a chair clean out of his
reach. George and me was listening.
1t was just as the clock struck 4. We
heard him give a kind of gruntin' groan,
an it was half an hour later before I
got up nerve enough to go into his room,
an George he was Just comm through
the other door at the same time"
George took up the story at that point.
I'VE seen him lying there in his old IN
dershirt, with the sheep medal lying
acrost his heart. There was blood flow
ing down all around 1t, and when we
moved that there prize he won with
them Shropshires there was a great, big
hole, and when we pulled back his shirt