Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-10-27

out of date Nowadays you send a
gift. Cant you think up something
she said she wanted fearfully?"
Dick thought minute, then let out
a whoop and hit his knees, jumped
up and hitched up his corduroys.
Cad, it's no wonder you got five
all for your very own. You've got the
whole game tcketed, and the cards
marked you old sinner, you. She's
crazy for bearskin to throw down
in her cabin She told me so herself,
and last week didn't We raise pretty
trail, remember, up past the pine
Cad took out his pipe and raised
his left eyebrow till it looked like a
shaggy. gray half moon.
Choose again, Dick. Culver's after
it now"
Dick grinned and reached down his
rifle from the stag horns above the
door.
You don't let any other Teller get
your valentine away from you, 40
you, not when the going's good?' he
asked 81 guess III get on the bear
trail too bs
II was more than week before ST.
Valentine day. Indian Pipe heard
of the bear hunt, without suspecting
it's reason. If Polly did. she never
let anyone know it. Old Cad went
down after the dark days work to
shat with her.
"They do say from the tracks, 1t
must be a fearful sized creetur," he
said cautiously, one night. And a
tracked bear after the third or fourth
night gets terribly nervous ana 1ret,
full. Culvers horse amt any too Wen
shod for this sort of thing, neither:
Mice ranger he must be to let MS
horse go so" said Polly airlly. III
bet a cookie Dicks is all right
1T sure is" assented Cad warmly,
sure of his way now. Fine boy,
Dick amt he?"
Eyes, and that's all he is Polly
flung back with toss of her mead.
He'll never grow up Mr.. Benseley.
He's reckless and unreliable
well. upon my word, Polly, I'm
surprised at you. | sure am. II
didn't know you better I'd say you
was trifer of hearts ana leader
on of false sentiment. If | was sure
I'd call off that bear hunt
Polly leaned on the little narrow
window ledge at the telegraph win
dow and smiled winningly.
what has their old bear hunt got
to do with me-" she asked shyly.
WHAT" old Cad snorted with IN
dignation. "You didn't say you'd like
to warm your little toes on one nights
did you?'
"Mr. Benseley. wait minute He
turned away, but the quick pleading
note caught his attention Il didn't
know the boys were after that pear
for me Just because said I'd like one.
I heard Culver tell two of the men
from down below, you know, the big
Huns that are working on the bridge
there, tell them he had work for them
up in the hills. And l know what 1t
was too. because the men sat over
by the stove there getting warm be
fore their train came along. He's palu
them to set bear traps in the timber.
well, some do it that way. Poly.
But they don't try to set traps 10
catch men. do they? That's what Cul-
ver.s DONE. He's set them for DICK,
and | know it. Don't you see now
easily he'll get out of it? He can say
it wasn't his fault that Dick stumbled
into one. And with the storm today,
they won't use their horses any more,
don't you know. Where are you go
ing?"
ITO get some of the boys. Well
have to 90 before night falls He
stopped at the door, and looked back.
Her head was on her arms, and she
was sobbing. "You can wait for us IN
Sibley's. if you like" he added more
softly.
1t was showing heavily when CAD
started with five of Dicks friends on
that long climb up the mountain.
Ali that night Polly kept vigil,
waiting at sibleys for the return.
Would they find Dick caught fast IN
the horrible steel teeth of the trap.