The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1914-05-26

and Wisconsin. The last hours OF his
ride had been through a country al
most uninhabited. nothing but woods
and water. Reared In a city, II was
almost impossible for him to realize
that q nights ride could carry him
into a wilderness.
At FIRST the car had been filled with
fishermen and pleasure-seekers. but
one by one they had dropped out. and
at State Line" he was the only pas
senger
Physically. he was beginning to feel
q little better. He had arranged his
business affairs so that they could be
left indefinitely. and he had cut down
the whiskey and was getting a little
appetite for food.
As he stood alone on the little plat
form. he looked ruefully after the dis
appearing train-he was homesick al
ready. Once his mind was made up
to leave the city. he had taken some
interest In the purchase Of his equip
ment for the trip. and on the train he
had listened with pleasure to the
woods and lakes, but now he stood
there on the platform. solitary and
disguised.
Matthews had notified a guide. a
half-breed Indian, to meet him at the
station, but he was not In evidence.
The baggageman had dumped his
trunk on the platform. and Douglass
sat down on II and lit a cigar. He was
In for 1t now and might as we'll make
the best of II. He wondered where
the guide was, and what he looked
like. He had formed q vague mem
tai picture OF man In blanket.
smoking q pipe of peace. and making
cultural sounds; his information
about Indians was not very compre-
hensive.
AZ no sat Illuminating dolefuily q
young man came walking briskly TO-
ward him across little clearing.
Mr.. Douglass. said ne. I'm M,
tie late. l started In time. but snagged
my canoe and had to patch her. MY
name In George Clark"
Douglass was surprised--nice KIND
of an aborigine this, without blanket
or a pipe Of peace, and. worst OF al,
q good, plain English vocabulary HIS
black hair, straight. spare form ana
brown skin were the only touches OF
the Indian In hi. makeup. ~.
ethics OF the situation In his MIND.
This man was his servant, ana ne
was accustomed to treat servants
rather coolly. But some way tne
present situation seemed diHerent'
Ills auick Intuition solved the aues.
ton. He extended his hand ana sara
heartily:
ITS all right. I didn't mind walt
ing 49,. ,r,rr
Guess I'd better take that over 70
the store, It's only about hundred
rods from here; we can pack what
YOU want and leave II here-you
know wo couldn't go far with that
trunk"
Douglass didn't know. but he nod
ded acquiescence. The guide swung
the trunk easily to his shoulder. and
they started along the path that led
through the woods TO the store. =.
Where do you want to go. ne
asked Douglass a. they walked.
II don't know. Mr.. Matthews told
ne you knew this country like a
book-I want to start out q little
easy at first"
"How long are you going to stay?"
II don't know that, either" He
was going to add. "as long as can
. stand it," but changed it to as long
, as l llk6 IL mere.
, ~ can take you over to Crooked
Lake. It's an easy trip-three short
, portages. We can start In an hour
!, or two and get there by shutdown,
There's a shack there. and you can
. lie there for while and work on
I into the woods later. Gond muscal-
!. longe fishing there, and bass q mile
|, away.
"Ail right. that will suit me first
rate" Douglass didn't know exactly
. what q shack was. he had no conccp-
: lion OF portages. long or short, and
2 he cared nothing about either mus
i callonge or bass: but az the die was
cast, he decided with n true gam
I bler's spirit to go anywhere tha'
/, this cunterfeit Indian suggested. Sc
, long as he was to be buried II made
, little difference where the grave was
, They arrived at the store and wen
, inside. 1t proved to be more saloor
, than store; one side of the room wal
filled with shelves containing canned
3 goods and dried meats: some boxes
, were lying about the floor, and across
the other side stretched a rude bar
y At a table In the rear OF the room
: two lumbermen In corduroys sat or
4 boxes playing cards with a stocky In
D dividual In shirt sleeves, evidently tho
proprietor.
!. They looked up and nodded as tn
u newcomers entered and went on will
:, their game. The breed disap
= peared into back room with tn
= trunk and. returning, seated hlmsel
y In silence on a box. There was al
atmosphere of restraint In the room
: that Douglass did not like. II woul'
+, have been all right In the city. but no
here. He quickly decided that tn
a Initiative should he on his part. an
: after considering a moment said:
d win YOU gentlemen have drink q
: The shirt sleeved individual ros
{ and planted himself behind the bar
A as one who knew what the answe
Z would be. The two lumbermen an,
x the guide promptly arrayed them
h selves before the dispenser. All or
1; dered whiskey, and es the glasse
. were being placed a genial air Of SO
ciability quickly developed. Thes
i rough men were not going to pusl
d themselves in. but they responde'