Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1914-06-16

mist Of snowflakes that dazzled and
confused the eye. What could be seen
of the landscape appeared magically
changed. He looked over the valley
and summed up the present and future
In two words-"snowed inr'
A careful inventory Of the provi-
sions, which fortunately for the party,
had been stored within the hut and so
escaped the felonious fingers of Uncle
Billy, disclosed the fact that with care
and prudence they might last ten days
longer. "That is," said Mr.. Oakhutst
soto voce to the Innocent. "if you're
willing to board us. II you ain't-apd
perhaps you'd better not-you can wait
till Uncle Billy gets back with provi-
sions." For some occult reason Mr..
Oakhurst could not bring himself to
disclose Uncle Billy's rascality and so
offered the hypothesis that he had
wandered from the camp and had acct
dentally stampeded the animals. He
dropped warning to the Duchess and
Mother Shipton, who, Of course, knew
| the facts Of their associates detection.
| They'll find out the truth about US all
when they find out anything" he add
ed significantly, "and there's no good
frightening them now"
Tom SImson not only put all his
worldly store at the disposal Of Mr..
Oakhurst. but seemed to enjoy tho
prospect of their enforced seclusion.
We'll have a good camp for q week,
and then the snow'Il melt. and we'll all
go back together" The cheerful gay
ETY., of the young man and Mr.. Oak
hurst's calm infected the others. The
Innocent with the aid Of pine boughs,
extempOrized a thatch for the ro0fess
cabin, and the Duchess directed Piney
in the Encouragement Of the interior
with q taste and tact that opened the
blue eyes Of that provincial maiden to
their fullest extent" II reckon now
you're ussd to fine things at Poker
Flat" said Piney. The Duchess turned
away sharply to conceal something
that Redeemed her cheeks through its
professional tint. and Mother Shipton
requested Piney not to chatter" But
when Mr.. Oakhurst returned from
weary search for the trail he heard the
sound Of happy laughter echoed from
the rocks He stopped in some alarm.
and his thoughts first naturally re-
verted to the whisky, which he had
prudently cached. "And yet it don't
somehow sound like whisky" said the
gambler. 1t was not until he caught
sight of the blazing fire through the
still binding storm and the group
around 1t that he settled to the convic-
hon that II was square fun"
PART IL.
C.IHETHER Mr.. Oakhurst had
M cached his cards with the
IH whisky as something debar-
" red the free access Of the COM
munity ] cannot say. 1t was GER
tain that, In Mother Shipton's words,
he didn't say cards once" during that
evening. HAPPY the time was beguiled
by an accordion produced somewhat
ostentatiously by Tom Simson from
his pack. NotwithstandIng some diff
culties attending the manipulation OF
this instrument, Piney Woods man
nged to pluck several reluctant melo-
dies from Its keys, to the accOmpani-
ment Of the Innocent Oh pair Of bone
castanets. But the crowning festivity
Of the evening was reached in a rude
camp meeting hymn, which the lovers,
joining hands, sang with great earnest
ness and vociferation. I fear that a
certain defiant tone and Covenanter's
swing to Its chorus, rather than any
devotional quality. caused 1t speedily
to infect the others, who at last Joined
In the refrain:
I'm proud to live In the service Of the
Lord.
And I'm bound to die in his army.
The pines rocked. the storm eddied
and whirled above the miserable group
and the flames Of their altar leaped
heavenward, as If in token Of the VOW.
At midnight the storm abated, the
rolling clouds parted and the stars
glittered keenly above the sleeping
camp. Mr.. Oakhurst, whose prOfes-
sional habits had enabled him to live
on the smallest possible amount OF
sleep, in dividing the watch with Tom
Simson, somehow managed to take
upon himself the greater part Of that
duty. He excused himself to the In
nocent by saying that he had "often
been q week without Sleep" Doing
whatT asked Tom. "Pokerr' replied
Oakhurst sententiously. when man
gets a streak of luck-nigger luck-he
don't get tired. The luck gives in first
Luck" continued the gambler reaec-
lively. rs mighty queer thing. All
you know about 1t for certain is that
It's bound to change. And It's finding
out when it's going to change that
makes you. We've had a streak OF
bad luck since we left Poker Flat-y0u
come along and. slap, you get into 1t
too. II you can hold your cards right
along you're all right. For" added
the gambler. with cheerful irrelevance.
I'm proud to live In tho service Of the
Lord.
And I'm bound to die in his army"
The third day came. and the sun,
looking through the white curtained
valley, saw the outcasts divide their
slowly decreasing store Of provisions
for the morning meal. 1t was one OF
the peculiarities Of that mountain cli-
mate that It's rays diffused kindly
warmth over the wintry landscape, as
II in regretful commiseration Of the
past. But it revealed drift on drift
Of snow piled high around the hut-a
hopeless, uncharted, trackless sea Of
white lying below the rocky shores
to which the castaways still clung
Through the marvelously clear air the
smoke of the pastoral village Of Poker
Flat rose miles away. Mother Shipton
saw It and from remote pinnacle Of
her rocky fastness hurled In that direc.
ton a nnal malediction. 1t was her
last vituperative attempt, and perhaps
k1I