Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1915-12-09

to be. When l left home to turn cow
puncher l didn't tell anybody where
I'd gone. but just before l left for Ok
lahoma to turn farmer l wrote to my
brother. And about a month ago, see
ing things clearing up before me, l
asked him to meet me here ut Tent
City. He's interested in new towns;
he's employed by Il rich maj to plant
hardware stores. and l thought he
might find an opening here. He came
on and was here several weeks with
a party of sightseers from Chicago, but
he left with them about a week ago"
Wilcox sat suddenly erect. Couldn't
have been that Sellimer crowd. l reck-
on, from Chicago?"
Yes; Mrs. Sellimer and her daugh-
ter and some Of their friends"
Wilcox whistled loudly. And that
up and down looking chap in the gold
nose glasses was your brother?'
Never thought of that,0 Bill ex-
claimed; although he had your name,
he looked so different. But now that
you've laid aside your cowboy rigging
1 guess you could sit in his class down
at the bottom of it."
Wilcox was uneasy. 81 was told"
he observed, and 1 took the trouble
to get datty on the subject, that them
Sellimcrs-the mother and daughter
and the herd they drift with--is of the
highest pedigree Chicago a produce.
1t sort Of jolts me to find out that any
body we know is kin to the bunch"
Wilfrcd laughed without bitterness.
Don't let my kinship to Brother
Edgerton disturb your ideal. We're
so different hat we parted without
saying goodby. Miss Sellimer is the
with me when l first saw you. She
refused me because I was as poor as
herself. SO you see the whole bunch
is out OF my class"
Wilfred moved uneasily. Has La
homa made their acquaintance. then?"
lit looks like it, don't it,
What looks like it," Wilfred asked
with sudden sharpness.
why, her going off with 'em to
spend the winter in high life"
But | thOught-but | anne here to
see Lahoma" cried Wilfred. unable to
conceal his disappointment. II have
a good farm now not very far from
Oklahoma City, and-well, being alone
there year after year, a fellow gets to
imagining a great many things He
stopped abruptly.
"That's So" Wilcox agreed sympa-
thetically. II amt a-saying that if
Lahoma d been like me and Bill she
mightn't of liked farming with you
first class. But she was born as an
associate of high men and women. not
cows and chickens. It's the big world
for her, and that's where she's gone"
There was silence. broken presently
by Bill. Pm glad you've come, sure!"
Presently the door opened, and the
Indian chief Red Feather glided into
the apartment with a grunt OF saluta-
ton. He spread his blanket in 4 cor
ner and sat down. turning a stolid face
TO the fire.
Don't pay no attention to him." re-
marked Wilcox. as if speaking of some
wild animal. He m once a year
to see us, and he isn't troublesome if
you feeds and sleeps him and don't try
to lay your hand on him."
Bill Atkins rose. But I always light
up when he comes" he remarked,
reaching stifly for a lantern. Are
you hungry. Wilfred?" he asked.
Wilfred declared that he was not in
the least hungry.
Pm afraid you're disappointed, son."
observed Wilcox, filling his pipe anew.
Wilfred turned to him with a frank
smile. "Brick-it's just awful. It's
what comes from depending on some
thing you've no right to consider a
sure thing. l never thought Of this
cov without Lahoma in it. How did
she get acquainted with Annabel-and
with my %brother?"
1T come about. sOn. L see at once
that the bunch of 'em was from the
big world. I come home and told Bill,
'Them's the people to tow LAhoma out
1illo l. soy , L. :" tlN.' Al liCIl III
to spend the winter with them. the Sell
liners did, and show her city doings."
Yes, but how did it come about"
Nothing more natural. l goes over
to their tent and I tells them Of the
curiosities and good points of these
mountains and gets 'em to come on Il
sort Of picnic to explore. SO here they
comes, and they gets scattered, what
with Bill and Lahoma and me taking
different ways. They liked Lahoma
first time they see her, as a matter Of
course. And so that Miss Sellimer she
gets separated from all the rest, and
l shows her a dandy hiding place where
nobody couldn't find her, and l shows
her what a good joke it would be to
pretend to be lost. SO l leaves her
there to go to tell her crowd she dares
'em to find her. Are you listening:"
"Of course"
well, while she was setting there
waiting to be searched for of a sudden
q great big Injun in a blanket and
feathers and red paint jumps down be-
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