Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-12-21

) 'eal. 1t Horn If Plenty Thu VAN
pire' would be better name.
Tears clouded her blue eyes and
for the moment she lost the cheerful
mess that had sustained her ever since
her marriage to Dick Prentice six
, months before. Family and friends
had protested at her foolhardiness In
risking everything upon the mining
claim staked out In distant Montana.
There is Dick, you know" she had
smiled confidentally at them. with
Dick would 60 anywhere-take any
, chance in the world"
So she had married him and the
summer had been an ideal one, but
November was upon them and Thanks.
giving only a few days away.
/ Homesickness tugged at her heart.
strings. Back there in New England
they were making elaborate prepa-
rations for the great festival. They
had written and urged the young
pioneers to come home for Thanks
giving. Hester smiled bitterly. Why
there was scarcely bushel Of -four
| in the house and the bacon was al
| most somewhat could one do with
nothing coming in?
!
her nerves. Only this morning she
had spoken sharply to him when he
had made some remark about Thanks
giving A paHg Of remorse now sent
| her hurrying down toward the shaft.
At the very edge Of the opening she
1 resitated and peered within the tun.
mel. Dick was there-sitting on a
key, his head bowed in his hands,
,x,;%p, 1,;e ont
! "Dick. Dick!" she cried, going to
him and folding his mead in her arms.
isCome up to the house. Leave this
dreadful placed"
His face was hot with fever and his
eyes were bright.
"I believe / will come up for a
while dear" he laughed uncertainty.
esThis hole in the ground has rather
got on my nerves, and II ! coula only
sleep for while-there-there I'VE
forgotten to cover that dynamite
"I'll come down and do that, dear"
protested his wife. "You know I'll
4 be Just as careful. Gomez!
| Hester supported Dick up the hill
and somehow got him into bed and
because they we're twenty miles from
the nearest town and there was no
direct means Of communication save
through their neighbor, Lin Dowd,
five miles away, she had to administer
1.-THE simple remedies at her command
until she could devise some way OF
getting word to the doctor.
Presently Dick was muttering rest
lessly in the little bedroom while Hes.
ter picked up his gun and went quick
lily up into the woods behind the cabin.
lIf she could only make Lin Dowd
hear the report of the gun he might
suspect trouble and come to her aid.
Once in the dim aisles of the pines
she started wild turkey which hut-
tered up with raucous squawk
There is our Thanksgiving din
ner!" cried Hester. what an idiot
| ] am to think that one can't be happy
and thankful anywhere in the world!
, Why, If Dick were only well again
would be the most delighted woman
, in the universe But we will have a
Thanksgiving dinner In spite Of you!"
She turned and shook her fist at the
Horn of plenty below. II will make
; some mincem eat-squirrel will help
some, although I hate to kill the dar-
lings-and those wild grape preserves
made will be delicious! Why didn't
think of it before instead Of grum-
| bling? I'm afraid Dick has noticed
: my downheartedness. Well, won't
give away again.
| With this resolution Hester lifted
the gun and fired several shots in the
direction of the Dowd place. She
!, thought she heard a. signaling shot
lin return, and satisfied that help
would soon be on the way, she went
| back to the cabin and discovered that
, Dick was sleeping quietly.
| It was a lonely day for her, for
Dick slept far into the afternoon. She
completed her plans for Thanks giving
dav and while she stood in the door
yard watching the trail along which
she expectedsto see Lin Dowd's mules
come galloping at any instant, great
plan took form in her mind
"If I could only blow the old Horn
Of Plenty to bits, Dick would admit
defeat and 20 home with me. There
he could have some chance in faith
eps Office and I would work, too, if
necessary. This suspense Is killing
him.
She bit her lip thoughtfully as she
went down the hillside to the mine.
She was familiar with the workings
and had often helped Dick, holding
the hand drill and fetching and carry
ing for him faithfully.
Il She opened the door of the tool
shed and rolled key Of powder into
the mouth of the tunnel. Then she
i inserted a fuse into the opening and