The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1916-09-09


stone trail The tramp disappeared In
the brush.
Louise Lacharme. more beautiful
than roses. strolled across the vine
Swallowed porch Of the big ranch house
and sat on the porch rail opposite her
uncle. His clear blue eyes twinkled
approval as he gazed at her.
Walter Stone was fifty. but the fifty
OF the hard riding optimist OF the great
outdoors. The smooth tan OF his
cheeks contrasted oddly with the silver
OF his close cropped hair. He appear
ed as young man prematurely gray.
"How is Boyarf" he asked. smiling
little as Louise, sitting sideways on
the porch rail. swung her foot back
and forth quickly.
"oh, Boy is all right. The tramp
turned him loose in the valley. Boy
came home"
att was a clever bit Of riding to get
the best OF Tenlow on his own range.
Was Dick very badly hurt?" queried
Walter Stone.
he was crushed and terribly bruised.
His horse was killed When ] was
down day before yesterday the doctor
said Dick would be all right In time"
"How about this boy, the tramp boy
they arrestedY
"Oh," said Louise, that was
shame! He stayed and helped the doc
tor put Dick in the buggy and rode
with him TO town. Mr.. Tenlow was
unconscious, and the boy had to go to
hold him. Then the boy explained 1t
all at the store, and they arrested him
anyway as a suspicious character. L
should have let him go. When Mr..
Tenlow became conscious and they
told him they had the boy he said to
keep him In the calaboose, that that
was where he belonged"
"And you want me to see what can
do for this boyT"
III didn't say So" And Louise tilted
her chin.
"Now. sweetheart. don't bubble. 1t
isn't like you"
The gray silk clad ankle flashed back
and forth. Really. Uncle Walter, you
could have done something for the boy
without making me say that I wanted
you TO. You're always doing some
thing nice-helping people that are In
trouble. You don't usually have to be
asked"
"Perhaps like to be asked-by-
Louise"
you're Just hattering me. I know;
but. uncle. If you had seen the boy
Jump in front OF Mr.. Tenlow's horse
when Dick shot at the tramp and
afterward when the boy helped me
with Dick and stuck right TO him clear
to his house--why. you couldn't help
but admire him. Then they arrested
him-for what2 It's shame! told
him TO run when I saw the doctors
buggy coming"
eyes. Louise. the boy may be brave
and likable enough, but how are we to
know what he really is? don't like
In such affairs"
"Uncle Walter! Risk! And the risks
you used 20 take when you were a
young man! oh. Aunty Eleanor has
told me all about your riding bronchos
and the Panamint-and lots OF things
won't tell you ALL for you'd be natter
cd to pieces, and want you in one
whole lump today
"Only for today, Louisey'
"Oh, maybe for tomorrow and tOmor
row and tomorrow; but uncle. only
last week you said at breakfast that
the present system of arrest and i'm
prlsonment was all wrong. That was
because they arrested that editor who
was a friend OF yours. But now when
you have n chance to prove that you
were in earnest you don't seem bit
interested"
did really say all that sweet
ness?"
Now you are quibbllng And does
sweetness mean me or what you said
at breakfast? Because you said the
whole darned system and there were
two ladies at the tnble- or course that
was before breakfast. After break
fast you picked n rose for aunty and
kissed me-"
Walter Stone laughed heartily. But
] do take a great deal OF interest In
anything that interests you"
Louise slipped llthely from the porch
rail and swung up on the broad arm
of his chair, smuggling against him Inn
petuously II know you do. uncle.
just love you! I'll stop teasing"
Il surrender. I'm a pretty fair sol
der at long range, but this"-and his
arm went round her affectionately-
this is utter defeat. strike my col
ors. Then. you always give In so
gracefully"
ITO you, perhaps, Uncle Walter. But
I haven't given In this time. I'm Just
as interested as ever"
And you think they are the men
we saw out on the MoJave by the wa.
for tanE 80