The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1918-03-19

tinged cheeks were sunken, it's frame
attenuated. The woman hurried to-
ward the man at the bar. She placed
a trembling, urgent hand upon the
mans arm.
"See," she said in broken, disjointed
Engllsh-"there is no milk. The pap
poose will starve and die"
You won't let up on my trail hey?"
roared the man and he brought his
broad hand with a wicked sweep. The
squaw went reeling back against the
table. A second time Abel sprang to
his feet. With lurid eyes the drinker
was following up his attack. Between
the shrinking trembling woman with
her child and her evil genius her de-
fender sprang swiftly.
"Tll not stand this" he said force
fully.
Suppose you have to-" snarled the
other, and raised his clenched fist to
strike the woman again.
You brute-net while l have
mother and wife. Take thatI"
The blow fell with mallet force. The
bloated mass of humanity went Keeling
against the counter, grunted, came
down to the floor with a crash and
lay there.
Hes got 1t, and I'm glad" observed
the tavern keeper. Hes no good. I've
no liking for the red ones, but his
squaw is his wife, and he's been dodg-
ing her for a week."
The woman crouched closer to her
defender. Her face was distorted with
misery and emotion. Mason looked
pityingly at the wailing child. Then
he took its mother by the arm and led
her through the open archway into
the eating room. A slouchy waiter was
lying asleep on two chairs. Mason
reused him with a rough shake and
the words:
"Here hustle up and feed this wom-
an. What Is it for the child?"
Milk" voiced the squaw In a gasp
ing expectancy, as though that word
comprised all that was precious to her
at that moment
Mason sat with a grim face, purpose
ly masked, to hide the ineffable pity
he felt for the outcast pair.
"Give both of them all they want"
Mason ordered the waiter, "and don't
let them go till l come back. Who is
the woman?" he inquired a moment
later in the bar room of the tavern
keeper.
"She's Watina," impaired the other.
"Her dad is an old chief fifty miles
I'D the Frazier river. That skunk ly-
ing yonder lured her from the home
nest, married her, made her his slave,
and then his football. She ought to be
home. Some morning she'll be found
with the kid in some snowdrift, both
frozen to DEATH"
Mason drew back and pondered. He
had troubles Of his own. A year pre-
vious he had left home, mother, wife
and tiny babe to try his luck In the
new Frazier gold district. There had
been some lucky ones. He was not OF
the group. He was homeward bound
poorer than when he had come to this
| iuIu III 1tlSc pIOlllSC. AAS hseN 49,
dog and sleigh, but besides that bare
ly enough time and money to carry
him to Clinton and thence by rail ON
miles.
So closely had he gagged his pro
gram that any extra cost or loss O
time might mean disaster. Yet, tru'
man that he was, realization OF tn
forlorn condition of the poor lndiaI
girl and her pappoose stirred all ina
was gentle and manly in his nature
He went back into the eating room
and sat down at the table opposite wa
tina. The baby, filled to repletlon
was cooling out its appreciation of foo
and warmth. The mother, her strengtl
replenished, gazed at Mason Wit
grateful eyes.
do you know the trail homer ques
toned he.
sOh, so well !" cried the woman
"But can l battle the terrors OF IN
north, the giant blizzard, the nero
tempest, the snowslides, alone, on 700
with my little oneT
IF you will direct me, will tax
you and the child on the sledge," sal
Mason.
"Oh, If that man comes to me agai
shall die And to see my poe