Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-04-19

man.
Good night, Little Foot" Hardy
said, reaching up hand as the Indian
mounted. A man strobe toward them
from across the street.
Fred What re you hanging
around here for?' the man demanded.
and Hardy wheeled to face Walter
Kennedy.
The Indian did not answer; he with
drew his hand from the grasp in which
the doctor had seized it.
Haven't told you to stop this sort
of a thing?" Kennedy ragged. "You
sneak around and do these things
when you think won't find out, but
always do find out!
"Now, get along home"
Obediently, almost meekly. the in
dian settled in his saddle and gathered
the rains.
Good night, wau.punk tuck" he
muttered
go on home." ordered Kennedy.
as though infuriated by the boys
word for Hardy. And you just be a
little more careful about your new
friends"
The sorrel moved off, at 2 walk first
then into his long lope; and the sounds
of his clopping hoofs died out before
Hardy spoke. He stood through those
minutes, looking at Kennedy with a
contemptuous gaze, while the other
watched the dimly outlined figure of
the Indian rider vanish.
Kennedy" he said when the other
turned. Il can't let you believe that
| overlook all these nasty filings you
have taken at me-including this last,
this warning to the boy about being
friendly TO me.
~ disregard them only because |
think | would be more on your level
if | clustered about and lost my tenn
per over your petty insults-and that
is something to be avoided"
The other stared at him with his
beady, shifty eyes.
You're a nice sort of man to
hold himself above any one else.'
he sneered insinuatngly. "A nice
sort"
Hardy was on the point of hurting
forth bitter' dcnunciati0n for Ken.
nedy's trick of inspiring Little Foot to
his childish prosecutions, but choked
himself 1t might be disastrous for the
boy If he betrayed his confidence, so
he held his tongue.
"That is your judgment" he said,
suddenly cool again.
Then he stepped close to the man
and warned
60 ahead, Kennedy, take all the
rope you want There may be a moose
at the end of it - and you may run
your head through the moose. I'm not
asleep. Remember that! Just come in
to the open. Kennedy! Come into the
open with your fight"
With that he strobe off, leaving the
other man alone in the street; he
walked down to his office, mounted
the stairs and dropped into chair
That's another link in the chain, '
he muttered. There's much more to
this than Little Foot told me - much
more.
1T will come out in time - in
time."
Oh, yes. it was to come out IN time
but before that moment, much was
TO transpire.
Many things were to be considered
Little Foot, he reasoned, was dan
gerous individual, and solely because
he had never had an opportunity
How dangerous he was might be a
question.
1t may have been mere accident that
he stood in the doorway that night
and watched Texas and Hardy ride
through the glare from his house; il
might not have been he who waited
with the outlaw the next evening and
rode away at Hardy's approach; and
coming up the hollow from Navin's
ranch was not in the least incrimi
mating
"And Kennedy has him under his
thumb, has be?" he asked himself
again.
Then leaned far back in his chair
squinting at the smoke wreaths above
MIN, a speculative look on his nten,
sace--and, back in his eyes a softer
warmer light, like that Of dreamer
trying to put aside those hard facts
and let him be enyeloped in swee,
memories.
Up on the hill, Ruth Mitchell ex
tinguished her bedroom light and
walked to- the window, threw up the
curtain and stood in the moonlight
face framed in her loose, glorious hair
tall and slender with holy look In
her white chamber robe.
Down below her the town slept. ex
cept for a half-dozen scattered, wake.
ful eyes. She singled out two of them
One was the glow from her fathers
Office window, and the other came
from over the drug store, where Ellis
Hardy sat and wondered, while he
wanted TO dream.
Gazing at the first patch OF yellow
she smiled fondly, then shifted her
eyes toward the other, .-.