The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1918-02-08

so much as a drink of water except
through pain and effort. Hours when
he cursed Buck Olney and thought he
had him bound to the chair in the cab
in. Hours when he watched for him
gun in hand, through the window be-
side the bunk.
He had made a final trip to Hardup
two weeks before and had brought back
supplies for the winter. And because
his pay streak of gravel bank had yield
ed a fair harvest he had not stinted
himself on the things he liked to eat.
He lay looking over the piled boxes
| against the farther wall and wondered
if he could reach the box of crackers
and drag 1t up beside the bunk. He
was weak, and to move his leg was
agony. Well, there was dish of prunes
on the window sill.
Ward ate a dozen or so, but he want
ed the crackers. He leaned as far as
he could from the bed. and the box was
still two feet from his outstretched fin
gers. He lay and considered how he
might bring the box within reach.
At the head OF the bunk stood the
case of peaches and beneath that the
case of canned tomatoes, the two form
ing a stand fer his lantern. He eyed
them thoughtfully, chewing corner of
his underlip He did not want peaches
or tomatoes just then-he wanted those
soda crackers.
He took Buck Olney's knife-he was
finding it most useful souvenir of the
encounter-and pried off board from
the peach box. Two nails stuck out
through each end of the board. He
leaned again from the bed, reached out
with the board and caught the nails in
a crack on the upper edge Of the crack |
er box. He dragged the box toward |
him until it caught against ridge in |
the rough board floor, when the nails |
bent outward and slipped away from
the crack. Ward lay back, exhausted
with the effort he had made and tor
mented with the pain in his leg.
After awhile he took the piece of
board and managed to slide it under
the box, lifting corner of it over the
ridge. That was hard work, harder
than you would believe unless you tried
It yourself after lying three days fast
ng with broker. leg and a fever. He
mad to rest again before he took the
)ther end of the board that had the
rood nails and pulled the box up be-
tide the bunk.
In few minutes he made another
fort and pried part of the cover off
he cracker box with the knife. Then
lie pulled out half dozen crackers and
tie them, drank half dipper of water ,,
nd felt better. {
He had held himself aloof from the {
nen Of the country. He knew the Sea- !
eek riders by sight; he had talked
title with Floyd Carson two or three c
ines and had met Seabeck himself.
lie knew Charlie Fox in a purely cas-
al way, as has been related, and Peter !
lowing Dog the same. r
None Of these men were likely to ride I
ut of their way to see him. And now !
nat his mind worked nationally he had h
o fear Of Buck Olney's vengeful re- h
arm. Buck Olney, he guessed shrewd- r
:, was extremely busy just now put
ng as many miles as possible between d
imself and that part Of Idaho. Unless y
lilly Louise would come or send for 3
i'm he would in all probability lie alone s
lere until he was able to walk. Ward II
i'd not try to comfort himself with any
illusions of hope. a.
AS the days passed he settled himself
'imly to the business of getting through v
lie ordeal as comfortably as possible. :
e had food within his reach and a
ant supply Of water. He worked out f,