Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1919-02-13

Flora Nelson's large eyes filed a:
she chung to Robert Greer, who hac
Just cautiously entered the back door
% his mothers cottage.
Early that morning. in the court
house AZ West HardtOwn, 100 miles
from Burnham, Robert had seen his
father. Charles Greer. sentenced for
life to the states prison. In the big
front bedroom, Jael, the young fellows
mother, for six weeks close to death
OF fever. lay slowly recovering.
Two weeks before. the father, who
worked aboard the river steamer Mary
Ann, had quarreled with Cyrus Canter
IN West Hardtown. Cyrus and Ananias,
brothers and surly. had provoked the
quarrel that ended in a fight with
chairs. Green had not meant TO kill
the man, but he forgot the power in
his arm. and Cyrus neck was broken
at the first blow.
Robert had warned their friends and
neighbors to keep his mother In igno-
rance of what had happened, and
hoped against hope that his father
would go free. But the Canters were
influential people in West Hardtown,
and the trial had ended unhappily for
Greer.
The boy-he was scarcely twenty
took his sweetheart's face between his
trembling hands.
1--WE won't tell her. Flo" he whls-
pered, 1--WE won't ever tell mOther-not
even If she comes to die. Dad said for
me to make her believe he's dead !"
Dead" gasped Flora, make her
believe that? Why, she's looking for
him today. as soon as the Mary AIMS
unloaded. She came in about an hour
ago"
81 know it'll" Roberts lips trembled
"But we've just got to think of some
way to make her believe dads dead
He says we must be dead to him-nev-
or write TO him nor try TO see him
he couldn't bear that The Mary
Ann"
A roar that shook the panes in the
windows drowned his words. The Mary
Ann would never run up the river
again Before many days the bodies
who died when the explosion sent the
boat to the bottom of the river came
to the muddy surface of the stream
and were identified, but the bodies of |
the remainder Of the crew were never |
recovered. II was easy to say that |
Charley Greer was one of the dead, |
but Jael refused to believe it.
Charley was always the first man
of the boat when she locked !" she
insisted. He'd always come to the
house to see me moment, then he'd
go back and help unload. I tell you,
Bobby, Charley isn't dead. He's alive
and wen somewhere He's always
wanted adventure and he's never got
TO have any. He begged me TO go with
him, when we were first married, to
some wild country in South America.
where he could hunt. but | was afraid
Then you and your three little sisters
that died came along and he quit talk
Ing about II. And now, since you've
been grown, Bobby, he's hated to say
anything about wantin' to wander for
fear you'd laugh at him. just believe
he's slipped off from us all to go some
where and take his fun And when
he's had it he'll be coming back. Why,
Bobby. what makes you cry? Don't
Tou know daddyn be coming back?"
When six months passed with no
etters from her husband, Jael ex-
blamed his silence to her son by the
act that he was in the wilds, where
10 mail could be sent out, but at the
nd of the year, at each meal. she set
fancy plate that Charles had always
ked at his place at table.
Hell he coming in at just any time
ow. Bobby" she told him. "A year is
enerally all the time men stay on n
uniting trip, isn't it?"
"Why. no, mother" Robert eX- I
lained. I've read that Englishmen 5
no hunt spend as much as six months 9
r a year In one place, trying out the
uniting in each place. Sometimes they
Ut in five years or more at hunting
g game, and If they take a notion to 4
, on exploring trips there's no telling t
wv long" z
Jael's face fell. "Stay away from c
eir families all those years, Bobby" f
Robert averted his eyes "Of course Il
ey know they're coming back to 'em, n
other" ly
For an instant her lips qulvered. ell
en- she smiled again. al
"Of course, and we want daddy TO pl
We all the fun the rest of 'em have. ft
e knows you'll look out for me and Sc
yer leaye me while he's gone, Bobby. III
farley worked awful hard all them tn
enty years that's past; he's earned so
long, long holiday. We oughtn't to IA
Y a word, even if he's taken a notion all
tour the wide world around. and eS
III stay right here In this house and Or
it fer him until he comes back! 70
rudy face paled. Flora's
'ther had been ordered TO Colorado
live. and Flora was her only child