Middletown transcript., 1920-12-18

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100 bssts I'm arra::;;::,' (: h. IA c1aan-
Ter fsEpmmefce had replied. 'fsuf
Lennox that reminds me. Do you
remember old Dan FailiEgr'
Lennox probed back into the years
for Z single instant. Strengthened out
all the kinks of his memory in less
time than the wind straightens out
the folds of flag, and turned most
interested face. Remember him I" he
exclaimed. II should say do" The
middle aged man half-closed his pierre
ing, gray eyes.
Listen, Steele" he said, II saw Dan
Failing make q bet once. I was just
a kid, but I wake Up In my sleep to
marvel at it. We had q full long
glimpse Of q black-tail bounding up a
long slope. It was just spike-buck,
and Dan Failing said he could take
the left-hand spike of with one shot
from his old Sharpe's. Thsee Of Us
bet htm-the whole thing n less than
two seconds. With the next shot,
he'd get the deer. He won the bet,
and now If ever forget Dan Failing,
I want to die"
you're Just the man I'm looking
for, then. You're not going out till the
day after tomorrow
'No."
aOn the limited, hitting here tomor-
row morning, there's q grandson Of
Dan Failing. His name Is Dan FAN
ing, too, and he wants to 60 up to your
place to hunt. Stay all summer and
pay board"
Lennox's eyes said that he couldn't
believe It was true. After q while his
tongue spoke, too. Good Lord" he
said. II used to foller Dan around
like old Shag. before he died, followed
Snowbird. OF course he can come.
But he can't pay board"
It was rather characteristic Of the
mountain men-that the grandson Of
Dan Failing couldn't possibly pay
board. But Steele. knew the ways Of
cities and Of men, and he only smiled.
"He won't come, then" he explained.
anyway, have that out with him at
the end of his stay. He wants fish
ing, and you've got that In the North
fork. Moreover, you're q thousand
miles back"
"Only one hundred, Il you must
know. But Steele-do you suppose
he's the man his grandfather was be-
fore him-that all the Failings have
been since the first days Of the Ore
gon tEail2 If he is-well, my hats
off to him before he steps of the
train"
The mountaineer's bronzed face was
earnest and intent in the bright lights
of the club. Steele thought he had
known his breed. Now he began to
have doubts of his own knowledge.
"He won't be; don't count on it." he
said humbly. THE Faflings have done
much for this region, and I'm glad
enough to do a little to pay it back,
but don't count much on this eastern
boy. He's lived In cities besides, he's
sick man. He said so In his wire.
You ought to know it before you take
him in."
The bronzed face changed: possibly
q shadow of disappointment came in
to his eyes, "A lunger, eh?" Lennox
repeated. "Yes-it's true that II he'd
been like the other Failings. he'd never
have been that. Why, Steele, yOu
couldn't have given that old man
cold If you'd tied him in the Rogue
river overnight. OF course you couldn't
count on the line keeping up forever.
But I'll take him, for the memory Of
his grandfather"
You're not afraid tor
afraid, HI! He can't infect those
two strapping children Of mine. Snow
bird weighs one hundred and twenty
pounds and is hard as steel. Never
knew a sick day i'll her life. And you
know Bill, Of course"