The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1921-02-03
CHAPTER X.
The Gamblers.

Harris found some difficulty in pro.
vlding that affairs of the farm would
proceed satisfactorily during his alb
sence, but at last they were arranged.
II not exactly to his liking. at least in a
manner that promised little loss. IL
was most unfortunate that Mary, in u
moment of headstrong passion quite
without precedent In his experience of
her, had determined upon visit just
at the time when she was particularly
needed at home. If Harris had been
quite fair he would have remembered
that there had been no time In the last
twenty-five years when she had not
been needed at home, and the present
occasion was perhaps no less oppor-
tune for her visit than many others.
The hired man, I'm consideration of
having no field work TO do, finally con-
scented to milk the cows and deliver the
milk daily 10 Mrs. Rifles, who would
convert II into butter-for n consider
alton of so much per pound. To his
good neighbors, the Grants. Harris
turned for assurance that should he
and Allan be delayed on their trip, or
should the harvest come i'm earlier than
expected, ample steps would be taken
to garner il.
SO, with these arrangements COM
plete. the farmer and his son drove
into Plainville one fine bright morning
ut the end of July, ready for their first
long trip into the New West. Indeed
1t was Allan's first long journey any
where; an excursion to Winnipeg at
the time of the summer exhibition had
been the limit of his eXpec,easce OF
travel, and the hard work of the iprm
had not yet extinguished the young
mans desire for novelty and eN,ite-
ment.
Harris got off at the railway Ststion
to buy the tickets Allan went to the
post office on the odd chance of any
letters awaiting delivery, and the
hired man turned the horses home
ward. The station agent was thread
ing his way through his car report, and
remained provOkingly unconscious OF
Harris presence at the ticket window.
The farmer took no pains to conceal
his Impotence, coughing and shuffiing
obviously, but ii was not until the last
box-car had been duly recorded that
the agent deigned to recognize his ex-
istence.
Nothing for you from" he said.
mentioning the mail order house from
which Harris made most Of his pur~
chases.
well / didn't expect anythin'," re-
torted the farmer. although you're
just as likely 10 have IL when / don't
as when | do. How much is ticket
TO Calgary"
you got the land fever. too" the
agent asked, as he consulted his tar
IFS. "Riles went UP the other day.
You'll be making cleanup on tho
cheap land / suppose. But tell you,
Harris, If I'd farm like yours you
couldn't pry me off it with q pinch bar
No more worries for little Willie, and
I'd leave the free land to those that
haven't got any-llke myself
"Worry 7" snorted Harris. "What
do you worry about? You get your
pay, whether 1t freezes or halls or
shrlvels up with one OF these Dakota
scorchers."
The agent thought OF the piles Of re-
ports on his table, but as he thumped
the stamp on the tickets he answered,
ooh, | worry over the Monroe doc
trlne." He left the farmer counting
his change. and turned to his reports.
"Another money-grubber gone crazy
with the heat" he muttered. "If I'd
his wad wouldn't burn this wire with
one hot, short sentencew
GRO BE CoNTINUED)