The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1921-11-17

They wenk 3 ]. ahouldor-deep In the
tall grass On to lower stretches of
tho prairie. Here ana there 1t gave
Harry the impression that he was
swimming his horse ID '.noisy, vivid
green water" They startled I herd
Of deer and 4 number Of Wild horses.
When they lost sight Of the woods
at Plains End the young man, with
his cavalry training, was able to ride
standing on his saddle until he had 1t
located.
It reminded him OF riding in the
Everglades and he told Of his adven-
lures there as they went on, but very
modestly. He said not a word Of his
heroic fight the day that he and sixty
of his comrades were cut off and SUR
rounded In the 'land OF the grassy
waters" hut BIN had heard the story
from other lips.
Late In the afternoon the woods
doomed In front Of them, scarcely a
mile of. Near the end Of the prairie
they came to a road which led them
past the door Of a lonely cabin. It
seemed to be deserted, but It's win
dows were clean and a faint column
Of smoke rose from It's chimney. There
were hollyhocks and sunflowers in It's
small and cleanly dooryard. A norm
ing-glory vine had been trained around
the windows.
Broad creek Is just beyond" said
BIN. II don't know how the crossing
will b." s-l
They came presently to the creek,
unexpectedly swollen. A man stood
on the farther shore with some seventy
feet Of deep and rapid water between
him and the travellers. 4
"That man looks like Stephen
Nuckles," said Harry.
1T 10 Stephen Nuckles." BIN an
swsred. ~. a. IL
"Howdy, stevew the young soldier
called. .laE, g.sn a.
"Howdy, boy" said the old minis
ter. "That ar creek IL b'ilin' ever. I
reckon you'll have to swim the hosses."
They tried, but Bins horse refused
to. 60 beyond good footing. ~
You kin light at that ar house an
spend the night, but the folks have
gone erway," the minister called.
9" guess you'll have to marry US
right here and now" Harry proposed.
might 10 coming and that house 10
our only refuge"
"Poor boy! There seems to be no
escape for you!" BIN exclaimed with
a sigh. do you really and honestly
want to marry me7 If there's any
doubt about it I'll leave the horses
with you and swim the creek. You
could put them in the barn and swim
with me or spend the night In the
cabin"
"It's a cool evening and the creek
10 very wet" he answered. I'm 60
ing to take this matter In my own
hands,"
He called to the minister. "Steve,
this is the luckiest moment of my life
and you are just the man Of all others
I would have chosen for It's most i'm
portant job. Can you stand right
where you are and marry us?"
"You bet, | kin, subj" the minister
answered. 1--WE often said I could
marry any one half a mile erway II
they would only talk as loud as I kin.
I've got the good book right here in
my pocket, sub. My OIL woman Is
comm. She'll be hyah in 4 minute
fer to witness the ~perceedin's."
Mrs. Nuckles made her appearance
on the river bank in q short time.
Then the minister shouted: "WeM
begin by readin' the nineteenth chap
ter of Matthew"
He shouted the chapter and the us
ual queries, knelt and prayed and pro-
nounced them man and wife.
The young man and walked
to the cabin and put their horses in