Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1921-03-19


found a telegram waiting him.
ANY relation 10 Dan Failing of TIE
Umpqua divide?'
Dan had never heard of the UHp
qua divide. but he couldn't Doubt hut
that the sender of the wire referred
to his grandfather. He wired ia TIE
affirmative The head of the Chamber
Of Commeree received the wire read
II. thrust it into his desk. and in the
face Of really important piece of
business proceeded 10 forget all about
ii. Thus 1t came about that. except
for one thing. Dan Failing would have
probably stepped of the train ~ his
destination wholly uuheralded and I'M
met. The one thing that changed his
destiny was that at a meeting Of
certain widely known fraternal order
the next night, the Chamber of Com
merce crossed trails with the Frontier
in the person Of another old resident
who had his home in the farthest
reaches Of the Umpqua divide. The
latter asked the former 10 come up
for a few days shooting-the deer be
ing fatter and more numerous than
any previous season since the days OF
the gIizzlies.
Too busy I'm afraid" the Cham,
her Of Commerce had replied. But
LennoX-that reminds me Do you
remember old Dan Failins?"
Lennox prohed back into the years
for a single instant. Strengthened out
al the kinks of his memory in less
time than the wind Strengthens out
the folds Of a flag, and turned a most
Interested face. Remember him :" he
exclaimed II should say I do" The
middle-aged man half-closed his pierre
ing, gray eyes.
Iisrcn Steele" he said. Il saw Dan
Failing make bet once. ! was Just
a Kid, but I wake mp in my sleep TO
marvel at it. We had a full long
glimpse Of a bIack-tail bounding NJ,
long slope II was Just a spike-buck.
and Dan Failing said he could take
the left-hand spike off with one shot
from his old Sharpe's Three Of us
het him-the whole thing in less than
two seconds. With the next shot.
he'd get the deer He won the bet.
ana now If I ever forget Dan Failing.
l want to die"
You're lust the man I'm looking
for then. You're not going out till the
day after tomorrow"
"No."
"On the limited. hitting here tomor-
row morning. there's n grandson Of
Dan Failing His name is Dan Fail
ing. too, ard ne wants TO 90 up to your
place TO hunt Stay all summer and
pay board"
Lemons eyes said that ne couldn't
believe it was true. After a while his
tongue spoke, too Good Lord" he
said. ~ used to foller Dan around
like old Shag. before he lied. followed
SnoWbird or course he can come.
But he can't pay board"
II was rather characteristic Of the
mountain men-taat 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 our with him ut
the end Of his stay He wants FISH
ing and You've COT that in the North
fork Moreover you're a thousand
miles back"
Only one hundred, If you must
know But Steele-do You suppose
he's the man his grandfather was he.
fore hm-that all the Failincs have
been since the first days Of the Ore
Con trail? IL he is-weli. my hat'g
off TO him before he steps off 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 hts own KNOWLEDGE
"He won't be; don't count on IT," he
said humlIy THE FaIlings have done
much for this region aud lin glad
enough to do a little 20 pay # back,
but don't count much on this eastern
hoy. He's lived i'm 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
shadow Of disappointment came in
TO his eyes. "a hunger. chr" Lennoy
repeated "Yes-its true that if he'd
been like the other Failings. he'd never
have been that. why, Steele. you
couldn't have given that old man a
cold if you'd tied him ID the Rogue
river overnight OF course yon couldn't
count on the line keeping mp forever
But I'll take him for the memory Of
his grandfather"
You're not afraid to-"
afraid hi He can't infect those
two strapring children Of mine. SNOW
bird weighs one hundred and twenty
pounds aud is hard as steel. Never
knew sick day in her life. And you
know Bill. Of course"