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

found a telegram waiting him:
ANY relation TO Dan Failing of TIE
Umpqua divide?"
Dan had never heard at the UInp
qua divide but he couldn't doubt hut
that the sender OF the wire referred
to his grandfather, He wired in the
affirmative. The head of the Chamber
Of COmmerce received the wire. read
It. thrust 1t into his desk, and in the
face Of really important piece Of
business proceeded To forget all about
it. Thus it came about that. except
for one thing Dan Failing would have
probably stepped OFF the train az his
destination wholly unheralded and un-
met. The one thing that changed his
destiny was that at a meeting Of a
certain widely known fraternal order
the next night. the Chamber of Com
MERGE 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 TO come up
for a few days shoOtin--the deer be-
ing fatter and more numerous than
any previous season since the days Of
the grizzlies.
TOO busy, I'm afraid" the Cham
her OF Commerce had replied But
Lennox-that reminds me. Do You
remember old Dan Failing?"
Lennox probed back into the years
for single instant, Strengthened out
all the kinks of his memory in less
time than the wind straightens out
the folds of a flag. and turned a most
Interested face Remember him :" he
exclaimed Il should say do" The
midde-aged man half-closed his pierre
ing, gray eyes
Listen. Steele" he said. II saw Dan
Failing make bet once. I was just
a kid, but I wake up>in my sleep TO
marvel at it. We had full long
glimpse of hlacG-tail bounding M a
long slope. It was just a sNike-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.
and now if I ever forget Dan Failing.
l want to die"
you're lust the man Tn looking
for, then. You're not going out till the
day after tomorrow"
"No"
"On the limited hitting here tomor-
row morning. there's a grandson Of
Dan Failing. His name is Dan Fail
ing, too. and he 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 while his
tongue spoke, too. "Good Lord" he
said 81 used to foller Dan around
like old Shag before he died, followed
SnoWbird OF course he can come.
But he can't pay board"
II 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.
"Anyway. have that OUT with him Mt
the end Of his stay. He wants fish
ing and you've got that in the North
fork. Moreover you're thousand
miles back"
only one hundred. If you must
know. But Steele--do you suppose
he's the man his grandfather was be.
fore him-that all the Failngs have
been since the first days Of the ore.
con trail? II he is-wel. my hats
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 humhly The FaIlings have done
much for this region. and I'm glad
enough TO do a little 10 pay it back,
hut don't count much on this eastern
boy. He's lived in cities; besides. he's
sick man. He said so in his wire.
'N PAi~tlh " hAiPN ~ ltf4Jlt YOU take
him in"
The bronzed face changed: possibly
a shadow of disappointment came in
to his eyes. "a hunger. ch?" Lennox
repeated "Yes-it's true that if he'd
been like the other Faillngs. 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 yon 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, lie can't infect those
two strapping children Of mine. Snow
bird weighs one hundred and twenty
pounds and Is hard as steel. Never
knew sick day in her life. And you
know Bill, Of course"