The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1922-08-02

but Hugh. Yelled hostility he had
never known before and he could not
understand. Everybody had surely
been kind, and yet-he turned to his
bed, and all night his brain was fash
Ing to and fro between the reel Of
vivid pictures etched ON 1t in a day
and the grim background that had
hitherto been his life beyond the hills.
From pioneer habit he awOke before
dawn, and for q moment the softness
where he lay puzzled him, but he
could smell the dawn and he started
to spring up. He felt hot and stuffy,
though Harry had put up his windows.
and he could not lie there wide awake.
He could not 60 out In the heavy dew
In the gay clothes and fragile shoes
he had taken off, so he slid into his
own buckskin clothes and moccasins
and out the still open front door and
down the path toward the river. In
stinctively he had picked up his rifle,
bullet-pouch and powder-hOrn. An
hour later he loped back on his own
tracks.
At the front door Harry hailed him
and Barbara came running out.
II forgot to get you another suit Of
clothes last night" he said, "and we
were scared this morning. We thought
you had left US. and Barbara there
nearly cried" Barbara blushed now
and did not deny.
"Come to breakfast" she cried.
did you find anything to shoot I"
Harry asked.
"Nothin' but some squirrels" said
the lad.
Then Hugh came In pale Of face
and looking rather ashamed. He went
straight to the Kentuckian.
| II was rude to you last night and
I owe you an apology"
| He thrust out his hand and awk-
| wardly the boy rose and took 1t.
"And you'll forgive me, too, Bar
baraT
"Of course WILL" she said happily.
but holding up one finger of warn
ing-shOuld he ever do 1t again. The
rest Of the guests troOped In now,
and some were going out on horse
back, some for sail. and some visit
ing up the river in a barge, and all
were paired off,
"I'm going to drive Cousin Erskine
over the place with my ponies" said
Barbara, -and-"
I'm going back to bed" interrupt.
ed Hugh, cor read a little Latin and
|
was impudence as we'll as humor In
this, for the tutor had given up hugh
In despair long ago.
Barbara shook her head.
"You are going with u.s." she said
II want Hugh to ride with me-" sale
Colonel Dale, land give Firefly little
exercise. Nobody else can ride him.
The Kentucky boy turned chal
longing eye as did every young maj
at the table, and Hugh felt very com
Portable. While every one was get
ting ready. Harry brought out tw'
foiLs and two masks on the porch
little later.
1--WE fight with those" he said
pointing to the crossed rapiers on tn
, wall. but we practice with these
Hugh, there, Is the champion fencer,
he said, land he'll show you"
Harry helped the Kentucky boy t
mask and they crossed foils-Hug
giving instructions all the time an
nodding approval.
you'll learn-youll learn fast" h
said And over mis- shoulder to Harry
"Why, his wrist is as strong a
mine now, and he's got an eye lik
a weasel"
With a twist he wrenched the TO
| from his antagonists hand and ella
tered it on the steps. The kentucl
ian was bewildered and his fac
flushed. He ran for the weapon.
You can't do that again."
81 don't believe l can" lauGhe
Hugh.
"Win you learn me some more
asked the boy eagerly.
II surely Will"
A little later Barbara and HI
! cousin were trotting smartly along
| sandy road through the fields with Il
colonel and Hugh Looping in front
1 them. Firefy was a black, mettl
| some gelding. He had reared al
plunged when Hugh mounted, al
even now he was champing his b
and leaping playfully at times. b
the lad sat him with an unconcel
of his capers that held the kentucl
boys eyes.
Gosh" he said, "but Hugh c,
ride! wonder If he could stay I
I'd him bareback"
II suppose So" Barbara said; "Hui
can do anything"
-, Many questions the little girl ask
and some of the boys answe
-, made her shudder.
- "Papa said last night that sever
"a of our kinsfolk spoke Of going to 70
m country In a party. and Harry a
as Hugh are crazy to go with the
Re Papa said people would be swarmi
" over the Cumberland mountains
|