American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1922-08-17

AOG l1IA4G
unexpected. His host had not yet
seen his face. Yet the man knew,
before the door was opened, who 1t
was that had come.
The reason went back to a certain
q%uickening Of the senses that is the
peculiar right and property Of most
men who are really residents Of the
wilderness. This man was the son
of the wild as much as he wolves that
ran in the packs. Soft though it
was, he had heard the sound of APP
preaching feet in the pine needles.
AS surely as he would have recognized
the dark face of the man in the door
way, he recognized the sound as
Dawes step.
The man came in, and at nee an
observer would have detected an air
of Difference in his attitude. Very
plainly he had come to see his chief.
He was a year or two older than his
host, less powerful of physique, and
his eyes did not hold quite so straight.
There was less savagery but more
cunning in his sharp features.
He blurted out his news at n c
"Old Elmira has got word down to
the settlements at last he said.
There was no muscular response in
the larger man. Dave was plainly
disappointed. He wanted his news
to cause a stir. 1t was true, however,
that his host slowly raised his eyes.
Dave glanced away.
what do you mean?" the man de-
manded.
Mean mean just what 1 said. We
should have watched closer. Bill
Young Bill, l a city chap
just in the act of going in to see
her. He had come onto the plateaus
with his guide-Wegan was the mans
name-and Bill said he stayed a lot
longer than he would nave if he hadn't
taken a message from ner."
"How long ago was this?"
"Week ago Tuesday"
"And why have you been so long
in telling meT"
When Dawes chief asked questions
in this tone, always came
quickly. They rolled so fast from the
mouth that they blurred and ran to-
gether. why, Simon-you amt been
where l could see you. Anyway, there
was nothin' we could have done"
"There wasn't, Ell? l don't suppose
you ever thought that there's yet two
months before we can clinch this
thing for good, and young Folger
might say might-have kicking
about somewhere in his belongings
the very document we've all Of us
been worrying about for twenty
years. Simon cursed-a single, fiery
oath. But we are yelling before
we're hurt. 1t isn't worth a crossword,
Like as not, this Wegan will never
take the trouble to hunt him up. And
if he dces-well, it's nothing to worry
about, either. There is one back door
that has been opened many times t.
let his people go through, and it may
easily be opened again"
Dawes eyes filled with admiration
Then he turned and gaZed out through
the window. Against the eastern sky
already wan and pale from the en-
croaching dawn, the long ridge Of
, mountain stood in vivid and ~startlin
I silhouette. The edge of it was curl
ously Jagged with many little uprigh
points.
| There was only one person VIII.
would have been greatly amazed b
that outline of the ridge; and tn
: years and distance had obscured he
4 long ago, This was a teacher at an OIL
: phanage in a distant city, who ono
? had taken a crude drawing from tn
/, hands of a child. Here was the origina
e at last. 1t was the same ridge
covered with pines, that little Bruc
had drawn. sseSIsN,ss,ls