The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1922-07-11

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"rhs Three Of Us Drove Up the Main
Street."
Robert Fairchild. A long moment
followed, In which he repressed &c.
sire to seize her and wrest it from
her, and at last
1T was about dusk one night" she
went on. Harry came in and took
me with him into this very room. He
kissed me and told me that he must
go away. He asked me If I would
80 with him-without knowing why.
And, Son. I trusted him, I would have
done anything for him-but I wasn't
as old then as I am now. I refused
and to this day, I don't know why. II
was just woman, guess. Then he
asked me If would help him. i sale
would.
HE didn't tell me much; except
that he had been uptown spreading
the word that the ore had pincheG
out and that the hanging rock had
caved In and that he and 'Sissie' anC
your father were through, that they
were beaten and were going away that
night. But-and Harry waited long
time before he told me this-'Sissie'
was not going with them.
"I'm putting a lot in your hands,
he told me, but you've got to help us.
"Sissie" won't be there-and I can't
tell you why. The town must think
that he is. Your voice Is just like
"Sissie's." You've got to help us out
Of town.
""And. promised. Late that night,
the three Of us drove up the main
street, your father on one side of the
seat, Harry on the other, and me,
dressed in some of 'Sissie's' clothes,
half hidden between them. Nobody
dreamed that I was anyone else but
the Swede-my head was tipped for
ward, SO they couldn't see my fea-
lures. We drove outside town and
stopped. Then we said goodby, and
put on an old dress that had brought
with me and sneaked back home. No
body knew the difference"
but Larsen-?"
"You know as much as I do, Son."
"You never saw Larsen again?'
II never saw any Of them. That
was the end"
But Rodaine-?"
Hes still here. You'll hear from
him-plenty soon. I could see that,
the minute Blindeye Bozeman and
Taylor Bill began taking your meas
ure. You noticed they left the table
before the meal was over? It was to
tell Rodaine."
"Then he'll fight me. too?"
Mother Howard laughed-and her
voice was harsh.
"Rodaine's a rattlesnake. His sons
a rattlesnake. His wife's crazy-Old
Crazy Laura. He drove her that way.
She lives by herself, in an old house
on the Georgeville road. And she'd
kill for him, even If he does beat her
when she goes to his house and begs
him to take her back. That's the kind
Of a crowd 1t is. Just to put a good
finish on it all, the young 'un moves
in the best society in town and spends
most Of his time trying to argue the
former district judges daughter into
marrying him. So there you are.
That's all Mother Howard knows,
Son."
She turned to the door and then,
turning, patted Fairchild on the Shout
der. ... ,,- -.t.. ,
:"Boy." came quietly, you've got a
broad back and a good head. Rodaine
beat your father-don't let him beat
you. Ands always remember one
thing: Old Mother Towards played
the game before, and she'll play it
with you-dark streets aren't exactly
the place for you"
Robert Fairchild obeyed the in.
structions, victim Of many a conjec-
ture, many an attempt at reasoning
as he sought sleep that was far away.
Again and again there rose before
him the vision of two men in an open
buggy, with person between them
whom Ohadi believed to be an effemi.
nate-voiced Swede; in reality, only a
woman. And why had they adopted
the expedient? Why had not Larsen
been with them in reality? It was
hours before Fairchild found sleep,
and even then it was a thing Of
troubled visions. 1870
d.. -. ~
Continued in next issue =,