The Filer record. (Filer, Idaho) 1919-1930, 1922-11-09
CHAPTER v
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er Towards return, and when at last
she came forth from the kitchen, he
drew her into the old parlor, shadowy
now in the gathering dusk. and closed
the doors.
Mrs. Howard" he began, Il"
Mother Howard" she corrected. 81
amt used TO being called much else. -
Mother, then-although I'm not
very accustomed to using the title.
My own mother died-shortly after
my father came back from out here"
She walked to his side then and put
a hand on his shoulders. For a mo-
rlent II seemed that her lips were
struggling TO repress something which
strOve TO pass them, something locked
behind them for years. Then the old
lace, dim in the half light, Gained.
what do you want to know, SOM"
Everything
But there isn't much ! can tell"
He caught her hand.
There isl / know there is. L"
"S0n-all l can do is to make mat
GERS worse. If / knew anything that
would help you-if I could give you
eny light on anything. Old Mother
Howard would do IL Lord. didn't I
help out your father when he needed
II the worst wayi But I'm as much
in the dark as you. All that / ever
knew was that your father came to
this boarding house when he was a
Young man. the very first day that he
ever struck Ohadi. He didn't have
much money. but he was enthusiastic
and II wasn't long before he'd told
me about his wife and baby back in
indianapolis and how he'd like to win
OUT for their sake. IA for Newell.
they always called me Mother How
ard. even when | was a young thing.
sort OF setting my COP for every good
looking young man that came along.
I guess that's why I never caught ane
az 'em--I always insisted on darning
their socks and looking after all their
troubles for 'em instead OF going out
burgy-riding with some other fellow
and making 'em jealous" She sighed
ever 50 slightly. then chuckled. But
thar amt getting TO the point.
though. is it?"
"If YOU could tell me about my IA
thor"
I'm going to--all I know. Things
we're q lot different out here then
from what they were later. Every
where around the hills and gulches
you could see prospectors. with their |
-ads and little picks fooilng around /
Ike life didn't mean anything in the /
sorld 10 'ein. except to grub around |
I those rocks.
Your father was one OF these men. |
'Sguint Rodaine was another-they I
rallied him that because at some time
In his life he'd tried to shoot faster
han the other fellow-and didn't do 1
+. TIE bullet hit right between his
80. but II must have had poor pow
,.r behind tall Il I'D was 20 cut
-nrensh the skin and 20 straight up
his fore'ead When the wound healed.
.he scar drew his eyes close together
ite Chinaman's You never see
sgiiint's eyes more than half open
And he's crooked. Just Ike his
.,,e- Mother HOward's voice bore
, touch o. resentment. = never liked
i'm from the inmate first saw him.
mi : ,.sed him less afterward Then
got next 10 his game
Your father had been prospecting
rSf IKE everybody else He'd come
n foai ~ Kentucky gulch and was
rsinr 10 follow Il 20 the vein Sauint
NV him-nnd whaf's more. he saw
bar aosf. u looked good 70 SQUAT
nd late that night. heard him and
is rwo drinking partners. Biindeye
.ozemnn and Taylor Biil--they just
erer<r his name for the sound Of it
skiing n Blindeye's room. I'm
oman Mother Howard chuckied-
so I lust leaned my head against the
cor and listened Then few down
,sir~ 70 wait for your father when :
. came IN from sitting up half the
rhf 70 get an assay on that float
auinf and them two others was dgur-
" on jumping his claim before be I
ouid Gle On Il and all that.
well. there was q big Ccrnishman
ere that l was kind Of sweet on-and {
guess I always win be. He's been
one nov. though. ever since your IA {
,~r LEFT. cor him snd asked him 5
. h~ln. ka< Har<S xzx sssf the kind !