Rockingham post-dispatch., 1922-11-02
A =
Touch of Realism
BY JOHN PALMER

per, tie foreman. If that burned lii
tie snoop, Mr.. Oddington, wants to see
real movie life in Shewanee Camp, |
guess we can furnish it,
That's what tn boss was Sayin
yesterday" said Hans Luke, the
sawyer.
Sure, an that's what Mabel Jones
was a-laughing over" said Pete
Blanc, the toploader.
The foreman frowned. Mr.. Odding-
ton, the young novelist, had come to
Shewanee Camp in search Of mate
rial and had been looking for battles
with wolves, desperate villains, kid
napingS, and SO forth, and had open
Iy expressed the opinion that lum-
Der camp was about as quiet as
country town.
The foreman and Mabel Jones the
boss daughter, had not been quite so
friendly of late, and the foreman had
wished that Oddmgton fellow out of
the way. Once or twice Bill Jasper
had seen the pair together.
ITS up to you. Bill" said Mr.
Jones. "Thcre isn't man I'd rather
see Mabel marry than you. But
you've rot to settle your own account
with Mr.. Oddingtou."
1t was framed up in the bunk
house. All the men were sore on Mr.
Oddlngton. They didn't mind the lit
tie man coming to camp to study their
life; but they did resent his sleeping
out under patent tent because he
was suspicious of the bunk-house, a
new structure as clean as any hotel
in the country.
SO the stunt was to be pulled Off
the following Sunday French Charley
and Bill Jasper, mulfied In furs and
masked, were to be the villains. They
were to dash into camp, hold up the
place. and kidnap Mabel Jones. The
stableman, Herman, had kindly con-
sented to the loan of two of the
horses.
OF course there was to be gun.play.
There were several guns and rifles
in the camp, and the boss had a re-
volver, which he used for target prnc-
tice. Two more were dug up from
the bottoms of trunks.
If Mr.. Oddington didn't rise to the
occasion. Mabel Jones, it was antici-
pated, would swiftly lose whatever
interest she had in him. If he did
we'll, there was Bill Jaspers hope of
settling an old score.
Mabel, Of course. was not to be told
what was transplring. She couldn't
be trusted not to tell that Oddlngton
fellow. Her father sw0re that lie
would keep the plans secret.
II bet va dat Oddington fellah
showse de yellah streak, all right. all
right" opined Hans Luke.
There was little sleep that Satur-
day night Into the small hours the
iumberiacks waited for the appear
ance of Bill Jasper and French Char
ley in the sleigh.
1t was four O'Clock In the morning
when Mr.. Oddington was awakened
from his patent tent by howls, oaths
and blood curdllng screams.
Dashing out, he perceived a sleigh
drawn up in front Of the boss house.
In it a ferociols furred and masked
figure, with revolver in either hand,
was holding at bay score of lumber
jacks. who. with hands high above
their heads, were edged against the
bunk-house wall.
keep 'em up!" yelled Bill Jasper.
Then from the boss house ap-
peared Frenchy Charley, carrying the
apparently unconscious form of Mabel
Jones in his arms.
II got the gal!' French Charley
yelled. kiss her good-by, boys; I'm
takin' her to Gods country, where
he-man's got red blood"
Somehow, In the momentary pause
that followed, all eyes were turned on
Mr.. Oddington.
Run? No. The little man leaped
forward-and as to what happened
next all the various accounts only
agreed that it happened quicker than
any one had expected.
Bill Jasper awakened q few min.
utes later with lump the size of a
pigeons egg on his jaw. French
Charley opined that one of the horses
must have kicked him. But anyway,
the two were on the ground and little
Mr.. Oddington was In the sleigh with
Mabel. driving like fury along the
road, and pausing every now and then
to fire shot toward the camp.
Half an hour passed. Hes gone
plumb daft with fear,' opined Hans
Luke. II, seen 1t take man that-a-
way sometimes. Makes 'em act kinder
reckless"
An hour passed. Morning came. 1t
was middle afternoon before the
sleigh came back and drew up in
front of Mr.. Jones house.
did you get rid of the bandits?"
asked Mr.. Oddington. tr
"Why-yes, l guess they're all gone
now," said the boss. "Where have
you folks been all this timer"
"NVhv ,rueSSeu MnhaI o,Vhf RI