The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1922-12-15
week, lacking one day. You have set
dooynsdny for nv return"


door. and down into the fringe of tall
cane ne went. parting his v'ay to the
canoe that lay nosing the messy bank.
Only now that she was gone and
night had come did he remember--re-
member that this girl who had be-
witched the swift minutes with him
was the daughter of his sworn enemy
Stepho Ia Yltte.
voice called him as he was ours
Ing himself for a traitor to his fathers
memory. On point of land he saw
three men standing. One OF them
beckoned him. and he turned In to-
ward them. One of them spoke:
"WouId you he kind TO set us
across? The night he comes. and we
| would not be lost in the swamp. We
will get to the river. Would you,
| pleaseT
"Yes, but don't know that my ca
noe will hold four We may get
ducking."
He pulled alongside and steadied the
canoe while they got In. Now he pad
died carefully. The man who had
talked. and whom the other two adj
| dressed as Toner. requested to be set
| on bushy shore where the water was
so shallow that the canoe was almost
stuck In the ooze. With his paddle
| brace propped his craft steady. for
/ them to get out. Toner got out-and
| with the quickness of cat snatched
rope from beneath his coat and
threw moose about Braces arms.
Then the two men in the boat threw
| themselves NJ on him. There was a
hard struggle in the canoe and then
out into the water but they brought
him ashore, wound about with the rope
Now they made haste to tie him Sc
| curely. The canoe was dragged
ashore: Drace stretched out In 1t. and
now they took II on their shoulders
and FASTENED through the tangled I'M
derbrush. lie had fought hard. but
had not cried out. But as he was
carried along. he swore bitterly at
himself for not looking at first with
suspicion on the brutcs who now had
him In their power.
"Ah. you would steal about AMI
spy" said Toner. "But you steal about
no more. The carpetbaggers. they say.
You braveT and you say. Yes. l am
brave Then they say. You find old
Stepho.' And you 20 TO find him. He
Is not Mt home. But his men. they
come just In time"
'sYou are liars. was"
"Ah, you come with the joke. To
morrow. we will laugh. VIII you? No,
you will not laugh"
Drace lay quietly Juggling at the
ropes that bound him. If he could
spring out free. what a scattering he
would make of them They stopped,
entering some sort OF doorway. and
rested the canoe on the ground. Toner
lighted candle. and brace saw-tb;t
he was in an old cabin. almost ready
TO fall. They rolled him out on the
floor. face down. and beneath his arms
they passed the paddle of the canoe.
SO that he could not turn over. Then
the others went out. leaving Toner
holding the candle.
"Does the kind gentleman know why
they gone? They go TO get the dry !
PUSHES and the dead bark. For why? |
To make the fire. It Is not cold, no?
But they will make the fire of the cab
in. and when the morning come. there
will be the ashes Of the kind gentle
man; and the people they Will say:
.Ah. he lie down to sleep. and burn
up"
Drace heard them pilIng their muir
derous fuel Into a corner. Again he
appealed TO them, tried threats. told
them that his friends would hang
them; but they laughed, Toner bend
ing over him with the candle.
'sIn few minutes light the blaze
and take the candle away You
talk of Stepho's daughter. Remember
she may love me some. too"
"You Spanish devil !"
.sThe kind gentleman he come close
I'm Portuguese. But no matter. When
Stepho come. we tell him what we do,
md he pat us on the back and give us
money. But the light would hurt the
kind gentleman's eyes when he lie
that way on his Jaw. I Will not stoop
50 low with the candle -. Oh. whit
n fine pile they get II will make the
blaze beautiful. All ready. yes? | viii
touch II off.
Drace could not see him. but he
heard the first crackle OF the dried
-ushes. saw the flame dim the candle |
light. Now he cried aloud. the men !
laughing. the mounting flame crack
ing louder. Toner came back to him.
1--WE leave you now. You will not
need this candle to light you to bed:
20 I blow II out, see? And take II
With me-"
They hastened out, and he heard
hem laughing as they ran through the
lnderbrush. With all his harnessed
night he strove TO break the paddle so
hat he might roll toward the door. hut
was strong, and he broke only the
In of the blade. louder cravklirg
old him that the dry boards above
we're catching. Soon the roof would