The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1923-12-05
CHAPTER l-Continued.

She glanced away along the distant
windings Of the road.
"When men Of the woods ride out
yonder, they don't come back. Ken
didn't"
The mans eyes searched her face
for some hidden meaning in her words
apparently did not find 1t.
~ amt amin t let the big worl
out yOnder swaller me up like 1t did
Ken. Some fiatboatmen told me yes
terdy there's a wagon train maxim
up In the city for the gold diggins
In California. Y'u know, when bound
boys times out, the man he's bound
to most gener1y starts i'm off with
q boss and saddle and bride. Pap
Simon said he fg'r'd on givin' me
GraylOck.
Il low well jine that wagon train
Graylock and me. And when we find
gold, we're-comin' back"
He stole a shy look at her. She
dropped her eyes.
You'll frget the Flatwoods when
you've found-gold."
He seemed to search her words
again for some meaning that he wished
much to find. But her face was very
thoughtful and turned aside.
"F"rget the Flatwoods! Where else
In the world Is there sight like that?
The minute I've got money enough I'm
COMM back. I'll buy the homestead
back rom Pap Simon; finish the
house; and then"
An arm unconsciously reached to-
ward her. The movement brought the
red-roofed cottage into his line Of Wis
lon-the red-roofed cottage. where lay
q paper that bound him to servitude.
He drew his arm back; crushed his
hat rim in his powerful fingers.
Down by the rivulet in the barn lot
the geese honked and clapped their
wings. The sound aroused the man
from the half bitter mood and he
glanced at his companion, to find her
eyes upon him.
Jack" she hesitated; do y'u
spose it could be the red lock that
made Ken act like e did,"
The question was so at variance
with the mans trend of thought that
he was long time considering it.
st amt the red lock-" he finally
answered In his slow way, tits the
drop Of blood that come along with it.
FIR that matter, though. every man
gifts bad drop r two out of the past
But them bad drops can be overcome,
10 olve no
with Ken was it didn't pear like he
wanted t. buck ag'in' his"
1.-THE curse of Colin,'" was the
girls musing comment. 'F'r hundreds
Of years-ever sence the days of Red
Colin the old sea pirate-it's ben
generations. 1t alw'ys worried Ken
that 1t broke out on him. I've some
times thought it would "a ben better
If he'd never "a found out the mean
In Of that red lock-that it was the
curse Of Colin"
"Thats It," he commented. Il low
Ken f1g'rd the curse had I'm anyhow,
and so It wasn't wo'th while t buck
ag'in It."
Mother KEEP the lock cut off, y'u
know, till Ken was big enough t notice |
1t himself. After that he alw'ys KEEP |
1t combed under SOS 1t didn't show.
l don't reckon anybody In the Flat
woods but you and me and father
know'd e had It,"
YES" the woodsman interrupted,
"ol' Uncle Nick Whites knows. But
that's as good as sayin' it's dead and
buried. Nothin' ever gifts a-past Uncle
Nick's jaw"
He grinned, pushed up the mop Of
tousled hair that fell over his brow
and pointed to scar.
That's where Ken struck me with
Is whip han'le the day l found out e
had it."
The girl ran her slim fingers over
the scar.
"And he cut me with the whip
b'cause l flew at i'm when e done it,"
"And then l hit i'm with a rock
b'cause e cut you"
The girl shivered.
Il thought he'd kill y'u that day."
The said. His hat fell off, his hair
was mussed, and y'u know how awful
t made i'm look when that red lock
worked out and fell down over is
'yes-wild and savage and terrible;
Ike OIL Red Colin must "a looked.
lie jerked y'u up and drawed the butt |
u IL whip-mercy 1t makes me
hiver t think about it. But he only
and wild-and let y'u
o."
A smile crawled across the bold
eatures Of the woodsman, narrowed
10 eyes and pinched out two queer .
title wisps Of friendly frankness. q
This amt Fourth o. July. mr. o
'hrb'mas, mr. nobodys weddin'. How r
sne the sceneryT He reached out u