The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1923-10-26
CHAPTER VII


In the little strip Of forest which d.
vided the sown from the sown wan
dered two boys In earnest
They seemed to be Boy Trappers, and
from their backloads of steel-traps
one Of them might have been Frank
Merriwell, and the other Dead-Shot
Dick. The boy VINO resembled Frank
Merriwell was Raymond Simms. The
other. whose overalls were fringed,
who wore a cartridge belt about his
person, and carried Ratchet, revolver,
and a long knife with q deerfoot
handle, and who so s%tudiously looked
like Dead-Shot Dick, was our old
friend Of the road gang, Newton Bron-
son. Newton put down his load, and
sat upon a stump to rest.
Raymond Simms wal dimly con-
scfous Of q change In Newton since
the day when they met and helped Sc
lect Colonel Woodruff's next years
seed corn. Newton's mother had a
mothers confidence that Newton was
now a good boy, who had been led
astray by other boys, but had re-
formed. Jim Irwin had a distinct
feeling Of optimism. Newton had
quit tobacco and beer. casually stat
ing to Jim hat he was ain training"
Since Jim had shown his ability to ad-
minister a knockout to that angry
chauffeur, he seemed to this hobble-
dehoy peculiarly a proper person for
athletic condolences.
Newton's mind seemed gradually
filling up with new interests. Jim at
tributed much Of this to the clear
mountain atmosphere which surround
ed Raymond Simms, the ignorant bar
barian driven out of his native hills
by a feud. Raymond was Of the open
and refused to hear fetid
things that seemed out Of place In
them.
AS the reason for Newton's improve
ment In ann of living, Raymond,
out of his own experience, would have
had no hesitation In naming the
school and the schoolmaster.
II wouldn't go back on a friend"
said Newton, seated On the stump
with his traps on the ground at his
feet, "the way you're going back on
me-"
you got no call to talk hathaway"
the mountain boy. "How'm l
soin' back on your"
1--WE was goin' to trap all winter"
asseverated Newton, land nex win
.er we were goin' up In the north j
woods together"
you know" said Raymond somber- ,
y, that we CANT run any trap line ]
ind do whut we got to do to hep Mr..
7
Newton sat mute as one having no :
ejoinder. .
"Mr. Jim," went on Raymond. needs !
II the hep every kid In this settle e
riend / ever had. I'm a pore ignerant =
10Y. an he teaches me how to do =
that will make me something" 4
Darn 1t all I" said Newton. I
you know" said Raymond, that .
ou'd think mahgty small of me, IL I'd !.
esert Mr.. Jim Irwin" n
"Well, then" replied Newton, SELF p
lg his traps and throwing them II
cross his shoulder, come on with the ?
n shut upl What1l we do !.
hen the school board gets Jennie Il
'oodruff to revoke his certificate and o.
AXE him quit teachin', heyr' h
"Nobodyu eveh do that" said Ray :,
ond. I'D set in the schoolhouse do d,
18th my rifle and shoot anybody that'd lc
ome to th'ow Mr.. Jim outen the 81
~
&c
mot In this country" said Newton. Al
amt a gun country" til
But 1t orto be either a justice ken III
y. OF a gun kentry." replied the 81
ountaln boy. 1T stands to reason II =,
be n r the otheh, Newton" re
mo, 1t don't neither" said Newton pa
'gmatically. oe
"Why should they th'ow Mr.. Jim ~
ten the school7" inquired Raymond. br
int he teachin' us right?" *