White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1924-07-25
THE WOLFER
FREDERICK NIVEN
Author of Hands up" 1.-The Lost Cabin Nine"
Copyright 1928
DODD MEAD AND COMPANY

NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Bunt's. Since then he's Just been
keeping tabs on US, and we've been
watching him."
He's scared to go out alone?"
yep, and he hates to take anyone
else into his secret"
well, WE'LL" said James frowning.
Il can't very we'll deliver you a lee
ture on being good to Larry Shanks.
He's bad actor. Anything that's
coming to him can't be too bad. l
was right sorry you went and got
mixed up in the hold-up."
81 don't see Shanks taking 1t all
cad easy, though"
"You forget two things: that Shanks
is scared stiff because he knows
have a possible one coming to him.
And the other is that what he thinks
there's a chance of getting all for
himself on his lonesome he'll never
share"
"That's what tool" James murmur-
ed, stroking his beard, and then said
he: But he's got lot Of crooked
friends around"
1--WE need not come In to watch you
eating your supper" said Walt. "That
log shack over there's it store?"
Sure. That's the old original Mac
ntyres-added to during half CEN
fury till you see 1t as it Is. And old
MacIntyre's still on deck"
A sense of the newness of the West
struck Fiske. Back East the men
after whom the places were named
are dust and faint legend, or oblivion.
The MacIntyre of MacIntyres Bluff
and MacIntyre Creek was still alive!
"Still alive! Listening to his own
creek" he broke out, and James
looked at him with brightness, and
interest. Till then Walter and Mr..
James had been talking. John had
only drifted along behind them till in
troduced and then lapsed into silence
again.
That's what" said James, "a ia
nous man in his time, among West
erners. We used to hear of him some
times at Big Prairie. He went through
in prairie schooner with his wife.
Used to trap in here in the old days.
He's always around, sometimes in the
store-end, sometimes in the house-end.
There's light just lit right now at
the store-end. You can trade all
right. See you anon, then"
Walt and John crossed the creek
by the bridge where the auto-stage
had rushed on to Eagle Bend, walked
up to the long log cabin and entered,
STOPPING at the low door. Under the
vista of rafters were two stable Ian
terms hanging, making CLEANS of light
on the regiments Of timed goods,
glints of radiance on bottles along
the shelves. On the counter was a
tower of hats reaching the roof, one
set in another, and along the counter
row Of barrels which, as they ad.
anced, they saw to contain inch nails,
two-inch nails, spikes, horseshoes. A
row of saddles hung from a beam,
high saddles, pack saddles, stock sad
dies. Coils of rope lay on the floor
along one wall as on ships deck;
and behind the counter, from between
a mound of flour sacks an old man
(the celebrated MacIntyre) with hair
as white as fleece, and dark eyes that
looked as if there were little flames
in them, glanced up from file Of &C
counts or receipts he was coming.
Thrusting the spectacles he wore up
ward on to his forehead he nodded.
Good evening, sir" said the Wolf.
er.
Good evening, sir" said MacIntyre.
Then Dewar stood and rubbed the
under side of his chin and gazed up
at one of the stable lanterns round
which moth whirled SO quickly as
to seem like a revolving silver-grey
halo.
II want few things" the Wolfer
brought out
yep" said MacIntyre.
1.-TWO sacks of flour" said Walt.
The old man lifted two sacks from
the heap and laid them before him.
"One sack rice"
From the other side MacIntyre
pushed sack of rice in place.
"A whack of bacon"
The old man turned to where the
"whacks" of bacon hung. Over his
shoulder he inquired: "Trail?"
Sure"
MacIntyre selected one with a SUI
perfluity of frying fat and laid 1t on
the counter.
Sack Of BEANS"
Sack of BEANS"
"Tea-four pounds; coffee, two
pounds"
"Tea-coffee."
So they went on till, the provision
ing over the Wolfer stood feeling his
chin's under side and gazing with a
pensive expression at the still revolv
ing halo near the lamp that was of a