Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1924-01-17


She was talking fast. In low and
hurried whispers. Apparently she
fancied that her words were not max.
ing the full impression she wished,
for she drew still nearer--so close
that Jack could hear the quick purr
OF her breath.
you amt skeered--r' She stopped I;
stood studying him: "But. Of course.
! don't reckon y'u would be--a man
like you. But please b'lieve me. an
heed me. The woods has eyes; the
night has knives" She bent her
head: she seemed struggling with
some inner thought. '-That-third
man." she muttered. he waits an
bides bis time, an when he strikes. he
| kills"
She whirled on the instant. like
some startled creature Of the woods,
and was gone. He strobe a surprised
step after her. even called softly.
There came back 10 him only the low
swish OF the bushes and the soft fall
Of receding steps.
Like shadow the girl--a far wan
derer from the Kentucky mountains
had come; like u shadow gone. One
moment the swaylng bushes had fiared
forth her face, with Its startled eyes,
the next moment had swallowed II
up.
The woodsman came back TO the
edge Of the road and stood pondering
her message-her warning; felt over
In his careful way each hurried word;
tried to cast them up and arrive at
the exact sum total of them. The
thought crossed his mind that she might
have been wrought up ever an imagi-
nary danger; but no, II was real enough
that she had dared personal harm to
warn him-and her eyes were honest.
That the man who had glowered at
him over the log was In some way as
ISOLATED with Loge Belden he had al
ready surmised from the fact that the
man had taken up Belden's quarrel at
the schoolhouse-besides, his trail had
led that way But the utmost Of
their combined grievance could hardly
warrant such threat as the noun
tain girl had plainly limited. There
must be something back Of Il ALL
something that cut deeper than CACHED
hands and sore jaws.
The girls last muttered words
that third man" that waits, an
oides his time, an when he strikes. he
kills"-suddenly assumed deeper
meaning. He darted quick look
down the hollow--a deep scar wind
Ing like the trail OF dragon between
the hills-where, more than a mile
away, hidden from view by the dense
woods. the village lay like some hap
less creature that had barely escaped
the dragons jaws: then frowned to-
ward the narrow valleys head where
the northumberland roof Of
squalld cabin could barely be seen
through the trees. A slow sternness
crawled into his eyes; he dropped the
butt OF the shotgun to the leaves;
leaned upon II and stood staring
down at the road.
Gradually. as he stared. there grew
upon him the consciousness Of an out
line Of a single footprint at the other
side Of the road-detached. alone. apI
parently with no mark OF any kind
leading either to II or from 1t. The
singular fact of It's seemingly perfect
isolation slowly reached him, and won
a place among the troop Of thoughts
thar gripped him.
He studied IL closely moment,
grunted and then grlnned.
uncle Nick" he muttered. Heel
deepest-he's Jumped-where from7-
He glanced al the other side of the
road where the take-off must have
been to land leap just there and
after a short search found where the
old mans boot had scraped the moss
little In making the spring.
admin rr that slab of sandstone"
he chuckled. his eyes losing a mite of
their hardness fell bit shy and
landed in the soft dirt--mlghty good
jump, at that, fr man with eighty
odd years ON Is back"
STOPPING again over the isolated
footprint, he examined II with closest
attention, trying at the same time to
call up all the lore OF the trail that
the old ranger had taken such pride
In teaching him-the wise and won.
derful ways OF woodcraft that he had
taken an equal pride In learning.
until, next to Uncle Nick himself, he
was known TO be the most skillful
woodsman along the Wabash. As
he looked. a grass stem that had
been bent down and slightly hung In
the soil suddenly loosed and straight.
ened.
"Hot trail. oil scoutmaster." he NUT.
tered. In the half spoken soliloquy that
nature sometimes teaches her favor.
ties And there y'u 20. pickin' y'ur
steps SOS e hit the hard spots and
miss the soft ones
A sudden thoughtfulness crossed his
face. Il wonder why y'u're so p'tic'.
lar e hide y'ur trail. though-there
amt no Pottawattomies e ind Il no
more. Mebbe the woods jIst Oiled y'u
q full this wonderful morning. IKE
they have me, that y'u can't help
plsyin q while at the oil war game of
the trail Well III play with ~
and I'll run yu down b'fore the
shadow Of the bluffs climbs out Of the
criek."
After a searching glance In every