White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1927-05-13
DEVILTRY ON RAT ROAD
By GEORGE F. PEABODY

little harmless fun. If you don't like it
you kin go back to the wolves an
bears where you come from-nobody'll |
miss you much here!"
The lamp light shining on the trap
per's face showed it turning a dull |
red, then to fla gray His lip trem-
bled slightly and he caught it for an
instant under his white teeth, but |
when he spoke his voice WIS steady
and even.
II stay" he said, my wife styas,
my children stay, and my boy goes to
| school. And hear me-tomorrow my
boys dog, King here, goes with him.
King, up!" He snapped his fingers
and the great dog reraed on his hind
feet with his front paws on Paurs
| shoulders Almost as tall as a man
he was, and heavy ''See,' said Don
as he caught the upper lip, Tipping it
| back to reveal the cleaning teeth.
"I've seen them tear out a VOLTS
throat at one snap Now listen, you;
he'll harm no one-so long as they
leave my boy alone. The boys may
play with him, even; but let no one
hurt Davey. King goes to school to-
morrow. You'd better warn them!"
Blast you'll" roraed Hobe, his face
purple, "ifyou send that beast there
I'll XII him!"
ooh, no." replied Pual smoothly,
/, you'll not kill King! If you do-well,
in my country one seldom misses at |
five hundred yards and at thirty,
never!" He pushed the dog down,
turned on heel and strobe away.
For flash Barrett and Dole glared
into each others eyes and each read
the same thing defeat
| A moment more and Hobe spun
round. "Hey, Paul." he yelled after
the retreating figure, "Hey! We was
only jokin'. I'll go down to the school
house in the mornin'." he added as
Don Paul halted and turned around.
"You keep that cursde wolf t'home."
Gall right" agreed the trapper
tersely, "I'll give you one trial"
81 think" growled Hobe to Dole as
Don passed beyond hearing, that We'll
have to find some way of gettin' rid of |
that dog"
All went well then for time. But
daily old Pap Barrett grew more
palsy gotworse; he wouldn't go to
town, and a hunted, fear-stricken look |
seemed craven into his wrinkled face,
while a consuming rage against Don
Paul and Lawyer Judson famed hot
within his withered old heart.
"Ain't We thought O. nothin' yet,
Hobe?" he kept forever asking his
son. "Be we afraid O. that trapper?
Lordy, 1 visit was young again.
git him outen here! tell We it's gotta
be done an quick, too. Eric Judson is
back in Stony Harbor now an he'll be
hearin' about this woman"
cav, shut up!" snarled Hobe. "I'll
take care of the Pauls. I'm workin'
on scheme now thatll turn the trick.
But first l gotta get rid O. that con-
founded dog!"
1t was now February and the whole
Like country lay tight locked in the
icy embrace of winter Marshes and |
swmps were frozen deep and buried |
under three feet of snow. For days |
and days the mercury hung at zero
until even the lake itself was frozen
from shore to shore. Don Paul and |
his little family were almost happy.
The rugged weather was to their
liking and in the fur shed back of the
house hung nearly four thousand dol
lars worth of muskrat skins.
Don Paul rubbed his hands and
grinned delightedly when he looked at
his catch. "Ah, Lois, it is miracle"
he would tell his wife. almost as good
as the wilderness, and little Davey
goes to school every day"
"Ah, yes, Don. 1t is good. I am so
glad we came here. But is it safe to
leave all the fur in the shed?"
ooh, but surely" laughed the hus-
band. "Who is there to steal here?
And besides, see the big lock. And at |
night is not King in his house beside
the shed? Twenty robbers could not |
come while King is here" He reached |
down to pat the great dogs head.
But that very night strange happen
ings began in the marsh country. |
Farmer Hovey, who lived on Kelly's
Road opposite the school house, heard
a wild commotion in his pig pen. On