Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1928-06-28

"He's down there in that tent right
back of Dawes"
"rd better wait till you come back"
suggested Selwood. appealing to
Christie.
"Come along to the Office then; I'll
give her the medicine and you two
can 60 back together"
Until the two left the Office, medi-
cine in hand, Carpy kept the talk
going. But when Selwood found him
self on the way to the tent in COM
pany with Christie only, the situation
grew embarrassing. Selwood's hard
ness of heart was fast giving way
before the innocence of Christie, who,
properly, chilled as she perceived
Selwood's attempts to warm. Alto
gether, by the time the tent fly was
reached, Selwood's fine poise had
about failed him-he was feeling uns
comfortable.
Carpy's presence was not needed to
enable him to pass on FLYERS condi-
ton. Selwood had come In contact
with many injured men, and saw at
once from FLYERS eyes that he was
more scared than hurt. Selwood lis
tened without comment to the story
told partly by Fyler and partly
through excited interruption by
Christie. Violence was all so new to
Christie, her view of it as something
too horrible for men to resort to was
so naive In the surroundings to which
she was now condemned, that Sell
wood regarded her as the most inno-
cent person he had ever met, and felt
sorry for what nights be ahead Of
her on the frontier.
He offered what perfunctory conso-
lation he could, but not being skilled
in that sort of thing, did only reason
ably well at 1t. He asked Fyler
whether he thought he could recog-
nize his assailants. Christie inter-
vened. "How could he? It was pitch
dark-but Mr.. Starbuck warned
father just the other day to be care
ful"-Selwood pricked up his ears
"he said the town is bothered every
night with men that come in in the
evening"" continued Christie excited
ly. "They rob people and leave again
before morning"
Selwood nodded regretfully. 'That
makes it hard on the local talent,
doesn't it? Well, you got off with
your life" he said to Fyler. "That's
better than some men do. I'll see
whether can find out anything. And
I'll drop in again to see how you are
coming on; hope you'll be feeling bet
ter sOOn."
Christie follower him outside the
tent and, pausiug few steps away,
appealed to aim with troubled eyes.
do you think my father will get
well?"
''Pm not doctor, Christie"-her
name came in kind of gulp, the first
time he bad ever spoken 1: to her
"but I've seen a good many men
pounded on the head" he said,
flushing little with self-conscious-
ness at the admission. eff your father
were hurt badly he'd be unconscious
and he would breathe like-well,
like a man snoring pretty hard"
"He says he doesn't want to get
well, now he's lost everything"
IF all the men in Sleepy Cat that
have lost everything were to die, there
wouldn't be Indians enough on the
reservation to bury them. He'll get
over that. Sleepy Cat money comes
easy and goes easy. Besides, I wouldn't
say your fathers lost everything;
he'll get his store back, somehow"
"And he's begun gambling, too, in
this horrible place." murmured
Christie, "and that's like death to me
Il hate gamblers
SelwOod turned red as a turkey
gobbler-where was his poise now?
"Where's your father gamblingT
he asked, swallowing, but resolved
to bluff it out.
"Oh, down in that horrible River
quarter"
IF he's taking his money down
there" observed Selwood calmly,
she's not gambling-he's just getting
robbed. If he's bound to gamble he'd
better pick place where he has a
chance. But your father ought to
know" he continued, in fair-minded
appraisement, shat wherever he
plays the chances are always in favor
of the house-that's what gambling
places are run for-to make money
for tha ownQrs0
Christie looked at him. It was as
If she were placing a wholly new
confidence in him, one that was re-
flected in her immediate appeal. 81
wish you would talk to him, Mr..
Selwood-tell him that"
Again Selwood began to burn-in-
wardly and outwardly. "It might not
do any good" he said, to hide his
retreat, "but I could at least speak
from experience"
With these words he skated as
rapidly as possible from that part Of
the pond.
I'm driving to Point Of Rocks and
Medicine Bend today" he went on.
"Tll be gone two or three days, 1T
may be. You say Starbuck promised
81