Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1935-09-26
CHAPTER V-Continued

H.
Kerrigan's eyes danced merrily un-
der their half mustaches. You're sure
the torque hasn't taken charger he
said. wouldn't like to stop off for a
cold shower somewhere down the
line?"
"Stop for nothing, subj" said Hal. II
want the Mississippi, what Ring Lard
p ner jol1ingly called the Father of Wa
tiers. 1t is out here somewhere, isn't
it?"
"Was last time I came through"
said Kerrigan, the sparkle of his look
laughing with and at Halls.
Hal had a glimpse Of Barry's face
her eyes, unpreoccupied, gave him
brief, intimate approval, and his heart
sang higher.
AS each vista gave way to another
level run over closely farmed country,
Hal grew impatient for that coming
to the rim of long plateau which he
conceived would reveal the Mississippi,
fiat and blue and broad, lying infinitely
off toward the wells Of the horizon on
either hand. Then, after they had set
tied down to what seemed another
whole country of unwatered farmland.
Kerrigan took the dead cigarette end
from his lips and leaned forward.
1.-The old fella," he said quietly; and
he added, as If he meant it to be all
very casual, "Here, let me treat you
to your first Mississippi crossing" He
reached into his trousers pocket, jim
Cling change.
They went out on the narrow track
slowly, each slanted girder flicking a
gentle echo at them, and neither Hal
nor kerrigan spoke. Halfway across,
Mrs. Pulsipher's voice hustled sud-
denly into the car: "Why, this is the
Mississippi river"
"It-it is" said John, as if she'd
walked him out of guilty reverie.
us it, Mr.. Kerrigan?"
"The original, man,"
Hal said to Kerrigan, Remember
Huck Finn and that niger on the
raft; the loaves of bread with mer-
curry in 'em floating down and can
non booming over the water from the
ferry boat, to raise their bodies"
"Gad, sir, wasn't l just thinking of
that?" said, Kerrigan-half startled,
half pleased, as if it were joint ex-
perience which he thought Hal might
have forgotten. II never cross the old
rogue without thinking of it. 1 swear
just that minute-I was nowhere
else but there"
"Then there's more than one mind
reader along" said Hal drily, a faint
check upon his full pleasure.
"Meaning?" said Kerrigan.
Hal gave brief shake of his head,
aware of Crack sitting behind him,
retrospectively aware that he had
been there all afternoon. Hal
had the curious impulse to re-
call what he'd thought and said in
that time, as you might try to remem-
Der what you'd done in room where
you find you've been watched. Then
he caught himself and shook off the
quick discomfort. Crack might sit
there as knowingly, as pleased with
private, drowsy thoughts as he liked {:
he had nothing to do with Hal or the
Mississippi or this moment.
Then Kerrigan tossed up a thick
finger to indicate the Burlington shore
where their bridge ran over the rail
way. "That belongs" he said. -Four
white ex-Pullman cars stood on a sid
ing, patiently suffered curvature
to their wooden spines, broad roofs
smoothed down over open-end-plat-
forms, window-arches gay with mar
bled glass; Along their white sides,
gold letters were painted: 'Daven-
port Bros. Great Worlds Fair Shows
Gosh Barry called from the back,
wouldn't 1t be fun to see their show?'
ut would" said Kerrigan It'd be
fun to see it, and stow away in those
cars afterward."
IT'D be- fun" said Hal, 'to do al
most anything" And in saying that
there was a separate sharing of this
moment with both Barry and Kerrigan
a thankful comfort that could put
away the uneasiness of minute ago
almost put it quite away. The night
was near now and his coming to
Barry, to the rout of fear from her
bravery, and to his hope Of Fortune
in the world.
Iowa rolled in tireless uhdulations
the road taped over them like the fiat.
healed scar of careful cut, the com
ing loops visible from each rise. The
sun went behind long, tagged cloud
in the west, edging it with white in
candescence and spreading fan OF
tapered shafts below. They crossed
the Skunk river, and rolled on over the
dips and rises toward the sinking sun
If there had been a chance of per
suading Mrs. Pulsipher to put up witt