The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1941-02-07

guess. lady. you're nushin' UP the
wrong TRAIL Nil
There was no mistaking the finali-
ty OF that statement.
but where am to liver" / asked
as ] stared at the snow that stood so
white between the gloomy green Of
the sprucelands.
I'VE was figgerin'," he explained,
ION settin' you up in the old Jansen
shack. That's just over the hill
there behind that tangle O. spruce.
But you'd sure have some tidyin' up
to do afore you got set there" He
looked with a frown of disapproval
at my sprawl Of luggage. Bout
the best thing for you to do, lady, is
to leg it over to the Eckstrom farm
and see if they'd take you in for
day or two"
I had, however, no desire to 20
wandering about that snowy, world
asking strangers to take me in. I
wanted my own roof over my head.
And ] SO informed the morose Mr..
Bryson.
Just then ! became conscious Of
q strange figure making its way
down the opposing hillside.
1t was man carrying the carcass
OF deer, a ragged and stumbling
man with a rifle and tined head
E-above his STOPPING shoulders. II was
Sock-Eye Schlupp.
"I'n be hornswizzled il it amt
Klondike Coburn's GAL" he said.
"What're you dom back in these
parts?"
! told him why was there.
where you goin' to bunk?" he
demanded.
"They tell me I'm to live in the
Jansen shack" / explained.
They're plumb locoed," said
Sock-Eye. "You sure can't den I'D
in that pigsty." II
"I'm north born, I reminded him.
"Mebbe you are" he retorted.
But this is plumb lonesome val
ley for chalk-wrangler T. take root
In. reckon you'd better come along
my wickyup until things is ready
for you"
That. told him. would be out of
the question.
Il s'pose you know young Lander's
swingin' in with me?" he said with
the air Of an angler adjusting
gaudier fly.
That, knew, made it more than
ever impossible. "And If that jan
sen shack's not ready, I'll have to
make it ready"
Quite a fighter. amt your" he
observed.
After moments silence, he add
ed: "I'n give you hand over T.
that lordly abode o. yours"
He left me standing there, to re-
turn, few minutes later, with q
hand sleigh borrowed from the sta
ton agent. On this, with altogether
unexpected dispatch, he piled my
belongings. Over them he draped
the deer carcass, thonging the load
together with a strand of buckskin.
Lets mush," he said.
took hand at the towing line,
and, side by side, we made our
way along the trcdden snow, as crisp
as charcoal under our feet. The
valley seemed strangely silent. But
felt less alone in the world with
that morose old figure beside me.
why is Lander swinging in with
your" ! asked.
Seem this valley amt bristlin'
with hotels" answered Sock-Eye,
The deemed my wickyup good
enough for q college dood until they
could build him up-to-date livin'
quarters at the Happy Day"
"But / thought outsiders bought
up the Happy Day." / ventured.
Sock-Eye stopped to gnaw a cor
ner from his chewing plug.
'They sure did," he admitted.
"And left young Lander out on the
limb. But, as far as kin make
out, that hombre amt no squealer.
And ] reckon Big John Trumbull'u
find him as full o. fight as bunch o.
matin' copperheads. -
We went on until we came to q
solitary small figure standing knee.
deep in the roadside snow. It proved
to be Swede boy in an incredibly
ragged Mackinaw, with a blue
wooden scarf wrapped around his
waist as high as his armpits. His
eyes, noticed as Sock-Eye asked
him about short cut to the Jam
- Il