Show r pr t IV j err C I ap ou r rG G o b by Irving 1 VIQI achell SYNOPSIS Exhausted d. d ranged ragged ed and starving a boy of if about sixteen Is U found in the wood woods and aDd befriended befriended- d by a camping p party Ha Hs ha has haa fled led from his brutal father Bat Morry B Sat comes after him but his new friends rienda conceal him biro Fed and In fa clean clothes clothe the boy who gives his name as Shad Sheridan Is sent on his W way 1 to Canton with a letter r to Colonel Blake Blako CHAPTER II 2 2 The Fugitive Resorts to Strategy S OON after Shad arrived at the big log camp of Mr Converse he and his guide crossed Bog lake and set out for the railroad A freight and rind accommodation train was waiting at a n flag fing station Shad got aboard and went on to Fulton ChaIn lie He was advised to change there here to the c. c express press train bound for Utica This he lie did It was the Fourth of July There had been a celebration of the day dayn In n the forest village Shad stood In Inthe inthe the he midst of a n merry throng when the he express train arrived ed After the engine had pass passed d he saw the head of his father protruding from a window of the smoking car The Theman Theman Theman man was looking Intently at the crowded platform The boy ducked downward as If looking for something something something some some- thing he had dropped He climbed aboard a car near him wondering whether he had better take that traIn rain or wait walt for tor another Perhaps his father would get off there A happy lot of bo boys s 's and girls sat around him blowing tin Un horns borns laughIng throwing Jests and mIssIles missiles missiles mis mIs- siles at one another He had never known that boys and girls could be beso beso beso so happy A little after the train I started Bat son came through the car looking for his son He I went to the tho end of the train and back bacI his big red eye searching in In vain for the boy slave Shad got out with a large band of merrymakers makers at Remsen Hemsen Suddenly Suddenly Suddenly Sud Sud- denly lIe discovered that his father fa fn- ther was walking just ahead of him with a stranger If I dont don't find the young joung devil here Ill I'll buy a bottle o 0 whisky an anut put ut f fer r home he lie was saying Ive had enough o 0 this Shad left them at the n next nest t corner corner corner cor cor- ner and went straight Into the coun coun- coun- coun try After some some som hours of tra travel el became he be came to a new mown new mown meadow b by bythe bythe the roadside where dried hay bay was cocked or In windrows He crossed the fence tore open a cock of hay hayand hayand hayand and made himself a comfortable bed of the sweet-odorous sweet grasses and lay down upon It and fell tell asleep He was up at daylight About midday he came to a little village where were a railroad station and anda a small hotel At the latter he be got his ils dinner Late that afternoon he got a train going north and arrived arrived arrived ar ar- rived at Canton about six In the morning A bus driver told him how howo to o reach the house of Colonel Blake two iwo miles from town He lIe set out In the direction Indicated IndIcated Indicated Indi IndI- and was soon beyond the village village vil vil- lage up toward the tho hills He came cameto cameto cameto to a little red house with flowers Inthe Inthe in inthe the door dooryard ard and potted plants In Inthe inthe the windows A small mounted brass cannon stood on one side of I the tho lawn lan In the road a man and I his dog were driving some cattle Im Tm looking for Colonel Clonel Blakes Blake's house said the boyI boyI boy I all wouldn't wonder If It you were also lookin for some breakfast theman the theman theman man man answered I am kind of o hungry Well hunger Is like every other good thing It can be carried too far You can let go of It as soon as I have bave put out these cattle Im I'm hungry myself Im awful hungry said the boy Ive got money to pay for what I eat Look here did you see that cannon cannon cannon can can- non In my yard Yes sir Well alWeIl I shoot It at every man that offers me mo money for victuals after atter hes he's warned I If youve you've got more moro money than you want you can ron throw some of It Into my well The Tho cattle began streaming through an open barway Into tb the pasture When all were entered and the bars put up the man turned to the tho boy hoy and said Now follow me Well We'll tend to Colonel Blake later The sun suu was up A clear beautiful beautiful beau beau- summer day had bad be begun un They washed with soap and cold water ater dipped from a it rain barrel at a stand outside the door and went Into the house and sat down at the breakfast table They ate In silence the hired girl bringing Ing their food from a stove Look here pard pan said the man Til tell you my name If ff you'll you ll tell me Ie yours Names are arc not tant but hut In high society they're a help My name Is Shad said the boy Its quite a mouthful My name Is Alson Blake Be you Colonel Blake Yes That's what they call me Heres a letter for you Shad drew the letter from his pocket and put It In the colonels colonel's hands The latter opened and read It Converse I He knows a good tiling thing tl when he lie sees It and I guess hed he'd know a good boy Blakes Blake's wife and daughter entered entered entered en en- the rO room lm with a cheer cheery greeting greetIng greeting greet greet- ing and find sat down at the table Hes lles a boy come up the road this the colonel said to his wife I hope hes he's as fond of ladles as he lie Is of flapjacks Mrs Blake was a kindly comely woman about forty years of age The blond e bhe-e eyed blue ed girl was dressed for school Th This Is girl Ruth Is our Professor Protessor of ot Fun said the man Shad had was blushing He lie and the girl had taken a quick survey of ot each other and come to conclusions The Time young oung have a special gift for that Shad thought that next to a spotted fawn she was the most beautiful creature he had bad ever seen When he be looked at her It was to discover that she was looking at him The same was true of the girl Colonel Blake saw It all and smiled In a n moment he said to the boy Well go down to the Ule office Ill I'll give you you ou a letter to a friend of ot mine over at Amity Dar Dam who told me that he wanted a boy to work In his store The colonel and the boy went out out- of It was the tenderhearted tender heart ed Impressionable Mrs Blake Blako who made all this tills a part of our history She called to her husband He lie returned returned returned re re- re- re turned to the house Who Is that beautiful boy and where did he come from the woman woman woman wom wom- an asked Hes lIes a runaway a a kind of fugitive fugitive fu tu- fu- fu sla slave c. What a shame I His smiling handsome face has won my heart I ILet's Lets Let's keep him here a day or two I and give him s a Chance hance to rest Well ask him I rather guess hed he'd like It it So It came about that the boy tarried tarrIed tarried tar tar- ried a day a and a night at the red farmhouse A new experience had come to Shad Women had been I hard to get along with He had had hada I Ia a poor opinion of them He felt something Immeasurably grateful and wonderful In the motherly Y gene gentle gentle gen gen- tle tie manner of Mrs Blake and In the beauty and grace of her daughter Ruth did not hot go to school that day She entertained the boy with the photograph photograph album album and with croquet croquet croquet cro cro- and throwing and catching a ball baIl They were pleased with all this but their Joy came from a different source perhaps from looking lookIng look- look Ing Into each others other's eyes and from froma a singular emotion quite new to them At last they sat down very tired In the swing under the big maple tree Where Is Colonel Blake BlaJe the boy asked Oh hes he's gone to town Hes He's a n lawyer Hes He's the district attorney attorney attorney ney the girl answered proudly He goes away every morning Are you going with him tomorrow Yes I must get to work Men liMen are so hateful They're always al nl- ways going to work 1 Her lIer hair was like spun gold her eyes were as blue as violets her voice was as musical and care free as the song sparrows They were yvere In that wistful stage of Joyous mutual mutual mutual mu mu- discovery The boy had found In her eyes a something which he be could not forget torget She was wiser than he for he he knew nothing of that mysterious power In the e eyes es and form and graceful movements of a maiden which had produced the singular emotion now In his breast Yet he had the soul of ot a poet Its love of beauty and Its quick perception She told him of her school and her studies Olin Oli 11 I be he said wistfully Id like to go bO to school like that an learn to talk good like you an wear shiny shoes an annice nice clothes I want to be a gentleman like yer er father and Mr Converse She looked Into his eyes saying You are an Interesting boy buy I never saw Baw an anyone one like you Id Just like to stay here he said I If I had a thousand dollars Id I'd give It to you you ou What for I dunno Id I'd Just like to That's the way I feel Im I'm not exactly sure h how w It feels to be happy I wouldn't wonder If I had go got It it I This curious variety of love mal Ing filled the most delightful day that Shad had known That e evening eve ee e- e fling ning Colonel Blake returned After supper the colonel told of his adventures ad nd adventures ventures In the wild West hunting Apaches and grizzly grIzzl bears In the morning when the boy stood with Colonel Blake by the buggy which was to take them to town Ruth called to him from the door He lie went to her Will you write me a letter she asked lIe He promised to do so She shook J his Is hand and ran away Into the house She did not even say good- good by Shad returned to the buggy blushIng blushIng blushing blush- blush blushi i Ing and smiling his was vas flowIng flowing flowIng flow- flow Ing fast tilst The colonel laughed laughe Mrs I Blake kissed her husband and the lad watch you In that store she sal said Of course you'll work hard and be strictly honest Wo love you and we ve want you to succeed Those hose were the best words that Shad had ever eyer heard He did not forget them The first timber timber timber tim tim- ber In the real structure of his life had found Its place Now for the first time happiness had come to him He was no longer a n lonely discouraged sick life lad o It He lIe was wasat wasat wasat at last fully alive I I In town the colonel bought for tor Shad a supply of shirts socks and underclothing and neckwear The males flakes had much to say of a I singular charm In the personality of the lad who had thus come to them The colonels colonel's Inquiries soon soon led to the discovery dIsco of an InterestIng InterestIng Interest Interest- Ing lag fact The boys boy's mother was said to be a n great grent ter of that brother of Napoleon Bonaparte who vho late In the Eight Eight- r 1 4 I Hope Hes He's as Fond of Ladies as asHe asHe asHe He Is of Flapjacks century had had a hunting lodge In northern New York New York and who for a n time had occupied the throne of Spain It helped to explain explain explain ex ex- plain the mental keenness of the boy and the noble shape of his head and the beauty of his countenance t t t tIn In his office Colonel Blake was not at nil all like the man Shad had met at the farmhouse He was dig dig- The rude Yankee dialect which he lie had used on the farm was dropped when he entered the office Business was mostly a serious matter matter matter mat mat- ter with him In his view the farm was a Joke and there he be played A Apart Apart Apart part of ot his play was the rude dIalect dialect dialect dia dIa- lect of the tile countr countryside He took Shad to the Inner office and calling a n stenographer to to his desk dictated a letter of introduction Introduction i tion for tor the time boy to Mr EphraIm Smithers of Amity Dam When I the letter was typed and signed he put It In Shads Shad's hands saying Take a train to Ashfield at eleven en When you get there inquire Inquire Inquire In In- quire your way to Amity Dam It i will be bo a mile five walk for you Have you money Ive got twenty one one dollars In my i pocket was the proud answer of of the boy Mr Converse give It to me 1 Keep It a secret and hang on to It Good I The boy had almost two hours to spend before train time He walked around the village to him a wonderful place with its Us town hall halland halland halland and houses and stores that looked large and Important He had never written a letter Ho had seen only three or four letters In all hla his life I dont don't know how Id I'd go to work to write a letter he said to himself Im too Ignorant Ive I've got to learn something Ive I've got to The store windows Interested him It Is significant that he lie should have stopped longest In front of a book bookstore bookstore bookstore store gazing wistfully nt at a lot of books The merchant observed him and came out with the familiar query Is hIs there anything we can do for you I want to learn a lot o 0 words I dont don't know Soon he had bought a n pocket dictIonary dictionary dictionary dic dic- a n small diary a lead pencil pencIl pencil pen pen- cil and a cheap watch With these treasures he went to and began at ot once while he was waitIng waiting waitIng wait- wait Ing to study the dictionary Ho lie arrived arrived ar or ar- ar rived at Ashfield and learned his way to Amity Dam The day was far spent Mr Smithers read the colonels colonel's letter lie He was a n bearded beard beard- ed cd solemn looking man of ot middle age with a gentle yoke olce that softened softened softened soft soft- ened the price of ot dry goods and won the confidence ence of women omen Ill give you rou a trial he said Ten dollars a month and board Is all alJ I can pay puy you Shad agreed to these terms Sit down here and rest yourself yourself yourself your your- self sold said the merchant of Amity Dam Well go home about nine After Arter Shad rested a n. while Mr Smithers showed the boy his establishment from cellar celar to garret It was the usual country store of that time Mr Smithers wrote out forthe forthe for forthe the boy n a list of his many duties Before they went home the merchant merchant merchant mer mer- chant gave ga Shad a lesson Jesson In n wrapping wrapping wrapping wrap wrap- ping packages Mr Smithers lived In n a frame house near the store His wife was wasa a kindly haired gray woman With Witha a candle condie in her hand she led the boy to his room above stairs where she lighted a small lamp and put It on a little table at fit his bedside I I Two books lay on the table One of them was the story of Toby roby Ty Ty- ler He lIe had learned to read but buthe buthe buthe he had never ne read tiny any ny book savo save the First and Second Readers Before Before Before Be Be- fore he lie slept he made this entry In his diary I hI love I Kurnel urnel Blake Bloke an all ll his folks Walked from Ashfield to the store In an hour and 20 minutes It was an entry of ot greater importance Importance Importance Im Im- than he lie knew The da days s 's were filled with Joy forthe forthe for forthe the homeless lad He was quick to learn He enJo enjoyed ed his work One day a tall brown bearded man entered the store Shad was alone talking with a boy known In Inthe inthe the tho neighborhood as Bony The Theman Theman Theman man had a serious face and a brisk manner Hurry up boy and give me a n pound of the best tea he com com- He Ho paid for tor his purchase and ond hurried out of the store This stranger was not like any other person Shad had seen In Amity Dam Who Is that he Inquired of Bony Dony That sir Its It's Cyrus Doolittle We call him Cyrus the Great He hurries more an does less than any man I know of ot Hes He's a politician Hes He's |