10

DALLAS GALBRA1TH.

of bass into the lilt Galbraith was whistling. With the relief his own boy ishness awakened and the habitual pro pensity to do something kind, he left

Galbraith squatted on the ground with his ants, and hurried on to a little wooden shanty, which was set down, like

all Manasquan houses, in the middle of the cedars. “ The little chap’s been at work since dawn. I’ll build his fire for him," push ing open the door and going in. In a few moments a pile of wood was crack ling on the hearth, and George, rubbing his hands, came out, and waving his hat to Dallas, who came slowly up the path, turned off towards the far farm-houses. In a moment, however, the boy was

UANUARY,

now; when he was down with the scar let fever, nobody would serve him but

• Dallas-Dallas.’

So I sent for the fellow, and HI say this, that under God he saved the boy. There be no woman about our house, you know, and he took the place of one. Still, I thought I’d mention the queer stories to you. You’d best contradict them." “ You are very kind.” But N oanes remembered afterwards that he did not contradict them to him, but remained gloomily silent during the remainder of the drive.

CHAPTER II.

panting after him. “ That was downright good in you, Mr. Laddoun. Come back and eat your supper with me. I’ve made a broiler for crabs, and it‘s famous ; you ought to taste them these cold nights,” pulling at his coat while he spoke. H I can’t, Dallas ; I’ll send some of the boys down, though.” “ All right! Tell them I have the crabs.” Doctor Noanes, in his buggy, mean while had driven up and stopped. “Take a seat, Laddoun; I’ll give you a lift. That‘s an honest-faced boy,” when Gal braith was gone. “ Yet there are queer stories afloat about him,” with a side

GALBRAITH meanwhile went back to his house, and prepared to spend the evening. It was but a little, broken down shanty, that had been used by one of the Sutphens as a cow-shed, until it was too far gone for that, when he had given it to Dallas for his help in harvest ing. The half dozen boys of the village had collected and made a regular frolic of helping him patch it up, and it had been a sort of rendezvous for them ever since, as Dallas was their leader. He kept a watch for some of them now, while he put away his basket and cases in a damp out-shed, and pulled off his clog shoes, running to the door between-times to peep down the winding paths which now began to shine white in the night. Then he disappeared into the shed, and after a prodigious noise of splashing in

glance at his compani0n’s face. It was imperturbable. “ Vi/hat sort of stories?” “ That you picked him out of some den of corruption. That he has a toler a tub of water, came out with his toilette able black record, if one could see it.” made. A queer enough looking figure “ Any place outside of Manasquan is a when the best was done: no wonder den of corruption, according to the talk Laddoun had laughed, for the clean here,” with a rage which struck the flannel shirt had belonged to a much shrewd old doctor as too sudden to be smaller man, and gaped open at the neck real. “ As for Dallas, you can see for and ran up the arms, leaving bare the yourself what he is. There’s not many broad white throat and brawny wrists: men could make a place for themselves, the patched trousers, too, were cut off as he‘s done, in this village. And he‘s by the knee, and met by a long pair of ‘ won1en’s gray stockings. But Dallas had bare sixteen.” “ He’s got to be a necessary sort of some odd notions, picked up in that fellow to everybody, that’s true,” warmly. mysterious outside world from which he “ I don’t know his equal for nursing, or came, which puzzled the two or three coddling children. There be my Joe, Manasquan boys with whom he ran.