THE Kl'GEXK DAILY GV-LRT), Kill DAY, JANUARY 17. 1008
launders
T., 1, npnniG if you
l. am l utt t
H"" .. :t fhnt T
f . aM Reef. "
........ in the ground
.rtded hastily, fearful
I .h sentiment of his
tTutlncver had but one reul
I-" n man. macs nou
vol "Ju
IT ... wirsthcr over n
matter of
.mod my ra.vusu,
omen . . t imi.t.
bac6i ou u"" "',,
. , taun Ir.ieo to lilt). 08
a"' L ' " tho be(it
, m him am' casting ammunl-
JW . i n l.nrrv Still. I
i lis aame. -
-l.nf hl the cavuse 111
S". ...7 ...,.,.
4 and uo ctoum.-..
A there
, By . .
HENRY WALLACE PHILLIPS
ISO BY McCLURB, PHILLIP If COMPANY
ER IV (ConpeL)
- - 1
r
"Why. Will! What would we ever
do with It?" said she.
"Do with It? Why, eat It!"
"But we couldn't eat all that!"
Then throw what's left to the cttt.
we were, u pair of
Mint's a right
hut you'll want u knife."
In answer he ,lrew out n leather ease
from his breast pocket ami opened It.
Within was knife, fork, spoon and two
oat boxes for salt ami ponper. "You
see. I'm lixod," said he.
"Isn't that u tutu trief" dm i
iiiiiuiriiigiy,
anything."
"Sure," said lied. ".Now. good night
old lady." ne bent dowu in so not-
"Youre ready for most
cackle and the pompous crow, were In
full chorus.
"Where am I at this time?" said he
as he took In the view. "Oh, I re
member!" and his heart leaped. "I'm
(u my own home. liythe I.ord!"
He went down to the brook and
washed, drying hands and face ou the
silk neckerchief, which Is meant for
use as well as for decoration.
In the meantime Miss Mattle had
awakened with a sense of something
delightful at hand, the mcunliie of
Ural a fashion Hint Mtua l..,,l.. v.a Which esenned her for th time Ami
kissed him before she knew what she tma BDe remembered and sprang out
was going to do. of bed like a girl. She went to the
Down to the barn, through the soft w'dow, threw open the shutters and
June evening, went Ited, whistling ,et tbe stirring morning air flow In.
Mexican love song most melodiously. I TnlfJ b"0 her habit for a long
Miss Mattle stood In the half opened ! tl,ue- The window faced away from
door and listened. Without wis balm j tne road- "id n0 one could see who
and starlight, aud the spirit of flowers ' wos not on Miss Mottle's own prem
breathed out In odors. The aualnt and , toos.
pretty tune rose and fell, quarered,
lilted along as It listed without re
gard for law aud order. It struck Miss
Mattle to the heart. Iler girlhood, with
I Its misty dreams of honninoss c n in it
back to her on the wings of music. 1
"Isn't Unit a sweet tune?" she said,'
with u lump In her throat. j
She went mi Into h.,i. i-, o.i nt '
rote from home with nothing
ouarrei aiwiu; "-
ear on a rocs tnni uuy, uuu n
L ,.t von thirsty to get shot
fits serious, thinking of which I
wace to oia nine h m um
lo took my canteen uuwu iu wu
i tot some tresu v.mer. ne
mMble and we hunched lip to
aha. It ain't to my credit to
but I was worse hurt man mat
I worked him. He got the
and had to crawl a mite
If. cactus, while I sat comforta-
cause of the disagreement
.id to him that he looked like
Uand other things that an In-
idn't fee' was a compliment."
l hack and roared. "I can
turn putting his hands down -ihTs Mattle stood In the Unit opened door
Wt! and turuing oacs every
pirtiletocuss me. Turned out ion ain't going to fall down on nse
ns his cnyuse too. Feller that tue mut luvor I ask?" with mock sen
tome hail stole it from him. 1 1 ousuess.
"You shall have the roast of beef.
Tears to mo that you're fond of your
stomach. Will," said Miss .Mattle, with
a recovering smile.
"I have a good stomach that's al
ways done the right thing by me when
I've done the right thing by It." buIiI
Bed. "And, moreover, just look nt the
But this morning Red bad wandered
around. Stopping nt the rosebnshe
he picked a rose.
"That has the real old time smolf
he said as lie held it to bis nose
"Sweetbrters are good, aud I don't fo
back ou 'em. but they ain't got the
fram these fellers have."
Bud In hand, lie walked liene.ilh Ml?"
down n moment In confusion, trying to Mattie's windows, and
grasp the reality of all that had hap
pened, in the middle of the belief
that these things were not so came the
regret of a sensitive mind for errors
committed. She remembered, with a
sudden slnklug. that rhe had not thank
ed him for the necklace. Aud the mon-
he was the
first tiling her eye fell upon.
Her startled exclamation made lilin
look up before she had time to with
draw. "Hello, there!" he called Joyfully.
"How do you open up this dsy? You
look nrettv well!" he mlileil. wlfh n unfa
ey iaj even now on the parlor table of admiration. Miss Mattie had the
where be had cast it! This added the wavy hair which is never In better
physical fear of thieves. Down she order than when left to Its own de
went and got the money, counted out, vices. Her idea of coiffure was not
to her unmltlguted astonishment, $500 the most becoming that could have
and thrust it beneath her pillow, with been selected, as she felt that a
a shiver. She wished she had thought "young" stylo of halrdresslug wos
to tell him to take care of )t. But sup-, foolish for " a single woman of her
pose tne tmeres were to fall on him years. Now. with the nrettv soft hair
flils morning.'
The compliment hit so tender a place
that Miss Mattie lucked (lie resolution
'to tear It out: besides. It wns so hon
est Unit it sounded much lo"s like a
coiiipliiiiei.t t'mn a plain statement of
fact. She lent hastily o-er the tire.
"I'm glad I look yoiitr;. Will," she said
softly.
"So'm I!" he assented heartily.
"What's the sense In being old, liny
how? I'm as limber and good for
myself ns ever I was In spite of my
forty years."
"You're not forty years old!" ex
claimed Miss Mattle. "You'to Joking."
"Nary Joke forty round trips from
flying snow to roses since I hit land,
Mattle why, you were only n llttl
girl when I left here don't you re
member? You and your folks came to
seo us the week before I left. I got
thrashing for taking you nnd Joe to
the mlllpond and helping you to git
food and wet. The thrnshlnir wns on
of the things that gave mo a hanker. ot 0 "udilea the Ihix made a rush and
Ing for the west. Very liberal man Bnot out ,llto "'0 lllr' ""'I Seotty felt mapped the Bweat from Ills brow, be
wlth the hickory, father. Spare the tUt'v Wl'r" fM"K- '!! sokes!' he holding the slain pickets prone on the
clothes and spoil the skin was his Bi'5'9 t0 I'linself. 'What's next, I won- grass with thorough satisfaction. Yet
uerr J tii-n they lilt the wotcr below ho felt tired, for the day was already
wiib a kertlap that nearly telescoped hot with n moist and soaking seucoast
Scotty and sent the spray Hying. Aft- beat, to which the plainsman was un-
cr unit they went along smooth again.
Well says Scotty, 'I don't know
where I am, nor w ho I am, nor what's
happened, nor who's It, nor nothing
about this game. So far I ajn't Ihhmi
hurt, though, nnd I might Just as well
Ho down nnd get a little more rest.'
"It wiib broad daylight when ho
have to be smooth and dust light, so
It wasn't a 1 .1,1 shanty.
"Well. i!:ere came u jar nnd waked
lii'.n up. The box was rolling a little
on.l going along, going iilm.g forty
u-.l'.e an hour. Scotty lit a match anil
fraud he was In a kind of big tunnel,
but the wall was Hying by so fast lie
couldn't make out Just what kind of
tt tunnel it was. Now, he'd gone to
sleep In peace and ipilet 011 a side hill,
and to wake up and tlnd himself boat
lljllng In a tunnel was enough to sur
prise anybody. First he pinched him
self to see If It was Hunk's pie or a
cold fact; found It was a fact; then he
lit uuother match and leaned over nnd
looked at the black water underneath,
but this made the box Up so It scart
him, aud he settled down In the bot
tom again. He didn't try to think.
What was the use? No mail living
could have flgurctl things out with the
few facts Scotty had before him. AH
money 1 nnd to spend for tm
that, and not being nblu to get Mr.
Joyce to come In for a day's work
when I wanted I1I111. It's gone on until
there Is 11 go d ileal of wrack to It."
"We'll wrack It t'other way round In
no time. Cot any tools here?"
"Out in tlu'obarn Is what's left of
father's tools. People have borrowed
'em and forgot to return 'em. and
they've rusted or been lost unlll I'm
Ifrald there ain't many of 'em left."
"Well, I II get along today somehow,
and later 011 we'll stock up. Want any
help around the bouse?"
"Thank you, 110, Will."
"Then I'm off."
It was almost with n feeling of ter
ror that Miss Mattle beheld him root
up the fence. Her idea of repairing
was to put In a picket here nnd there
h'here It was most needed. Red's was
to knock It nil flat II rat nnd set It up
!n Al condition afterward. So In two
Hours' time he straightened up und
motto, lie used to make me strip to
the waist phee-hew! Even a light
breeze rested heavy on my back when
dad got through with me. Say, Mattie,
perhaps I oughtn't to say so, now that
he's gone, but 1 don't think that's the
proper way to use a boy, do you?"
"No, I don't." said Miss Mattle.
"Your father meant well, but his way
was useless nnd cruel."
"I've forgiven him the whole
sweep." said Red. "But, d n mo.
If I had n boy I wouldn't club the llfo
out of him; I'd try to reason with hlui
first, anyhow. Makes n boy ns ugly
as anybody else to get the hide whaled
off his back for nothing ouce In
awhile he needs It. Boy that's got any
life In him gets to be too much oc
casionally, and then a wanning Is
nccustotnod. A threc-ipiartcr grown
boy passed by, lounging on the seat
of n farm wagon.
"Hey!" hailed Ited. The boy stopped
and turned slowly around.
"Yes, sir," ho answered courteously
j enough.
! "Want n Job?" said Red.
woke up again, and a man was look-' "Well, I dunno," replied the boy.
lug Into tho box. 'Hello, pardnor!' he He waa much astonished nt the ap
snys. 'I hope you've had n pleasant nenrnnce of his Interrogator, and be
Do you always travel this
as be slept? Red's friends would have , flying, her eyes still humid with sleep healthful" and nourishing. Lord you'd
spent their sympathy on the thieves, j end a touch of color in her face from
It to laugh over it, hut I can't
:! slicker when I think how I
i: Injun." I
speaking. Miss Mottle had
! fmse of humor, but the Joke
ns lost on her. Her educn-
M keen that getting shot wos
j fanny.
ne rejoiced that the money was
where It was. Then she tried to re
member what she had said throughout
the evening.
"Well, I suppose I must have acted
like a ninny," she concluded. "But
Isn't he Just splendid!" And ns Cousin
'Will's handsome face, with its darlug,
kiud eyes, came to her vision she felt
comforted. "I don't believe but what
he'll make every allowance for how
excited I was," said she. "Ho seems
to understand those things for all he's
such n large man. Well, it doesn't
seem ns if it could be true." With a 1 hand.
the surprise, relieved against the fleecy
shawl she had thrown about her shoul
ders, she was lncontestably both a dis
crcet and pretty picture. Yet Miss
Mattle could not forget the bare feet
and nightgown, although they were
hidden from masculine eyes by wood
and plaster, nnd she wns embarrassed.
Still, with all the supersensitive fan
cies, Miss Mattle had n strong bnck
boue of New England common sense.
She nnswered that she felt very well
Indeed and, to cover auy awkward
ness. Inquired whnt he hod In his
I should have thought you constltu'.lon I have to support. But
Site died, Will!"
tit! For a little crack In the
v-MBed, with 6ome impatience.
must quit easy In this
7-Die notbln'. One of our
lit along and took us to camp,
ff to op and doing again In no
'Couree, Black Wolf has a game
: food, but the worst that's
lo ice Is a yank or two of rhcu-
la the rainy season. I paid
for his cayuse," he finished
lofdij.
boir."
say, old lady, look at that!" pointing
to the clock. "Eleven-thirty; time de
cent people were putting up for the
night."
The words brought to an acute stage
a wandering fear which had passed
through Miss Mottle's mind nt inter
vals during the evening. Where wns
she to look for sleeping accommoda
tions lor n man? She revolted ngnlust
the convention that In her own i:il:id
ns well as the rest of Fairfield forbade
"I had the laugh on the use of her house for the purpose.
Long habit of thought had made these
Mattle told him she thought niceties constitutional. It was almost
is noble of lilrn, w hich tribute
s medicine and shifted tho
with speed to practical utTalrs.
1 JHss Mattle how much mou-
bad and how she managed to
t Sow, it was one of the
ns dllTlcult for Miss Mattle to sny "I'll
fix up your bed right there on the
sofa" ns It would have Iieen for Ited to
pick a man's pocket, yet when she
thought of his Instant and open gen
erosity nnd what n dismal return
f Sod manners in Fairfield therefor it would be to thrust him out
pat of material matters, per- for rensons which she divined would
there was so little ma- have no meaning for him, she heroical
ly resolved to throw custom to the
winds nnd speak.
But the difficulty wns cut In another
fashion.
"TlioriCo n ltttta tmrn In ftwi Konlr.
i this and that She could not yard that caught my eye," snld Red.
ma iar with Cousin Will, "nnd If you'll lend me a blanket I'll
wuiu BUY it Wns nmltv m l It ftllt tharo
"Sleep in the linrn! You'll not do
nny such thing!" cried Miss Mattle.
"You'll sleep right hero on the sofa or
upstairs In my bed. Just ns yon
choose."
"If It's nil the snmc to you, I'd rather
not So help me Bob, I'd smother In
here. Hnd the darnedest time coming
on uuu ever w as lioieis. i.iuie w line r, , . ,!,,,. ,,
!ter In the eouimuultv. hut
ilittle, doomed to a thousand
Pry economies, had often ,
' a sympathetic ear to pour
sum uonest complaint of hat-
"ong and gave some iWnii.
uw sue knew him so very
tee few hours! Red heard
of assent, tin h.,i ....
Moas at once.
any fun skidding on the
-u ne wtien they had con
c.t "I've had to count the
half sigh. Miss Mattle knelt and sent
lip her modest petition to her Milker
nnd got Into her little white bed.
In the meantime Red's actions would
have awakened suspicion. He hunted
around until ho found a tin can, then
lit n match and rummaged the born
"Good old rose," replied Red. "Old
time smeller better suited to you than
to me ketch!"
At the word he tossed It, nnd Miss
Mottle caught It dexterously. Ited hnd
nu exceedingly keen eye for some
things, nnd he noticed the certainty
amid terror stricken squawks from the ; of the action. He hated funiblers. "A
Inhabitants, the hens.
"One, two. three, four." he counted.
"Reckon I can lust out till morning on
that. Mattie, she's white people Just
the nicest I ever saw but she ain't
used to providing for n full grown
man." N
Ho stepped to the back of the barn
nnd looked about him. "Nobody can
see mo from here." he said in satis
faction. Then he scraped together n
pile of chips and sticks nnd built a
lire, filled tho tin can at the brook, sat
it ou two stones over the fire, rolled
himself a cigarette and waited. A
large, yellow tomcat came out of the)
brush and threw his green headlights
ou him, meaowlr.g tentatively.
j person can do things right If they've
got minds that work," wns one of his
pet snylngs. " 'Taint the muscles nt
nil; it's In tho bend, and I like the kind
of head that's In use all the time."
Therefore tills small nfi'alr mndo an
, impression on him.
"Why, you could be n hnseball ploy-
I er," said he.
j "I used to play with Joe when I
! wns n girl." said Miss Mattle. smiling.
"I always liked boys' play bettor than
' I did girls'. Joe taught me how lo
throw n boll too. lie said he wouldn't
play with mo unless I learned not to
'scoop It girl fashion. I suppose yon
will be wanting breakfast." There
was a hint of sarcasm In the doubt of
think I was the father of my country
to hear me talk, wouldn't you? If
somebody'd write a book. 'What Red
Saunders Don't Know About Raising
Children' it would be full of valuable
Information. How's that breakfast
coming on?"
"All ready pit right down. Will."
"(Jo you!" cried Red. and incautious
ly Hung himself upon one of the kitch
en chairs, which collapsed Instantly
and dropped him to the floor.
"Mercy on us! Are you hurt?" cried
Miss Mattle, rushing forward.
"Hurt?" said Red. "Try 111 Just
Jump up In the nir nnd sit on the floor
where you are now, nnd see If you get
hurt! Oh. no! I'm not hurt, but I'm
astonished beyond measure, like tho
man that tickled tho mule. I'll tnko
my brenkfast right here shouldn't
wonder a lilt If the floor went back
on me nnd lauded me In the cellar. No.
sir! I won t get up! Hand me the
Journey,
way!"
"Scotty raised up nnd found his
craft was aground, high and dry no
water within a hundred feet of It
On one side was quite n little town.
" 'Say soys he, 'could I trouble you
to tell me where I am, friend?'
" 'You're nt riuecrvlllo answers tho
other.
"Tlacervlllc!' yells Scotty. -And I
went to sleep nt Cutter's mill, slxly
fivo miles from here! Whnt nro you
giving us, man?
" 'I'm putting It to you straight snys
the stranger. "Take a look around
you.'
"Scotty looked, and there was all
kinds of wreckage, from a dead beef
critter to a wheelbarrow.
"'What In notion's all this?' says ho.
" 'Washout,' snys the man. 'Cloud
burst up ou the divide worst we've
ever had your box Is about high
water mark you seo there wns wnter
enough for nwhlle I reckon you'ro
about the only thing that came through
nllve.'
" 'Well, wouldn't tlint knock you?'
says Scotty.
"While tho rest of tho folk nt the
tearing through the gulch. Scotty bad
"Hello, puts; !" said Red. "You hun- the Inquire
gry too? Well, Just wait n minute nnd "That's what I do," said Red. "You
we'll help that feeling. Like bread, ! muht Just hustle down and get things
pussy f ine cot goouiou tne morsel to boiling or I'll throw bricks through
greedily, came closer nnd begged for
more. The tin con boiled over. Red Inst two hours."
popped the eggs In, puffed his clgn- "Why, I don't believe it!" said Miss
rctte to n bright coal and looked at his Mottle.
nttmf V.A
W'n the pot and It made mo
nic worse than when I
jondor to sehool. Well,
, -a,f I"1 1J for you. Mat
J reacho,, , ana
ro,l. slapped It on the cen
. IW that h, and llmbei
ber that there's more
'itoM . Pe V0U U"'t
' tola you tiiio . ...
. Bet money
'tY'th71L,hc-",hnt
H. u't I think anything
Stflrp.1 .
r. . "' '"id
- .'U Uo."
watch by the light "Gee! Ten min
utes more now!" said he. "Hardly
seems to me ns if I could wnit" He
pulled the watch out several times.
"What's the matter with the d n
thing? I believe It's stopped," ho
growled. But nt last "Time!" ho
shouted, gleefully, kicked tho can over
and gathered up Its treasures In his
handkerchief.
"Now. Mr. Cat, we're going to do
some real eating, raid he. "Just sit
Illume voui'self nt
rooms with the walls coming In ou 1 .,,,,.. iu i.i,i ,,f ,,' i. n,,i...e
yon. Worse than rattlesnakes for keep-, hmul V l,,., , ,,., ,,,, ,vont
Ing n man awake. Reminds me of the , th(, ,.,,. r ,,,,, hl KtMlcl.olI8 sMc08i
hospital. Horse (jell on me once nd trst,.r,l:A n (:llr Klinre for tll0
smnshed me up so that I hnd to ho I cn(
sent to get puttied up ngaln. nnd I I '..w,)1:;,i: , lietu...... Kod
never HirtlCK sucn a moiiiii ns linn
since I wns born. The doc told me I
mustn't move, but I told him I'd chuclt
hlra out of the window If ho tiled to
stop me, and up 1 got I'd hnvo gono
dead sure If they'd held mo n week
more. I sieak for the barn, Mattle,
and I speak real loud; that Is, I menu
to say I'm going to sleep In tho born,
unless there's somebody a heap larger
than yon on the premises. Now. there's)
no use for you to talk I'm going to do
Just ns I say
tho windows. I've been up for the awhile to figure out whnt wns trumps,
having come l.'O feet too fast to do
much thinking. Then, 'Hollo!' he yells.
Old Scotty was a sleeper from way
back, but this woke him up.
" 'Hello!' snys he. 'Was'er mutter?'
"Jim saw ho wasn't more Hum half
awake yet, so he soys. 'Why. I was
up on the blurr there. Scotty, and, see
ing It wns such a short distance, I
thought I'd i!roi In"
" 'Aw rl' grunted Scotty. 'Make
y'self f home,' nnd with that ho rolls
over.
"Jim couldn't wait for morning, nnd,
though his leg was pretty bodly
spiiilncd, he made the trip all the way
, "No more do I, but it seems like It,"
replied Ited. "Don't you want the Are
started? Come down and open up the
house."
' When Miss Mnttle appeared ot the
door In he strode with an armful of
wood, dropping it, man fushion, crash,
on the floor.
"Skip out of the way," snld he. "I'll
show you how to build a lire."
The early morning hod been the most
desolate time to Miss Mattle. As the
day warmed up the feeling of loneli
ness vanished, perhaps to return at
evening, but not then with the same
absoluteness as when she walked
about the kitchen to the echo of her
own footsteps In the morning.
supplies. I know when I'm well off ! n,!" WI,B ,nkl"s to tl,c nlu K"und for
If you want to cat breakfnst with me. : ,llelr llvp8' wl,u ,he ,vnler "'orlng nnd
come r!t on Ike floor. I'm not going to
have my nplnn pushed through the top
of my head twice In the some day.1
"Will, you are the most ridiculous
person I over did see!" said Miss Mot
tle, and she laughed till she cried In I
sheer lightheadedness. "But there's a I
chair you con trust. Come on now.'
"Well. If you'll take your solemn;
onlh that tills one has no mustache
deceive me, sold Ited doubtfully. "It
looks husky. Well. I'll try II. Iloorny! I
She didn't give on Inch! Tills kind of
reminds me of the time Jimmy II
diil;s come back from (own nnd
walked off the edge of the bluff III the
dark. It Just happened Unit Old Scot
ty l eigiison s cabin was underneath
him. Jim took most of tho roof off
with him as he went In. He sat
I Now the slamming nnd the banging cohln. his thumbs hi his vest holes,
which accompanied Red's energetic ac
tions rang lu her col's most cheerily. "'What's (he matter. Scotty? snys I.
She even found a relish in the smoth- ' " 'Well. I wlsht you'd tell me what
crcd onth that heralded tho thrust of a 1 In the name of God went through that
splinter In bis finger. It wag very roof' says lie.
wicked, but It was also very much j "I swnllered n laugh crosswnys nnd
alive. I put on a serious face. 'Must hnvo been
Red arose and dusted off his knees. ! rock says I.
Now were off!" ho sold as the Are i "'Rock nothln'!' snvs he. 'If It hnd
'' ll'hnt in mition'H ntl Uilnf miyt he.
peacefully gone off In his little boat
down the creek und. Instead of going ;
round the troll and woke us up to tell j over the rapids, w here he'd have been i
us how he'd gone through Ferguson's ; done, for all his luck, the box ambles
roof and the old m.in nsked him to ' through the flume they was building I
moke himself at home. Next morning ! for the new mill, of course there wns ,
there was Scotty out In front of his : the Jounce over the tall race, but that I
up Into the hayloft, spread the blnn
ket on tho still fragrant old hay nnd
rolled himself up In n trice.
"I did a good turn when I came on
here." he mused. "If I hnvo got only
one rclntlon. she's a dandy so pretty
nnd quiet nnd nice. She's a marker i
for all I've got Is Mattle."
ino cm came up, purring nnu mas. , rollr What B next?"
Ing bread." Ho sniffed feline fashion , ..If ,.ou.d ,.... .... cu(r wlr. .
nt Red's face.
Too! Shoo!
do 'way, pussy! Het-
"Well. I think that's Just dreadful!" e von'rscf ,,,,. nmi we'll pound our
she, "I
"fill diJ-" rCt0rld
' 1 rou'ii , ' h-v' B1
III. 10 !
I tell
, '"'"ied.iv n xi
; nin f Tue n" ful-
sald. Miss Mattle. "I'd like to know
what folks will think of mo to hear
I turned my own cousin out in the
bnrn." Her voice trailed off n little
nt the end ns the gist of what they
might soy if he stayed la tho house oc
curred to her. "Well." she continued.
"If you're set I supiwiso I enn't object."
Miss Mnttle was not a good bond at
playing a part.
"I'm set" snld Red. "Get me a
blnnket" As she come In with this
he ndded, "Snv. Mnttle, could you let
! me have a lonf of bread? I've got a
" unpen v.. i.- .
! -.KWu ,0 ho true!"
1ir. j, '"ut' Mattie v ,ne middle of the night"
fsi.. 1Wl "Son- hA. Certolnlv! Imn't yon wnnt some
I -. "'"'ite! Thiro'. I Gutter with It? Here. I'll Dx It for you
?" iu uo 'or me." un " pmie.
ear for another forty miles. I like you
first rate when you don't walk on my
face." He stretched and yawned enor
mously. "Yes. sir, Matties all right!"
said he. "A-a o ll rl" And chnnta
Scechee Red was In the land of dreams.
Here, back In God's country, within
twenty miles of the plnco where he
was born, the wanderer laid him down
again, nnd In spile of raid nnd forny,
whisky nnd poker cards, wear and
tear, hard times and. hardest test of
nil, sudden fortune, he was min-h tho
same Impulsive, honest, generous.
habit of wanting something to eat in ,)evtl-mny-cnro boy who hnd left there
twenty-four years ngo.
suggested.
. "Sure! Where's the hand organ?"
Ho put the mill tietween his knees
nnd converted the lieuns to powder to
tho tune of "Old Dog Tray" through
bis nose, which Miss Mnttlo found
very nmuslng.
She measured out the coffee, one
spoonful for each cup nnd one for the
pot. Red watched her pntlenlly, nnd
when she hnd finished he threw In
the rest of the contents of the mill
drawer. "I like It fairly strong." sold
he In explnnntlon.
"Now. Will!" protested Miss Mnttlo.
"Ivk nt you! Thnt will lie ns bitter
as iMinesct!"
I been n rock twould have stayed lu tho
cnbln. wouldn't It? Well, there ain't
j the first blasted thing of nny shape nor
. description In there but the hole. You
tan go In nnd look for yourself.' i
"It cost Scotty one ense of rye to
make us forget those circumstances."
"I should have thought the man
would be killed, striking on the roof
that way," said Miss Matlle.
"Oh. no! Hoof was made of quaking
asp sopllug'i. Just about strong enough
to break his rail. Scotty was the
BlceiH-r. though! It wasn't hardly nnt- ,
urn! the way that man could pound his I
ear through thick and thin. He had !
quite a surprising time of It once. Hell
been prospecting round the Ruby re
fractory ore district and he en me out ;
Thin her up with milk nnd she'll bo nt Hank Cutter's sawmill Just nt sun-
'""d. drying her ' d'' waste dish washln;. I'll
'"vs. ' beef
COtrml-
show you how to fix It" lie cut the
' loaf of brend In hnlf. pulled nut a per
tlnn of the soft part and filled the bole
with butterQ Tbere we are.
nntliioj to bother with afterward.'
T
CHAPTER V.
IIIE next morning w!n Red
awoke arrows of gold were
shooting through the holes In
all rl'.-ht" replied Red.
"Well, such wasteful ways I never
did pee. Nolmdy'd think you were a
day over fifteen."
"I'm not" snld lied stoutly, "and."
down. Ilnnk's plme wns full of gold I
rushers, so Old Scotty thought he'd
sleep outdoors In penco nnd quiet !e
discovered some big Ihixcs thalIIni'k
was making for ore bins for the new
hadn't hurt him much, and after ho
j rocked In (he cradle of the deep until
j hu got beached at liacervllle.
i "'Come along, friend says Scotty
j to the feller. 'You and mo nro going
to hnve n little drink on this. If It Is
' the last net' And 1 reckon probnbly
I they mndo It two. for when Scotty got
I bnck ngaln he wns In n condition thnt
1 made everylmdy bellevo thnt he'd only
guessed nt tho story ho told. But they
found out afterword It was n solemn
fact Mnttle. give us some more cof
fee." i Thus abruptly recalled to Fairfield.
Miss Mattle started up.
I "Well. Will, II does seem ns If that
' was n dangerous country to llvo In,"
said she.
, "Oh, not so awful." said Red. "Just
ns many people die here as they do
there. This world's a dangerous place
; to llvo In wherever you strike It, Mat
I lie."
"That's so," said she thoughtfully.
"And now." said Red, pushing bnck
his chair, "It's time I git to work mid
left you to do the housework undis
turbed." "What nre you gilng to do. Will?"
"First place, there's fences and
things to be tinkered up. I see. 1
supixise n millionaire like mo ought to
hire those things done, but I'd hnve
measles of the mind If I snt around
catching her chin in his hand nnd turn- : mill, nnd ay the ground was kind of doing nothing."
Ing her face up toward him. "nobody'd damp from n thunder shower thev hnd bare lieen wnntlng to get the
.,..1 bird life, the twittering nnd chirping, i0t your score much higher than that hnt day ho spreads his blanket Insld ",a''0 1,1 K'H, "rdcr for some time,"
i the. fluent whistle anurjae waruie, i(i inur ii iuey irusieu 10 uieir eyea iu oox nnu goes to sleep. Ore bins
was a cautious Now England boy to
boot
"You don't know?" retorted Rod,
"Well," with some sarcasm, "d'ye sup
pose I could And out at the postolllce?"
The boy looked at Red, w'th a twin
kle In his eye and a comical drawing
of his long mouth.
"I culc'lnte if you cud fin' t any
w'cres 'twould be tjiere," sold he.
Red laughed. He had noticed the
busy postmistress rushing out of her
store to waylay any one likely to havo
Information ou nny subject a stream
of questions proceeding from her
through tho door.
"Say, you got anything particular
to do?"
"No, sir; leastways th'alu't no burry
about It"
"Can I buy stulT to make a fonce
with around here?"
"Yos, sir; Mr. retdgrew's got all
kinds of bulldin' material nt his store
two in 11a over yonder," pointing with,
the w hip.
"You drive over there for me nnd
get some Just llko this hero plckorn
nud posts and whatever you call them
long pieces, and I'll mako it right with
you."
"Yes, sir. How much will I get?"
"Oh, tell him to fill tho wagon up
with It, nud I'll send back whnt I
don't want Hustle, now, llko a good
boy; I wnnt to get shut of this Job;
I liked It better before I begun."
V.'hon his Mercury had speeded on
the Journey at n faster g;ilt than Ited
would have given hlui credit for the
architect strodu down to tho black
smith's shop. There wns n turgor
crowd tiian usual around tho forgo,
as (he advent of the stranger had got
Into the wind, and tho village Vulcan,
was n person who not only looked the
whole- world hi the face, but no one
of tho maiden ladles of Fnlrlleld could
have excelled his Interest In looking
the wholo world us much lu tho Inside
pocket ns possible. Tho hlncksmltU
wns emphatically a man of gossip, as
well as a hardworking, God fearing
man.
"Sny, there ho comes now, Mr. Tut
tle!" cried one of tho loungers, and
nudged the smith to look.
"Well, let hhn come!" retorted the
smith testily, Jamming n shoe ,ln the
fire with unnecessary force; as a mat
ter of fact he was embarrassed. The
loungers huddled together for moral
support ns the big cowman loomed
through the doorway.
"Good morning, friends!" snld he.
"Good morning, sir!" replied tho
bhicksmllh, rubbing his hands on his
apron. "Nice day, sir."
"For the soke of good fellowship I'll
say 'yes' lo that," responded Red, "hut
If you want my honest opinion on tho
subject It's d n hot"
"'TIs that," assented tho smith, nnd
a silence followed.
"Say, who's your crack fence build
er around here," nsked Red "tho man
that can ninko two pickets grow where
only ono grew before nud do It bo onsy
that It's n pleasure to Bit and look at
him?"
"Hey?" Inquired tho smith, not pre
cisely getting the meaning of the ad
dress. "Why, I've got a fence to build," ex
claimed Red, "nnd now I want somo
help want It so bad I'll produce to the
extent of three a day and call It a day
from now till (1 o'clock. Any takers
here 7 Make your bets while the llttlo
I bnll rolls."
Tho loungers understood the general
drift of (his nnd pricked up their earn,
ns did tho blacksmith. "Guess ono of
j the boys will help you," sold the hitter.
"Well, who's It?" nsked Red, glanc
ing nt the clrclo of fnees. Three dol
lars a day was enormous wages In
thnt port of the country. Nobody
knew Just what to say.
"Oh, well," cried Red, "let's every-
, iKxty run! I reckon I can Hnd somo-
: thing to do for tho llvo of you. Are
' you with tne?"
I "Yes, sir," they snld promptly.
I "Cnn I Imrrow a hammer or bo off
you, old uisu?" questioned Red of the
smith. (
i "Certainly, sir," returned the latter
heartily. "Take what you want"
i
(Commend Next Frlilny.)
Iiiviii.uii will douhlo their money
sail Mis. Muttle, "but what with the n PB" 11 '"7 "y "'
. - - , tracts In the Blair street additlni.
1 The city must Dulld la that direction.