The Valentine Democrat. [volume] (Valentine, Cherry Co., Neb.) 1896-1898, 1896-05-21

Mrs. Melville patted her lace-and-rib-
bon breakfast-cap down securely, took
a long breath, arose, walked resolutely
to the kitchen door, opened it, passed
through, and closed it behind her.
Melville and Richie listened. Mel
vile leaned back in his pine Q. NJ. chair,
with his ear bent toward the kitchen;
Richie scraped salt into little ridges
on the cloth with his knife. They could
hear the droning of Mrs. Melville's
voice, then a pause. She commenced
and paused again, and yet a third time,
her voice rising a little higher at the
last. But Sing was worshiping the god
of silence.
After the third venture Mrs. Melville
came reluctantly out and resumed her
seat.
"Well?'
well, / told him."
Eyes, we heard you. But what did he
do?"
He didn't do anything-much. He
just didn't answer"
Did he turn his back on you?"
"WeIl-yes."
I'm short, he didn't pay any attention
to you"
Il suppose he didn't"
Melville took a biscuit, and passed
the plate on to Richie. What the dick
n is one going to do about it?' he ask
ed of the opposite wall.
'If we were only nearer some town
or the railroad, we might get some me
else. But if we let Sing &C, it may be
months before we can get anybody else.
| wouldn't mind cooking for you and
Mr.. Richie so much, though it's pretty
hard work, but l actually can't get up
a dinner for the inspector-general and
his staff, and serve the dinner, too"
A pan went claShing and gathering
along the kitchen floor. Mrs. Melville
sighed, Melville grew f%iercer, and Ritch-
lie devoted himself to the mackerel. The
SCATTERING of a china dish broke the
stiffness. That's SIX" breathed Mrs.
Melville.
This time Melville bit his under lip
as he put his napkin on the table beside
his plate and pushed away his chair.
"Oh, Austin, you'd better not co.
ventured his wife, mildly.
He made no answer, but strobe to the
door and passed through. Richie re-
sumed the salt scraping, and Mrs. Mel
vile graSped both arms of her chair and
held her breath.
At first there was only the rolling Of
Melville's deep voice, then the sound of
a sudden scuf1e. Mrs. Melville gave a
smothered scream and started up. "Sit
down." commanded Richie, pushing
back his W chair, but keeping his
seat. Mrs. Melville sat down. There
was nlya %momentary scraping of boots
and Chinese slippers in the kitchen,
then a series of thumps down the back
steps and the scratching Of gravel, also
a low, broken murmur from the yard.
81 guess" remarked Richie, calmly,
''that I'll go and see who's underneath"
Mrs. Melville did not attempt to move
again, but she watched the second lieu
tenant ~anxiously. He strolled to the
window and stood there, one hand in
his trousers pocket, the other stroking
the mustachios.
'Well?" ventured the young woman,
finally.
Richie turned around and came back
to his chair. Il guess Melville's doing
about what he said he would-breaking
head"
Weak cries like those of a little child
came up from the backyard.
is that Sing?" asked the lady of the
house.
1T doesn't sound much like Melville"
At the end of a couple of minutes Mel
vile went past the window and in at
the side door, and a little later he came
into the dining-room by the front en-
resumed his seat. The shuttle
of Sings slippers could be heard in the
kitchen. The adjutant, despite his
smoothed hair and newly brushed coat,
so ruff1ed as to temper that his
wife wisely refrained from speech.
Richie was holder. HAS the police
party got to come around and pick up
the pieces?"
NO; l guess he's whole"
rs he a little more reasonable?"
"Oh, he's doing the lamb act now
"Tell us about it, AUSTIN" begged
Mrs. Melville.
Il just told him he'd got to stop his
- nonsense and behave himself. Of
course l didn't want to say anything
ugly to make him madden. He mutter-
ed that he'd go, or something like that, |
and he flung the dish-towel in my face.
[ was a little riled at that, but I don't
think I'd have done anything except
kick him out, if 1 hadn't remembered
he dinner. 1 knew he had to be pounded
into staying. So 1 pounded. That's
ALL"
Mrs. Melville flew into the sitting
room a few hours later.
"AuStin, he's vamoosed!"
Melville stood up, put down his news
paper, and knocked the ashes from his
cigar. I'll get him back" he said.
"How?"
Send a detachment out for him and
bring him back"
So Mrs. Melville watched and waited