Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1896-11-27

4
up some other plan. Pm not gong
to let you starye, ii have 10 sell
the ranch au' take you back to
New York to that boardln' n'house
OF De,mOnn\ kOse.'
The SUI was sldntlng tar past
the meridian when BurdOck met
TObe at the section line. halt
mile from home. An interesting
expression possessed the dog from
his solemn face to the Tip OF his
tail. he had never before, when
left IN charge, gone so far, and
Tobe decided at once that interest
IN the success Of his errand
brought the dog from the house.
It's no use bein' cheerful, B lr-
dock. he said, disconsolately. I've
been all over loOkin' for some wO.
man, man or boy to cook for us,
but the only ones that can cook
are off with the threshin' gangs
for the summer. But | borrowed
Mis- Saddler's cook. book, seem as
she don't cook much bat salt pork
and potatoes, an hi read up, an
try to put in some trlmmin's afte
this.
But BurdOck refused to be cast
down as he walked along beside
his master, amiably waggIng his
tail. As he turned the corner
around the cIump of cotton woods
that screened the door of the
dugout, a dingy emigrant outfit
met Tobs's gaze. Th9 weather
beaten wagon, sorry.lOoking horses,
even the battered pail hanging at
the back, betOkened dllapldatlOn.
Near by, on block OF wood beside
the doOr-TObe's faYOrite seat In
the evening, with BurdOck at his
knee-sat a woman. a better
Judge OF temininity than Tobe
could not have told, whether she
was young or old, her huge sun
bonnet conceallng her face, aud her
limp gown any yOuthfulness of
finger, as she sat with her hands
in her lap and her head dropping,
the picture of detection.
Burdock walked straight to her
side. Another dog might have
fawned on her, but this piece of
canine dignity stopped directly IN
front of her and sat down, gazing
on her with much calm and friend.
ly satisfaction. Tobe sat still for
a moment in establishment, then,
springing to the ground, he came
toward her and queried kindly.
lis there anything l kin do for
YOU, ma'amP
At the sound of his voice the
girl. fer such she was, as soon as
she raised her eyes, burst out
crying.
Yes, sir, oh, yes, if you only
WILL she sobbed. Fathers been
sick IN the wagon for week, but
Yesterday he went out of his head,
and I've got to stop, for cant
drive and hold him in the wagon.
he's asleep now, but be's been so
bad that I'm afraid to be on the
road alone With him. We haven't
any money, bat if you'll let us
stop here till he's well, we'll both
work afterwards to pay YOU
Burdock listened to the girls
appeal with apparent interest and
when her voice died away in sObs
he raised a sympathetic paw for a
handshske, and seemed quite hurt
when his offer went unnOticed.
why, yes. MISS answered TOhe
kindly. of course you kin stay.
You'll find it a rocky place, but
BuIdock am NELL do the best we
in by you. We'd better move the
old gentleman Into the house as
soon as We kin, an if you're not
afraid 20 stay here alone with
1 Burdock l'll ride over to Oordwood
an bring Doc Salter out, for may.
be it's typhoid
'AfraldF answered the girl. 'li
| can get under a root once, Pll
nat be afraid of anything. View
been six weeks cOmiu' down from
Dokots, an it was awful lonesome
at the best, but since fathers been
sick the nights out on the prairie