The San Francisco call., 1896-10-18

stride, but Hester merely gave him an
absent-minded dig with her heel as though
nobody else had any right to his own feel
ings and skurried on. Sprint, who had
followed as matter of course, was hope
lessly distanced and arrived some ten
minutes later, his tongue Tapping wearily.
and not enough spirit left even to bristle
his thick white pompadour at the low bred
ours of the town.
"Oh, Mr.. Saundersp' Hester exclaimed,
plunging through a wire door that the
uninitiated might have thought led to a
tobacco-store, '.have you Carrineton's new
book, In City of the West2' I want it
so badly" Mr.. Saunders followed her
thoughtfuIly to the stationery depart
ment, which boasted table OF more or
less battered books.
Whats that?" he said. Hester re-
peated her request very distinctly in words
of one syllable.
''You want it in cloth or paper?' he
asked at last. She gave a great sigh of
relief.
'Either will do, though 1 will take
paper if you have it," she said. Mr..
Saunders thought few minutes more.
II did have two copies, but 1 sold them
BOTH" he said, finally, 81 could get it for
you by Monday or Tuesday,"
"Oh, dear" Hester exclaimed, dropping
down on a stool. Haven't you another
copy somewhere2 Do find one. 1 must
have it to-day" Mr.. Saunders looked up
with gleam of intelligence that brought
her ho pefully to her feet.
"Woul6n't tomorrow do? 1 could tele-
graph to the city for it." he said.
mo, must have it ay-Frfday-and
as early as possible" said poor Hester,
wondering what Sally Waters would do
in similar circumstances. You sold two
COPIES" she added suddenly. "Do you
remember who bought them?'' That was
an idea worthy even of the great Sally her
self. She waited patiently for Mr.. Saun-
ders' mind to catch up.
II shouldn't wonder if one was Mrs.
Hitchcock" he finally evolved. "You
know her, don't your
"Does she live across the square in that
old adobe nouse?"
"How's that?"
'Does she live in the old 'dobe over
/ there" ?"
"Oh, no. That's Mrs. Vegetables Hitch
cock. She don't buy books" with some
contempt. This is Mrs. Postmaster
Hitchcock"
And she lives-?" Hester was already
half out of the door.
"Up on Gonzales avenue.'
! That's the street by the Catholic
church?''
"How's that? Yes, you go by the
church. It's three doors from PeraIta
street. But she amt there, /" he added, as
Hester was unfastening her pony. "She's
gone East. She wanted the book to read
on the train" Hester wanted to swear.
but not being sufficiently emancipated re-
lieved her feelings with an explosive .'Oh,
dearp'
And what became of the other copy ?n
she asked, too discouraged even to notice
Sprint, who sat looking up at her over
mis- shoulder. wrinkling his coat to suggest
that girls foot is just the thing to rub
fox terriers back with
swell, now, it was either Miss Castro.
down on Martinez road-the schoolhouse
street, you know--or DR.. Morton's son.
They were both in here at the same time
and one bought some paper-I rememb ber
1t particularly because they didn't want it
ruled-and one got the book. Queer, now,
can't think which was which. guess it
was-no. | amt sure. You might try
them BOTH
'Those two of all people" thought Hes
ter, half amused and half dismayed, as
| she stepped into the postoffice for the
mail. There were several birthday letters
and packages for her, but she bundled
them into the mailbag unopened, then
turned Punch toward Martinez road as the
less of two evils. Miss Castro hated her
with an undying hatred, because Sprint
as puppy had killed one of her chickens.
Hester had been humbly apologetic ana
eager to pay for it, but Miss Castro had