Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1899-08-12
A FELLOWS LOVE.
BY HENRY ". NESTLED.

ne 'ouiu uO pldit 10 eletp
old mare was handy. as ne had left her
In the stock-yard with a good feed,
and he thought he would be able to
find his way back to the station, and
return early to the drays the next
morning. II
Mr.. Hall became more and more per-
picked about Luke's disappearance.
If he had been drinking heavily"
he said to his wife, mo one would
feel in the least surprised. But the
| man was sober enough, and showed
no signs of eccentricity, so far as can
find out. 1t beats anything ever ex-
perienced. Perhaps he will turn up in
| the morning, and we shall find very
simple solution to the puzzle after all"
The morning came and went, and
day after day passed by. but no Rob
ert Luke appeared.
The mounted police. with the black
| crackers, secured the country for over
thirty miles around, and left hardly
a rock or patch Of scrub unsearched.
Every building on the station had
! bNNh t1o"lHSNs anu lutlc lt-
NAMED Tom Baynes' hut to visit.
Baynes was the first to suggest that it
should be searched.
There's been a lot OF talk, know.
sir" he said. about my wifes shutting
herself up so. Poor thing, she can't
help that-I wish she could get about
SO should like the sergeant to satisfy
himself that Luke isn't in hiding
there,"
Nobody would be foolish enough to
suppose he was, Baynes," replied Mr..
Hall. smiling at the young mans anxi-
ETY.: but We had better as you say.
look everywhere while We are about
it."
Mr.. Hall had really a secret desire to
behold this hidden treasure In the way
of wife, who was so persstently shell
tered from the vulgar gaze. Accord
ingly he made one OF the party to ex-
anime the hut.
When the troopers knocked at the
door, 1t was standing little way open.
Come in" said low voice.
Half-sitting, half-reclining upon the
bed which occupied one corner OF the
one room the hut possessed, dressed
in the ordinary printed calico gown
OF working woman, a shawl over her
feet, and some needlework on which
Mrs. Baynes. Her jet-black hair was
neatly smoothed in front and braided
at the back, and her pale face and
nervous manner denoted the invalid
She wore colored spectacles
Very sorry to intrude. Mrs. Baynea,
am sure" said Mr. Hall, but we
are compelled to search everywhere for
this lost man. Your husband has no
doubt told you about it,"
Yes, yes" replied Mrs. Baynes. eft
seems very strange that he should
have gone on like that"
What a nice woman" thought Mr..
Hall. land good-looking one, too.
It's 4 thousand pities that she should
be broken down. No wonder Baynes is
careful Of her" Then he said aloud.
III we were only certain that he had
gone of somewhere. ii would be sat
isfactory, but We can And no traces OF
| him anywhere. Besides, 4 man does
not run of In the middle OF the night
: without his boots, leaving two or
| three months vases behind him, un-
| less he has very important reason
for doing So
There was very little for the sergeant
: to inspect in the hut-a deal table. two
rough benches. the bed upon which
, Mrs. Baynes reclined, and which had
. M hangings or drapery upon 1t that
, could conceal anything, and one or two
small boxes containing clothes. These
, articles made up the entire furniture
= OF the apartment. The walls, which
I we're Of roughly -hewn slabs nailed tc
the frame of the hut, were carefully
papered over with old Sydney Mornins
Heralds, while the two small window.
frames were covered with calico.
A hut which is built for the dual pur.
! pose OF cooking and sleeping in gen.
. orally has a large fireplace which en-,
. one had this. and upon the hearth
there blazed = iog-hre, beneath . ket
tie which hung from an iron bar.
Altogether the visit to the hut did
f. not occupy above ave minutts.sHF
The sergeant declared himself salts
fed. and Mrs. Baynes. rising from tn,
. bed. begged Mr.. Hall to stay and &C
J cept of some tea.
The kettle 10 already on the boil
SIR" she said.
Pray do not disturb yourself, Mrs
a Baynes." the squatter answered. as sh,
4 stood up. I'VE are too sorry for hav
ing had to come at ALL" ~ +'A
e When the search-party had with
. drawn, the sergeant remarked to Mr.
Hall ~ @d na
t That's the woman. 1 suppose, I'v'
J, heard SO much talk about-the on,
n people said was mad and shut VI
herer'
n Il dare say" replied Mr.. Hail. "Peo
d pie say all sorts OF things. She's tn,
cooks wife, and is a hopeless invalid