The Newtown bee., 1900-01-26


 clost as that" She had taken up her paper and was closely scanning rnde cut representing & village street.
 "'Pears like that they have boards, or somethin', layin' on the ground to walk on." She sniff9d little disdainfully. Mighty nice, think, when the groun' ain't good huff for lem. I'm goiu' to make pap tell me all bout things, an git me some more papers. Wisht could read taster.''
 She laid her paper away carefully and went once more to the door. "I kin year i'm comin' roun' the bend 7" she exclainn. ed joyfully, and went into the little back kitchen to see about her supper. Like all who are much alone, she had the hab- it of talking aloud to herself.
 That paper said her father kissed her whenst he come in. Wonder why pap never kisses me? He did onct, though, thet day they buried nam. I thought folks jist kissed when they wus feelin' bad"
 Hearing the sound of hoofs, she went to the door again just as 8 couple of me n rode up.
 Hello, Doll, all right?" the older one called out as he saw her.
 "All right, pap," she answered, and went back to her work, her mind com- pairing the sentimental greeting of father and daughter as described in the story, with this, which was usual between her. self and her father, even when he had been gone for days, as he had now.
 As the men came in to supper, her father said, with 6 gesture toward the stranger.
 "This Is Mace Stewart, Doll, we've yeard me speak of knowin' i'm back yon- der"
 Dolly nodded shortly to the rough, burly fellow, who stared boldly and ad- mirinRly at her.
 She did not sit down with them, but as she passed back and forth waiting on them, she listened attentively to their talk, from which she learned that num- Der of hcrSes had been stolen a few miles over the mountain, and that her father, with others was hunting for the thief. The guilty person was supposed to be 8 young man who had been but few months in that region and little known.
 'If we catch i'm, he'lt git finer collar than he giner'ly wears."
 Dolly shuddered as he father spoke, and wondered if the man was really guilty.
 Stewart laughed coarsely and answer. ed, "You bet Spoil his pretty baby face, too. Make i'm wish he wur at home with his nanny"
 After supper as they sat in the yard smoking, Stewart said, with knowing leer, Mighty handsome gal, that ther Doll is, am a sly oI fox you ar Bill Wade, keepin' of her SO close. Never seed her out to any of the ranch doin's.''
 "Doll's well enuff off to home besidee, she don't like the crowds they hev. Tooh her onct. down to Vincent'E-couldn' gii her to go again."
 "Curus kind of gal, remarked Stew. art. "Why, she's pretty as picter she'd be the belle of the country. Guess I'll pitch in and see if can't make her change her mind. mostly hev my way with the gals" he added with a smirk. <
 Old Wade turned on him furiously, ''Look here, Mace, dent low no fool, In with my gal. Ye know noe, I mean what I say. ain't got no use for ye 8 hangin' roun' Doll"
 "Ef yer so blamed partic'lar, ] shouldn't s'pose ye'd leave her slone like ye do."
 Wade laughed. Doll knows how to take keer of herself. Did ye think I'd brung her up like fine lady, fur sich 3 country.as this9 All sorts of toughs like you in it. Doll ain't afeard of nothin, an she's dead shot every time. B'sides, il would be 8 bold man that would interfer' roun' my diggin's. He'd hev the Eallest kind of a reckonin' to pay to me, an, it 'ud be the last job he ever dido
 "Well, ye needn't flare up, ain't spill in for fuss"
 As soon as her work was done, Dolly went to her own little room of the kitten, en. Her father had spoken truly wheT he said she did not like the crowds at the ranch frclics. Deeply ignorant as ahs was, without even the merest rudimenti of education, and with no experience oi life, her own innate refinement shrsnl from contact with the rude, cosrse nat ures that formed society around them She could read slowly by spelling hel way but without help or explanation many words were mysteries which shs had no key to unlock.
 Long after she had gone to bed, shs lay listening to the faint sound Of ths rough voices in talk and laughter, hel lmind all the while picturing tAe othel