The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-09-09

her nest, but Mrs. Dawson could not
bear to leave her, any more than to
send her, robbed of her eggs, along
with the other fowls which went the
da- before.
Jimmy gulped lard as he turned the
key in the lock. The house was old
and ramshackIe, but he had been born
in it, and had thought to live and die
there. a tortoise shell cat came to rub
against his legs, mewinS plaintlNely
and looking up in his face. He stopped
and stroked the creature until 1t purred
loudly and made as though it would
spring into his arms He drew back
hastily, saying: mo, no, Mittens. You
can't goI It does look mean to leave
yOC-but it's the worst sort o luck TO
move cats and walnutsl The good Lord
knows my luck is bad enough Already
'Superstitious-eh Jimmy? I'm rath-
er glad of it. 1 shall take Mittens
straight up to the hOuse-we need an
other mouser." Mr.. Abshire said, com
ing around the corner of the house,
Their with a laugh, slightly forced !:
Maybe you won't sell Mittens-that
may be bad luck, too-but you'll give
this to Mrs. Dawson, with my compn-
ments-for the baby"
He held out a silver dollar. Dawson
made no motion to take it. He looked
down at Abshire with smouldering eyes
until the man quailed. Abshire was
short stoc6y, rudy, with close clipped
reddish hair and beard. Dawson, lean,
dark muscular. lowered a head above
him. and had lank, sunbleached locks
blowing all over the collar OF his rusty
coat.
Keep your money-now you've got
it. Mr. Abshire," ne said slowly, at last.
1T won't never be named between US
again, now I've got my quittanee IN
full. But remember this-I owe We a
day in harvest. I'll pay 1t some time
a long day at that"
Abshire laughed insolently: You
disappOint me, Dawson" he said. I
had thought you too much a man TO
sUlk or whine over paying an honest
debt"
You thought right amt whinin' -
Jimmy said. clambering up beside. his
wife. You know didn't know II was
your money bOrrowed-and you want
in my place"
Certainly. The house obstructs our
view" Abshire said.
Dawson's eyes blazed. 1.-The first o
us DawsOns got the land from the In
juns," he said. Il wanted TO pass II on
to children O. mine-jest as it come to
me-
Mrs. Dawson laid a silencing hand on
his arm. He shook it off, but Just
then the baby began to cry, as though
pinChed with cold, for all the mother 5
cuddling. Poor little mite!' he mutt
tered touching the clumsy hooded
head ITO think I must take you five
miles in the teeth o this wind-and
then into a cold housed
He started up the mules, ana soon
had them trOtting at a rate Whlch
threatened TO wreck the towering load.
The baby cried fitfully, though his wife
did her best to hush it. 1t had peen
ailng all week. He almost wished ne
had pocketed his pride. and begged Ab-
shire to let him wait his moving until
the weather was Tnilder. But mild days
1pF MI mr. in mi tPT-lRaEr
when the cold has strengthened TO a
freezing new year. he had stayed over
the day itself-ir he moved then ne
would be moving until the next Christ
mas-and moving once was 10 ms
mind, sufficient for a lifetime.
Il wish you'd got us a place IN the
falI." his wife said at last, not re-
proachfully. but with a soft pla1ntlVe-
ness infinitely harder to bear. Jimmy
sighed deeply. He ccA'd not ten the the
before Abshire hoping against hope to
stay on in his home. and in the END re-
deem it. Ellen would never have done
that She was fiery proud, for all her
soft ways.
Hadn't we better turn in. here at
the doctor's?'' he asked as the wagon
came opposite a big gate standing
generously wide. Mrs. Dawson shcok
her head. DO you think there's time 2"
she asked. It's past L now-and eY-
eFNtnlnE 10 90 Wnen we get lhCtS-
Baby's asleep-still, I wish the doc
tor
The words ended in a scream. she
had uncovered the tiny face cautious
by, 10 hn6 Il pinched and blue, the
little Inns easping Dawson understood
her inarticuIate cry. A turn OF the
wrist sent the mules TIN oush the gate,
cut OF the whip set them into dead
run up the ragged drive. But II was
limp and lifeless little body that MIS-
Dawson laid in DR. Wharton's arms.
''The Lord gave. the Lord hath taken
away" the kind doctor said reVefent-