The Red Cloud chief., 1901-05-03

II did not run as smoothly as Drayton
might have wished The women of the
Collins family did not surrender without
giving fight. They attacked Dravton him.
self first, but We're met with an urbanity
which parried every thrust 1t was the
thinness Of the walls and floors. and that
was manifestedly the governments fault.
AS for his insomnia. the blame of that lay
with the doctor, he should think He did
not like staying broad awake until near.
ly dawn any better than they did or
course, however, he would try to control
his restlessncss The attempt met with
failure, though and the women appealed
to the commandant. The Commaudant
was urbane, to-, but the insomnia OF
his officers was evidently not a matter to
be reached officially.
IL was plain that the insomnia aroused
the suspicious Of the Collinses But the
insects did not. They had ncver-not even
In Texas itself-seen a house so overrun
with reptiles. There were lizards In ev-
erything. There were frogs and toads
In dark hooks. They hoped into your
lap when YOU were least expecting It,
They were always getting under your
feet and-squashing Spiders spun webs
and dropped from the ceiling and the
walls. And as for venomous things! A
day hardly passed that Drayton did not
XIII a tarantula or "A centipede somewhere
around. They seemed to emerge only
when he was near. The wrath toward him
was tempered with unwilling gratitude
to savior. There had also been a gar
ter snake on the front porch. And one
horrible day they had come upon Dray-
sN.. .l..... H. l..
hallway beside the dccapitated body OF
a rattlesnake. They neglected, In the
excitement, to notice that the body was
aot wriggling.
Jimmy had that morning produced a
newspaper package. Here's dead rat
tier he had said. IL didn't know az you
could use him. But found him and you
can have him for a dime"
And the rattler had proved the best in
vestment OF all, as well az the last straw
capt. Collins had carried him on st,cl;
out into the road. Then he nau gone 20
the commandant and Bartlett lie was
heavy-cyed for want of sleep. The whole
family was that way; and Drayton was.
too. In all humility he asked the favor
of being allowed to change his quarters
Any other quarters would do. provided
there were fewer insects. lie was not
particular at all. He asked so little In
fact. that Bartlett took pity on him lie
renewed his OFFER OF paint
Now" he said to Mrs Lawrence "you
can come back to your own They'll
move out tomorrow. I've just been In.
specting the premises, and there hasn't
been much harm done. They are stlll the
best quarters In the post. The kids have
Knocked few holes In the walls and the
woodworks a little scratched. But I'll
give you some paint. too"
Paint was Bartletts idea OF the panacea
for all earthly Ills He had not much
else In the world being a second ileuten-
ant; but he had paint. and he was liberal
with that.
The Collinses moved next day DraytDn
waited until the last load Of furniture was
gone, and the three women were taking
their final look around Then he came
down the stairs holding out. at the length
OF his arms, two cetipedes on the point
of two large pins. He exhibited them.
These quarters are too much for me-"
he said. I'D rather have a corner of a
housetop alone, than a wide upper floor
with crawling things. I'm going TO 60
back to my own room"
A fierce light of suspicion broke in on
Mrs. Collins mind then. 81 believe" she
said sternly and accusingly-"I believe,
Mr.. Drayton. that the whole thing was
a put-up job
do you? Do you. reaIly?" asked Dray-
ton. smilingiy, deprecatingly. "But con-
slider. my dear lady consider the cent?
pedes. "-Gwendolen Overton, in the Argo-
naut.