The suburban citizen., 1902-07-19

" " haired girl got OFF the Pull.
man with her arms full of
bundles and looked eagerly up and
down the platform. Then she went
into the ladies waiting ROOM" be-
slowed her luggage and was out again.
neryously scanning the rough men
about her as the train groaned slowly
toward the south.
"LOokin' fur someb'dy, miss?' asked
a rotund, elderly man, with a long
beard.
Eyes, sir" She saw that he was q
native, for he carried thick cane,
wore no collar and seemed at home on
the end Of the depot truck. "Ycs sir,
I'm looking for Dennis Mather, my
uncle. / intended to spend day in
Kansas City with my aunt, but nobody
was there to meet me, and so l came
on. My uncle doesn't expect me till to-
morrow, but l thought he might be
here. How far does he live from here?"
"'Bout fourteen mile, MISS" said the
stranger. wiping the tobacco juice from
his chin and scanning the fashionable
garments Of the little visitor 80
you're Marshal Mather's niece? Well,
you'd better git over to Queque soon's
you kin. This yere is n rough settle
ment, an some O. our boys is apt to
steal ye, MISS
She flushed at this, but the old fel.
lows manner was one of fatherly ad-
miratlon, so she plucked up her failing
courage and smiled.
How shall get over to Queque?'
Better drive over, missy. Truth is
they amt no fit place in this yere set
tlement fur to stay over night, an, les
see2' he pulled out a big silver watch
and resumed, ''it's only now. Good
drivin' II fetch We to Queque fore 7.
Kin you drive, missy?"
Goodness, no, sir" she laughed. 81
never was in the country much. l.
I'm schoolteacher, you know"
"Well, lessee. You wait here, missy,
an I'll go see If the mail hack is left
yit"
She thanked him and watched him
waddle away across the dusty lot, and
up the middle of the single street of
McArdles. Then noticing the stares
of the few loiterers who were squat.
ting in the sun beside the depot she
went into the empty waiting room
and sat down with a shiver of uneasi-
ness. 1t was half an hour before the
old man came back, but she was glad
to see him.
sam in time?"
''No, missy" he answered taking of
his hat, mail hacks gone They
wasn't no mail for Queque, so Juniper
he jest galloped away. But Boot Jack
Washington, he's up thar ylt, an 4
you don't mind expect he'll tax eye
to your uncle, all right"
BOOT Jack?" she frowned, thinking
of Indians. "What is Boot Jack? Is
he an Indian, savageT
"Waal, missy, he is an Injun, but hi
amt no savage. Some says he's s
leetle wee bit wild bout some things
but law, missy, he's that skeered o
Marshal Mather he wouldn't take more
care o. his own sister than he will o
you. Yonder he comes now"
And around the street corner in 9
blackboard drawn by two frisky mules
came Boot Jack Washington. Little
Miss Mather watched him drive up
take off his broad sombrero and aligh
from the vehicle, holding the lines il
his left hand. He was tall and straigh
as a lance his face was as white as 1
Caucasian; his hair, cropped like col
legian's curled in black ringlets ovel
his fine head. His big, quick gray
eyes rested upon Miss Mather in franl
but respectful admiration as he smiled
slightly and said:
''You wish to go to Queque, miss"
"Yes, indeed" she answered, all he
courage coming back, "if you'll talk,
me-"
"I'll be glad to-" he answered, put
ting on his big hat and lifting her light
ly into the blackboard.
whats the fare?" she laughed
''You know TN only 4 poor school
ma'am."
He flushed red under his brown
smooth skin at this and as he bowe'
over dangling end Of the harnes
said quite coolly:
"Oh, I'm not running an omnibus
Miss Mather. I'm just driving TO
pleasure"
"Well, Mr.. Boo - Mr.. Washington
you're very kind, I'm sure. l hope
haven't offended your
"Oh, no." He was sitting beside be
now, and as she smiled goodbye to tn
fat old man ON the platform he bawle
after her: Look out fur Injuns, mis-
syv' and chuckled like a Santa Clau
as he disappeared in the dust cloud c
their wheels.