The San Francisco call., 1904-02-28

coffee and hot biscuits-but the scent
OF these. hot and appetizing, was sweet
in the nOstrils Of the hungry men,
Sitting on the bench, they fell to md
were not disappointed. The emigrant's
wife had evidently great skill In the
preparation Of the simple food OF the
pioneer. With the scanty means at
her hand she had cOncocted a meal that
TO the men, used to their own primitive
cooking, seemed the most toOthsOme
they had eaten since they left San
Francisco.
AS she retired into the cabin. Fletch-
er-his mouth full OF biscuit-said:
We'll. she can cook anyway. I won
der how she gets her biscuits so all
fired light? They amt all saleratus,
neither"
Here she reappeared. carrying the
cOffee-pot. and. leaning over F1etcher's
shoulder. prepared TO refill his tin cup.
Put it down on the table. He can do
it himself" commanded Nloreau sud
denly.
She set il down instantly. with her
invariabIe frightened obedience
We're not used to being waited on"
he continued. Now you sit down
bench and pointed to ft-"and next
thing We want I'll go in and get il.
You've had your breakfast of cOurse?''
''NO-I amt had mine yet." she an
swered meekly.
We'll, why amt you?" he almost
shouted. What dye mean by giving
US ours hrst?"
She locked terrified and shrank .
little on the bench. Moreau had
dreadful idea that for a moment she
was afraid of being struck.
Here. take this cup" ne said. Civ
ing her his-"and this bacon" picking
from the pan. which stood in the mid
die of the table, the choicest pieces, and
biscuit "There-nOw eat. I'm done"
She tried TO eat. but it was evidently
difficult. Her hands, bent and disfig-
ured with work, shook At intervals
she cast a furtive questioning look at
him where he sat on an overturned box,
eying her with good d-humored interest.
AS he met the frightened dog-eyes he
smiled eneOuragingly, but she was
grave and returned to her breakfast
with nervous haste.
AS the men descended the bank TO ths
stream bed, Fletcher said:
We'll. she's some use in the world.
That's the first decent meal we've had
since we left Sacramento"
"She didn't eat much of ii herself"
returned his Dard as he began the
mornings work.
She is the gOI-darnedest Icokin' wo-
man ever seen. Looks as if she'd been
fed on shavings. I'll lay ten to one that
emigrant cuss she bIOngs to has most
beat the life out er her"
Ascending to the cabin an hour later,
MOreau came upon the woman, wash
ing the breakfast dishes in the stream
that trickled from the spring. She did
not hear him approach, and. watching
her, he saw that she was slow and fee
BILE in her movements. The sun spat-
tered down through the pine boughs on
her thick, brilliant-colored hair, and on
the nape Of her neck, where the skin
was tanned to a coarse. russet brown.
What are you doing that for?' hs
said, coming to a standstilI In front OF
her. you needn't bother about ths
pans
They'd oughter be cleaned" she an
swered
You don't want to feel" he said,
that you've got to work all the time.
I wanted you to rest up a bit. It's a
good place to rest here"
She made no answer, drying the tin
cups on a piece of flour sack.
II amt so awful tired" she said
presently in a low voice.
''Well, don't you worry about having
everything so clean; they'll do anyway.
And the cabins pretty clean-isn't it?'
he asked, somewhat anxiOusly.
''Yes-awful clean" she said. Then,
after a moment she continued: Il
hadn't oughter have stayed in the cab
in. It's yourn Me and the baby1l be
all right in the brush shed with Spot
ty"
What nonsense" retorted Moreau.
do you suppose I'd let you and that
baby stay in the brush shed, the place
where the horses have been kept all
summer? You're going to keep the cab
in, and If there's anything you want
might need for the baby-why, Fletch-
er'll go to HangtOwn and get it. JNst
say what you want. Not having wo-
men around. we're probably short OF all
sorts of little fixinSS"
Il don't want nothing" she said with
her head down. amt never been so
comfortable sence was married"
Have you been married long?" he
asked, less from curiosity than from
the desire to make her talk
-Four years" she replied; Il was
married in St. Louis, just before dad
and 1 was startin' to cross the plains.
Dad was taken sick. Te was con-
sumpted, and some one toP him to go
to California, so we was goin' to start
along with a heap Of other folks We
was all waitin' round st. Louis for the
weather to settle and that's how / met
Jake"
"Jake?" said Moreau, interrogatively;
"who was Jake?"
My husband-Jake ShackletOu- He
was one o. the drivers Of the train He
drove McGinnes' teams. He was there
in camp with US. and Up and asked me.
and dad was glad to get any one to
take care of me. bein' as he was so con-
sumpted. We was married a week