Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1904-07-01


Her face heightened.
Might If we have room to spare.
You know we take summer boarders
now. and It's only the last of August"
wall, nobuddy ever wants that
coop over the kitchen" commented her
husband
They do, too John. Mrs. Stubblns
little boy slept there and she paid four
dollars week for HIM"
John lit his pipe bellows like.
"Oh, WELL" said Zenas. somewhat
grandly. I'm pay you four dollars"
and pulled out roll Of bills, rather
bulky but composed mostly of ones.
Maybe you might want 10 get some
thing. here's five dollars"
The room does need Il basln-and
pltcher-and d cot bed. I'll go down
street tomorrow and get them"
Nearly every one in town was de-
lighted to see Zenas, IL only for the
novelty of some gossip. They piled
him with questions and afterward
mauled his somewhat ambiguous an
swers numerically. Elyirah came In
ut mail time and greeted him with the
injured love and garnered pnmness of
twenty years. and the practical COM
mon sense of 40 She looked comeler
than ever, thought Zenas in his ma
turer vision, and feeling that his own
rugged frame and ruddy face were not
nnhandsome, he endeayored to awaken
af al nd 20 In
suaveness to which he had been UNI
accustomed since their parting.
But Elyirah WIS unimpassioned and
extremely matter of-fact and 1t was
these characteristics rather than any
thing romantic connected with their
former engagement that had kept her
single. Then her good looks made her
the belle of the village, but she was
one of those strong wllled maidens who
can play any game of forfelts with
out ever making mistake.
The days went sleepily by. The gos-
sips had lost all interest In him since
they had found him to be pennlless
No native had ever returned to Wing
TUT possessed of even thousand dol
lars unless supplemented by an unlim-
tied amount of Boosting and import
ance. Zenas had neither, hence the
deduction was obvious and certainly
true. They were equally positl 70 that
Elvirah would not receive him back
into favor.
Zenas never let a day go by without
n min taa Of hot iah xsc
comfortable abode to saw board for
her. to look at her Evening Transcript,
to prune n tree-he could always find
some excuse even If he had to 60 fish
ing for one, a couple of tautog or lob
sters won him many smile. But after
all, she was not deeply impressed
Seems to me-" she would remark to
Ginger, her cat, ''he is mighty more
interested in the house, and | don't
believe the place would support two of
us anyhow"
Nevertheless, she liked him to come,
and her enjoyment to Zenas' eager eyes
once came SO near to positive favor
that he preached the happiness of their
old engagement.
That's all over and done WITH" she
said tartly, "and Wen be better
friends If you don't refer to it again"
Il came a long ways to be told that,
Elvirah."
Yes, and 1t took you a mighty long
time to get started back. What made
you come, anyhow? Reckon it wasn't
Just loveY
Just you, 'Virey."
Stuff" The tone and demeanor
could not be galnsald.
Zenas departed crestfallen.
However. she let him take charge
Of her cranberry picking, which
brought them together more or less all
day. 1t also gave him an opportunity
to get In the cellar, where some of the
berries were to be stored. 1t was dltfi.
cult for him to mask his interest in
the floor while Elvirah was with him,
but she had no sooner gone upstairs
than he began a speedy investigation.
The dark cement exhibited no sign,
but at the foot of the stairs was an
oblong flagstone, followed by the foot
steps of a century
The next day he placed small crow
bar in the cellar, and when Elvirah
was on the bog, he made an excuse
to go to the house Entering by the
slanting hatch doors he shut them
after him. The old excitement was
upon him. He pried up an end of the
stone Nothing appeared but the solid
gray clay. Ie could see half the
length. three quarters and still moth
ing The perspiration began TO start.
then he desperately stood the stone on
end against the wall. There appeared
a narrow cavity. he stopped down and
pressed his hand upon leather bag.
Then fear came upon him and he
quickly replaced the stone. sweeping
some dust into the creyices he had
made in prying. He put his bar on top
of a beam. opened the hatch door and
after drink and wash at the we'll