The Greeley tribune., 1905-11-23
Judith ef the
Plains
BY MARIE MANNING.
Author Of Lord Allineham. Bankrupt
Copy;sh,, 1908. by HareI & Brother,
CHAPTER VII.
[coNTINUED.]

4 Ter, presented uluseii az tAe
~ Dax ranch just twenty-four
hours after he was due. His mien com
bined vagueness with hostility, and he
harnessed up the stage that Peter
hamilton had driven over the day be-
fore, when his prospective passengers
were looking, with graphic panto-
mimic representation of take it or
leave it" Under the circumstances
Miss Carmichael and the fat lady con-
sented to be passengers with much the
same feeling of tinality that one might
have on embarking for the planet Mars
in an airship.
"Here's some bread and meat and u
bottle of cold coffee, if you live to need
It." was Mrs. DaX's grim prognostica-
ton of accident. Leander, being of an
emotional nature, could scarce restrain
bis tears-the advent of the travellers
had created a welcome variation in the
monotony of his dutiful routine-he
felt all the agitation of parting with
lifelong friends. Mary Carmichael and
Judith promised to write-they had
found great deal to say to each other
the preceding evening.
Chugg cracked his whip ominously,
and the travellers got inside, not daring
to trust themselves to the box.
The journey with Chugg was but a
repetition of that first days staging
the sagebrush was scarcer, the noun
tains seemed as far Of as ever, and
the outlook was, If possible, more DESC
late. The entry in Miss Carmichael's
diary, inscribed in malformed char
acters as the stage jolted over ruts
and gullies. reads: Il do not mind tell
Ing you, In strictest confidence, 'Dere
Diary'-as the little boy called you
that when SO lightly severed my con-
nection with civilization l had no idea
to what an extent l was going in for
the prairie primeval How on earth
does woman who can write a letter
like Mrs. Yellett stand 1t? And where
ON the map Of North America Is Lost
TrailY'
The fat lady had never relaxed her
gaze from Chugg's back since the stage
had started. She peered at that broad
expanse of flannel shirt through the
tiny round window, like careful sail
ing master sweeping the horizon for
possible storm clouds. At every por-
ton Of the road presenting a steep de-
cline she would prod Chugg in the back
with the handle of her ample umbrella
and demand that he let her out, as she
preferred walking.
''Do you think you are a-picnicking,
tAot hac
yere solitoodes" And he cracked his
whip and adjured his team with caba-
6stic imprecations.
Ibid you notice If Mrs. Dix Civ him
any cold coffee, same as she did us?''
anxiously inquired the fat lady from
her lookout.
Mary hadn't noticed.
Hes drinking something out Of q
brown bottle; seems to relish 1t heap
more'n he would cold coffee" reported
the watch. Hi. there! Hi. Mr.. Chugg.
~Dm-m-m!" he grunted savagely, ap
plying a watery eye to the round win
dow.
Nothing" answered the fat lady
quite satisfied at having her worst
fears confirmed.
Chugg returned to his driving as one
not above the weakness Of seeing and
hearing things.
~'Tain't coffee"
Gould you smell it?" questioned Ma
y anxiously.
you never can tell that way wher
they are plumb picked in it, like him.
Then how did you know 1t wasn'-
coffeeT
''His eyes had fresh watered."
Mary collapsed under this expert tes
timony. What are we going to de-
about itY'
appeal to him as gentleman" sait
the fat lady, not without dramatic in
tonation.
"You appeal" counseled Mary. 80
saw him look at you admiringly whe1
you were walking down that steeI
grade"
"Is that so?" said the fat lady, witt
. conspicuous lack Of incredulity. Ant
she put her hand involuntarily to hel
1rixzes.
This time she did not trust to the um
brella handle as a medium of commu
nication between the stage driver ant
herself. Putting her hand through tn,
porthole. she grasped Chugg's arm-th'
bottle arm-with no uncertain grip.
why, Mr.. Chugg. this yere place !!
0sttng to be regular summer resort
Think Of two ladies trusting them
selves to your protection and travelling
out over this great lonesome desert"
Chuggs mind. still submerged in 10
cal lethe waters, grappled in silenc
with the problem Of the feminine inva
Gion, and then he muttered to himsel
rather than to the fat lady: Nowhere
aafe from 'em. Women and house nie
= universally prevailing"
The fat lady dropped his arm a. II I
had been . brand. Hes no gentle
man"
All that day they toiled over SAM
and sagebrush. The sun hung like
molten disk. palinS the blue Of tho sky
fhs grasshoppers kept up their shril