The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1906-03-09

z
cook. He's college man, and thsrefO
some hidden mystery. @ the StsgJ
books say. What brought him q thl1
pass7 II be a fugitive from Justice
4 Baker took i seat and appeared ~
ponder. ell, now, ! don't s1tkoTt
my. You zee, It amt SAFE to tai 49,
On Cook. IL you'll swear not ~ breAtAss
1 word" sts* 81 WI. s3} 81 III
Hold up your hands, Louis, andl
'swearr'a cried Ann. .ss+. Of. course We,
won't tell. = :sst s5sl s
Baker settled into his chair. sYoa
mustn't blame him till you hear ti,s,
hull story, but he killed 4 Teller back
east, somewhere In Illinois" IN Nj Ss
Ann started mechanically. "RSal
lyr' " > 's'2 !*Ss1 w VA. r:ss Mn sss 8 81
n Baker. pleased with his success, adj
Cd, 1.-TWO Of 'em, in fact" ys.4:,t.. "
b Louis, wide eyed with interest, "What5
did he do 1t for?' %-%": iyGsl y
u Baker; glowing with pleasure In tho
work Of his own imagination, cut loose
from his moorings. 1T was this way
He was counting girl-the daughter o6
q rich farmer and her family was hot
because Rob was poor, and her dad
put another fellow on to tell lies about
Rob's drinkin' and all that, and Rob
met up with this Teller and just hatu-
rally piped him full of soft nose bullets.
That led him to seek higher attitudes,
as the newspapers say. Now. that's the
plain truth Of the whole business, al /
heard it. -: Z, s7g,g4$., + x,Ssf a NJ
al Louis pursued the inquiry. "Who
was the other man he killed2'
'The deputy sherf: Had to do that
to get away a. &,5rA~ :. ...:s,s. ~ Il,
Ann looked about "You say he reads
these books?" -.--. -: 80
"When he has time. He dotes on
EN-" >,+.4- M $>5%ss555
cd do you read themY -. -, -. .:.,. "a
"Great Scott, no! I'd go. to sleep
over such things. The Boys Own ID
about my size." III
AIMS tone was reflective. that's
queer. Mr.. Barnett said you were !
great reader" y
Baker paled, then got red. He had
walked into a clever little trap. He
wriggled in his chair. "Did he say
that? Well-I-I used to, but lately
Ann looked at him keenly and said
calmly: :asYou also are an impostor.
Your name isn't Raymond-you're not
the foreman. You are all bandits and
have stolen my Cousins ranch and are
running it to suit yourselves. believe
you killed poor old Mr.. Jones and his
wife," ri =, a..$
Louis sprang to his feet. Gam, what
do you mean?' 81 .-r
Baker threw up both hands. "Hold
on! Don't shoot! I'll come down. I
knew couldn't keep the game going"
He rose, and his manner changed.
'"Now listen. I'll tell you the square
toed truth. It was my turn to cook,
and Raymond-that's our boss-when
he heard you was comm, knowin' I
couldn't cook sour bran mash, says:
Baker, you'll have to play boss while
the company's here. I've got to toss z
up the bacon and prunes. Now that's
the fact, lady" = gr...,s.s... Il.
Ann, with conviction, turned to Louis:
"Now believe he's telling the truth. +
What is your name?" i%
"John Edwin Baker-Jack, the boys
call me. 1 never had any other name,
I'm sorry to say, and came here from
Kansas. I never killed anything Big
germ a coyote. I'm just a plain COW
puncher at twentysix per month"
Raymond reappearing at the door, :.
put them all into guilty confusion. Ills
eyes were too keen to be withstood,
and AIMS lashes fell for a moment as
he offered the .dipper. like cool
drink, lady?' ~~-
She recovered herself instantly.
THANK you, if you will be so kind S*s
Raymond threw glance at Baker
that propelled him through the door /
way as palpably as kick, then turned
to Louis: ''How does the grub 60, II
4 ,~.., v<.-.fE IT,
"Bullyw replied the boy as he took
up spoonful Of rice. His eyes follow
ed the little figure Of the rancher with
Ann cut In with a grave face, belied
BY something in her voice. II didn't &
suppose a foreman would stoop to
cook" .- =, ,>.-~ -. w
The young fellow frowned. whats
thatY' =
Ann went on, 81 think it's nice Of you.
Mr.. Raymond, to abase yourself to the /
rim VT q kettle" 80 ,2ass
Excuse me, lady, but He looked
about for Baker. -
Ann interposed. "That's twice you've 4
called me lady No real cowboy ever
does that, I'm told, so you must be On
lmpostor." - - .4f
Raymond's face flushed with anger. &
'See here! What has that fat jackass
been saying to you about meY' -
Ann, cal1nly smiling, made her
charges specific. you're not the cook. 8
You're called Robert Raymond. You're I
he foreman and graduate Of Har- 4
yard university, like all superior cow 1.
boys, and you have CALAMITY volun-
;eered to cook in order that we might
eat. Now, isn't this true?'' - avt$
Raymond was stunned for moment :