The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1906-11-26

claimed his Scandinavian lineage
stood. engaged in the engrossing duty
OF feeding his shepherd dog. As he
tossed the crumbs the dog would leap
nimbly upward and catch them neatly
as they descended.
"Ah. Jim." he calculated, presently,
"a week-maybe two week and she
ban here."
He gazed straight at the dying sun
and murmured the word "Hilda" in a
subdued voice. Then he walked TO a
bench beside the door and sat down,
folding his strong young arms across
his breast, while the dog crept up
and buried his nose in his masters
lap.
1t had been year Of reverses with
Lundquist He had labored hard-no
man could put more honest toll into
the struggle with a penurious soil
than he-and IL seemed now as II all
was for naught. Beginning with a
wet. disheartening spring. the season
had crept on. piling up against him its
mute but potent protests in a manner
that had discouraged many a less
hardy man. His best horse. becoming
entangled In the only wire fence
within 20 miles, had been sacrificed
to the casualty list of a frontiers
mans life. By mortgaging his crop
he had secured another.
He was now facing his annual inter-
est payment. while the storekeeper in
the town a dozen miles away was
growing suspicious and was demand
ing payment OF an open account. His
crops-only puny stacks Of discolored
wheat straw standing Imply awaiting
the threshing.
But Lundquist was forgetting all
this as he sat on the bench before his
abode. Hilda was coming to him
Hilda, from far-off Norway. Six years
1t had been since he had gazed into
her eyes-six years since he had
stolen aside In the crush at the en-
barking and kissed her many times on
her willing lips. The thought Of it
brought a smile to Lundquist's sun
tanned visage. The dog saw it and
wagged his tail In recognition Of his
masters mood.
Two years ago she would have
come. but he set his teeth firmly and
sent her that letter which had wrung
his heart. "Waitl" he had told her.
Walt till Fortune smiles more bright
ly on these bleak Dakota prairiesl 1t
was a bitter thing to do, but Lund-
Quist saw no other course.
Only last year she was prevented
from coming by the sickness OF her
mother. Nothing. not even poor
crops. now stood in the way Of her
coming. and she was now in mid
ocean on the steamer that was bear
ing her westward--to Carl.
In a little box under his bunk he
had every letter that Hilda had writ
ten him. They we're good reading
during the long winters evenings.
The steamer agent had said that
she should reach Quebec on the 14th.
II was now the 9th.
On the 10th Lundquist went to
town. He walked up and down the
single street, keeping close watch on
the depot ultil the afternoon train
had passed. He rode the IL miles
home in moody silence.
The following day he went to town
again and in the evening, when he
went back toward home. his face was
haggard and wan from his days vigil.
He was getting worried What could
be keeping Hilda? Had something
gone wrong? Lundquist slept little
that night
Old Jim. for the first time in
months. barked piteously and his
master, starting guiltily, made haste
to throw some bread to the animal.
Pore Jiml" said he. "Ay 70 get
yo'. eEs"
Lundquist essayed a laugh, but it
died away hollowly.
The next day he had stalked by the
post office five times in sdlky silence
when he heard some one call his
name. He paused and entered.
Banks, the postmaster. had a letter
in his hand
Letter for you. Carl" he said.
"Came this morningl"
LundQuist took it in his hand and
edged away to corner of the little
Office. 1t was queer letter-all in
print, like newspaper. Lundquist
bent over it and wrinkled his brow.
Read It for your" suggested the
postmaster, expectantly.
"Ja Yo read hem," assented
Lundquist, perplexedly.
The letter was a cruel stab to the
eager listener. Hilda was detained in
Quebec. The medical authorities had
examined her and found her suffering
with an affliction Of the eyes that
would prohibit her entry unless
iIpeedily cured. To do this a suffi-
cIent amount of money must be ad-
vanced by LundQuist to insure pay
ment of the medical expense incident
to the treatment.
The postmaster. hearing a suspi-
cious sound. paused in his translation
and glanced up. The listener was
staring at him wide-eyed, his whole
soul pouring out through his blue
orbs. It confused him and he crum-
nlnd fha narar nnrv0ualv ,,-,,lr,,fe.