West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1906-10-25
CHAPTER VII

f ana stayed with n head plns-
ter presented himself at the
- OAK ranch just twenty four
hours nftcr he was due. His men com
bincd vOgucncss with hostility, and he
harncsscd Nb the stage that Peter
Hamilton had driven over the day be.
fore, when his prospective passengers
were looking, with n graphic panto-
mimic representation of take IL or
leave it, Under the circumstances
Miss Carmichael aud the fat Indy con-
scntcd 10 bc passengers with much the
same feeling OF nnality that one might
have on cmbnrklng for the planet Mars
in an alrship.
Here's some bread and meat nnd "a
bottle of cold coffee, lf you live to need
IT, was Mrs. DaN's grim prognostica-
ton of accident Lcaudcr, being of nn
emotional nature, could Scurco restrain
his tcars-thC advent OF tho travellers
had created "A welcome variation In tho
monotony OF l.5 du;iful rOutlnc-ho
felt all the agitation OF parting with
lifelong friends. Mary Carmichael and
Judith promised 10 write they had
found great doal TO say to cnch other
the preceding evening
Chugg cracked his whip omlnously,
and tho travellers got inside. not daring
TO trust Themselves 10 the box
The journey with Cbugg was but
repetition OF that first days staging
the sagobrush wns scarccr. the noun
tains seemed M far Oh na over, and
the outlook was. If possible. more desc.
late. The entry In Miss Cnrmichnel's
diary, inscribed in maifOrmcd char
actors as the stage jotcd over rutB
and gullles. reads: II do not mind tell
Ing you, In strlCtcst confidence, Dcro
Dlnry'-aB the llttlc boy called you
that whcn I so lightly severed my con
nection with civilization had no idea
TO what an extent ! was going iu for
the pruiric primcval How on earth
does a woman who cnn write lcttcr
Ike Mrs. Ycllctt stand IN And where
on the mp OF North America IL Lost
TrallT
The fat lady had never rclnxcd her
gaze from Chugg's back since the stage
had started. She pccrcd at that broad
cxpanse Of flannel shirt through the
tiny round window. Ike careful sail
ing master sweeping the horizon for
possible storm clouds. AZ every por-
tion Of the road presenting steep de
cline she would prod Chugg IN the bnck
with the handle of her ample umbrella
and demand uInt hc let her out, as she
preferred walking.
'Do you think you arc n-plcnlcklng.
that you crave rDominatlng round these
ycrc sOlitOodcsT And hc cracked his
whip and adjurod his team with CABIN
llstic imprecauons
did you notice 81 Mrs. Dix CIV him
any cold coffee same ~ shc did usY
anxiously inquired tie fat lady from
her lookout
Mary hadn't noticed
Hes drinking something out OF n
brown bottle; seems % relish it heap
mOre'n nc would cold coffee" reported
the watch. Hll. there! III. Mr.. Chugg"
"Um-m-mw lac gruntod soyagely, mp.
plying wateIy eye TO the round win
dow.
Nothing" answered the fat lady,
quite satisfied at having her worst
fears confirmed
Chugg returned 60 his driving as one
not above The weakness Of seeing and
hearing things
Nin foNNf.
"COuld you smell itf' questioned Ma
~ anxlously.
You never can tell that way when
they arc plumb picklcd I'm it, Ike him"
"Then how did you know II wasn't
coneeT'
oils eyes had fresh watcrcd."
Mary collapsed under this expert tcs.
timony What arc we going 10 do
about itT'
appeal 10 him as u gentleman" said
the fat lady. not without dramatic IN
tOuJtiJn.
"You appeal" couusolc1 Mary ~
Jaw him look at you odmlringly when
you Werc walking down thnt steep
grade"
"Is that soT' suld the fat lady, with
a conspicuous lack Of iucrcdullty And
she put her hand iuvOluumrly 90 her
srizzcs
This time she did not trust 20 the um-
breila handle as medium Of commu-
nication hctwccn the stage driver and
herself Putting her hand through the
portfolio, she graspcd Chuggs arm-tho
bottle arm with mo- uncertain grip.
"Why, Mr. Cimgg th.s yers place Is
getting 90 De- regular summer resort.
Think 0f tWo ndios trusting them
selves to your protection and travelling
ont over this r'ast lonesome desert"
Chugg's mind unl submcrRcd IN 10