Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1907-01-11
The Woman
Or the Car
BY Efiiof Walker
Copyright. 1906, by Homer sprague
BY EHiof Walker
Copyright. 1906, by Homer spragut

since my dog was run over; third,
there's no use Of talking. Better go
along"
In the sudden darkness of the sum-
mer twilight came a binding fash,
disclosing more clearly the occupants
of the big touring car-the chauffeur,
g%estlculating angrily; two other scowl-
ing men, a woman and a child.
With a rush OF wind the storm broke.
A deafening thunderclap shook the
earth. The rain, almost horizontal In
the flying air, drove a deluge of great
drops under the hastily arranged COW
ers.
I'm going to get outv' shrilled a
small scared voice. II want to be in
a house! Mamma, Gomez
A tall figure leaped from the piazza
Of the little hotel, showed Laid aside
and held out a pair of shirt sleeved
arms.
"You shall, babyr' he shouted. Its
a confounded shame! You, too, mad
am! Let the men take care of them
selves. Hurry. or you'll be drenched!'
"Look outr' cried the mother sharply,
for the child had jumped recklessly.
THANK you, sir. | feared she would
fall. Yes. | think it is best. I'll be
right in"
She fumbled for a bag, spoke rapid
ly to one of her companions and sprang
from the step unassisted to run up the
short path after the uncoated figure,
stridlng swiftly, with the little girl
clinging to his neck.
Ladd's loud voice came to her ears
above the din.
you're all welcome, ! say. I'll bed
and feed the crowd, but that pesky ma
chine can't lodge at my place. No,
gents. Sorry, but I've sworn to pass
'em along"
"a fine specimen you are to u a
hotel" scolded the man by the driver.
Its my house. retorted Laid.
"Well, keep it and be hanged! l
wouldn't put my head under such a
roof. Well be here in the morning, old
curmudgeon. Take care of Mrs. Dix
on. Push her along, Henri. Never
mind speed limits
A few %rattles, a dozen snorting gasps
and the car dashed away through the
mud.
Mr.. Ladd, bareheaded and dripping,
gazed after 1t with a satisfied grin.
ssYsna bod 70 hraaE mn q no ptu - ho
grunted. This storm will last a good
hour. They'll get a nice twenty mile
trip to Jepworth, splashing soft dirt.
Well, I've got two guests, anyhow, and
tomorrow | make my third nick on old
Hanks tombstone"
He chuckled his way into the barn.
Lois Dixon sat in the dining room,
a small apartment largely given over
to social usage other than the delights
of the table. A high chair had been
found for Dot, who was a~ssaulting
bread and milk. Seraph Ladd, corpu-
lent and apologize, talked from the ad.
jacent kitchen.
"Oh, no, my DEAR" she was saying.
"The Tamaracks isn't much of a hotel.
Folks stay here for meals, and we take
In a few transients and occasionally O
regular, The regulars are mostly men
who come to fish and kill time. There
are good trout in the tamarack swamp
brook, but it's a pesky hole. That man
you saw Is a regular. He has been
here a week"
II can hardly say I saw him. Every
thing was done so quickly. I'm quite
dry now. and so Is Dot. Your husband
doesn't appear to approve of automo-
blles." this last sentence with an ag-
grieved intonation.
HE doesn't!" exclaimed Mrs. Laid
rather warmly. Jason Is good natur-
ed about most other things, but after
Il dog was knocked across the fence
poor old thing: he was only gnawing
a bone in the road Jason swore an
oath never to let a car stop overnight
again. So he boarded up the shed.
My, the way some OF these people
whiz along a country road Is fearful!
Your supper is most ready, Mrs. Dix
on. / take it you are a widow woman,
BECAUSE
Eyes. I've been widowed for five
years." Lois interrupted. I'VE were
simply taking a short pleasure drive,
A slight accident delayed us for an
hour. else we should be at home by
this time. We were making for Jep.
worth, where I have a sister"
IL see" Mrs. Ladd began to place
dishes. Il sort of wondered"
"a friend of mine and his brother,
besides the chauffeur explained Lois,
blushing a trife. at did seem queer
that / was left so unceremoniously to
the care Of strangers, but / a look
out for myself, and I always go pre-
pared for emergencies. Still / should
have thought
'Oh, it's the machine every time
laughed the old woman. "Men seem to
forget. What with their wrangling and
hurry for cover. you and Dotty were
better out OF It."
apparently" Mrs. Dixon's tone was
sarcastic. However, to let me come
In unattended and to leave ali explana-
ton to me when he knew / was upset
and trying to calm Dot She paused.
Snranh was ewing her chrewdlv