The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1907-12-29

| he asked.
| lie tells me he's taking out pretty
| fair stone; but. good gracious Miss
Lovilla laid her shuttle in her lap ANA
| spoke with pleasing briSkuess-''the
stuff i'll it that shines like gold amt
| gold at al, just copper he says, and |
| don't believe its worth digging for;
but. then, he's making the best of it.
guess
Unlucky looked ut her with a smile
| to which his face was almost Il strIu
ger. Then it died away into an express
sion Of thoughtfulpcsS. 'Somctimc@.
Miss ScanIon. | wonder if this sort Of
life is best for any of us follows
There's your nephew" The man hes
itatcd and @azed WiStfuIly across TIE
canyon at his own little shack. lie
| might better he trailin' Il good hcmp
somewhere lack caSt-and wife
Unlucky came to an abrupt stop and
twisted the stems of the flowers. but
there WAS an expression in his eyes
that deepencd the pink in Miss Lovil-
las checks and caused her to glance
beyond him.
Immediately her attention was ar
rested by Il mans head among the will
lows across the river. The hcat wore
n brown hat and was moving toward
the upper ford. She frowncd as She
recognized Dutch 10. who kept sa~
loon on the Meadows. Unlucky's
glance also followed the progress of
the brown hat, and when its wearcr
had fordcd the stream and turned to-
ward them he arose, quietly laid the
flowers on the stone and, with a brief
Good day. Miss Scanlon," departed.
Miss Lovila glued her eyes on her
work, apparently oblivious of the pres
ence of the horseman until he had dis
mounted some distance away, his
broncho refusing to approach so un.
accustomed an object rs Il woman,
and greeted her with A "Gut day. Mees
Scanlon."
Then she arose and laid her work in
her chair Good morning. Mr. Sahler
You want to see my nephew, | pre-
sumo" Her voice sayored only of
business.
''Nein." Dutch 10 covered her with
covetous albeit respectful eye and
abstractedly fingered the handle of his
six shooter, which he could manage
with more deXterity than he could the
English language. Say. Marry nit
me, heinz" he finally burst out.
Instinctively Miss Lovlla shrank
back and glanced at the flowers: "Oh.
no. she cried hurriedly Il couldn't
possibly"
The man wasted no further speech,
but, stepping deliberately on the bou-
quet, ground it beneath his heel.
mounted his horse and rode off, leav
ing an indignant woman nursing the
trampled blossoms The clock striking
II aroused her to sense of her house
hold duties. and when her nephew en-
tered the lean-to kitchen she was her
busy, serene self again.
Il declare. Aunt Lo." he exclaimed
merrily. you are getting nicer every
day. | don't wonder the boys all want
to marry you"
A half bashful smile touched his
aunt's lips. "Pshaw. Aft It's because
I'm the only woman here. Now, if
Abigail and Salna weren't married
and were here you'd see
Alfred removed the towel from his
face and Interrupted solemnly. "Aunt
LO, when Gabriel comes down with his
trumpet expect to hear you tell him
that if there happens to be a seat left
after Abigail and Salina have been
ushered to the front pew, why, you'll
take it. please. and make tlN best Of
it,
"Alfr' Miss Lovilla demonstrated
Nevertheless she looked pleased
Praise had not come her way back in
New England.
"And I'm lookin' to Gabe to say" AL
fred continued, that he's reserved
box seat for the best and sweetest and
most unselfish little woman on earth.
Now, Aunt Lo, don't be shocked, but
tell me what poor unfortunate struck
the matrimonial trail today. You look
ed guilty when l came in. gWhOse
horse was it l saw at the doOr?'
"That-that Dutchman's from the
Meadows" returned Miss Lovilla in
tone savoring of the snap of whip.
Alfred throw his head back and roar
ed. "Dutch 10" Still laughing, he
entered the living room, raising his
voice as he continued. by love! He's
the thirteenth too. That's unTucky for
himself or some one else. His mark
can't be too crooked either, for if
there's a man this side of Meeteetse
without a Conscience
The closing kitchen door shut out the
rest of the sentence.
Sniffle was throwing a long shadow
eastward that afternoon before Miss
Lovila sat again in the doorway with
her tattin' and greeted the stray pros
pectors as they struck the trail across
Brown. 1t was Kilbraid of Meeteetse