Red River prospector. (Red River, Taos County, N.M.) 1900-190?, 1907-04-18

I'm dirtiest frstl I'm dirtiest frat!
and here's your kiss; stoop yite down
and let me give it to you"
It was quite 20 minutes later that
his mother looked in at the open door
and saw him She ran in and caught
him up in her arms.
"Oh, Willy boy, how you frightened
me-" she said, with a little catch in
her voice. DO forgive me for intr-id-
ing, Miss P~ackenham; l couldn't help
it when | saw him. My head las
ached all the morning. and ! have
been lying down. I hope he hasn't
annoyed you much
oh. he amt bothered me o
returned Miss ~Packenham. g,uf-
fly. "IU allow that it's agin the
agreement. his a comm in, and that
J. amt fond of children, but BEES
sort of been company. l guess it
was the fruit that drawed him. Hes
''een tellin' me that you amt got none
on your side of the house, and he's
fond of it, You kin take all you
want; there's more'n III need
you are very kind" said Mrs. Per
cival, as she turned to go. And
maynt we III return send in soine
flowers. The garden is full Of roses
still"
81 don't want your flowers said
the other, shortly, but you KIN have
some If my fruit if you care for it,
and the boy kin come fur it If you
do"
Il don't think do" said Mrs Per-
cival, a tride stifiy, and took the boy
away.
Curiously enough, one morning
the orchard door was again left ajar,
and although there had been no storm
overnight, the earth beneath the near
est peach tree was strewn with
blushing windfalls, a perfectly ire
sistible temptation to the small shape
that slid past land then crept back
to look whilst Mummy dozed on a
garden bench in the shade of the
late blooming roses.
q never see SIGH a critter as your
ma is for sleepin',' she said to the
child as she sat in the shade of the
apple tree, knitting. How IN earth
does she ever attend to her house
work? Or does she let it go without
attendin' to? Pears to me she don't
do nothin' but loll round them rose
bushes and sleep the hull blessed
time, if what you say is true"
Miss Packenham then rose sudden
ly and took the boys hand.
Come" she said. "'Twon't be no
worse'n her intrudin' on me that day,
and | reckon a good talkin' to ull do
her a heap of good. Them buttons
has beer off your shoes for a week
now, and it's time somebody spoke to
her sharp And holding the child's
small soft hand in hers she marched
through the wall door where Alice
Percival slept.
But the wrath went out of Miss
Packenham's breast as soon as she
saw her. She drew back with a
frightened expression in her eyes.
YES, it's me-" she said as she met
the surprised stare of Alice's eyes.
I'm intrudin' and breakln' agreement,
l know; but | reckon it's about time.
Why didn't you tell me? l never see
anybody so changed in all my born
days. You mustn't sleep out here;
it'll be the death of you
1t will be that, anyway" she an
swered, with a pathetic smile. MY
mother went the same way, and it
came on suddenly with her just as it
known that it would. Don't ask me
to go indoors; like to be out here
with the roses Harry loved
Miss Packenham felt a curious
sensation gripping her throat, and
looked away to where Willy Boy was
chasing a nimble g%rasshopper round
and round the garden beds.
Amt there no cure for it2' she in
quired.
Not now. There was once, but it's
too late now. 1t was that that tempt
ed me when Mr.. Tompsett first asked
me to marry him. might have
been saved then. He said | might.
And there was Willy Boy to live for,
too. But oh! Miss ~Packenham,
couldn't do It'll simply couldn't It
seemed like PROCLAMATION, like disloy-
atty to Harry"
One thin hand slid to her neck as she
spoke, %loosening her collar and drew
into sight a thread of gold chain.
with a large, fiat, %old-fashioned locket
l attached to it.
Look at him, Miss Packenham,
r said Alice. Wasn't his a noble face?'
yes. he was a good lookin' man,
she said, at length. But | can't stand
here talkin' about men; I've got a pie
in the oven.' Then she walked away
in haste.
For AS hours gloom and %stillnes,
hung over the divided house, anC
then it was broken suddenly by the
hacking sound of a piled AK and the
noise Of splitting wood, II Alice Per
ciyal, was startled to see Miss Pack
enham's head appearing suddenly
through a gap in the dividing parti
ton and her body followed 1t imme
; diately afterwards.
! I'm takin' down this pesky part
: ton she said in answer TO Alice
! startled inquiry. "'Tain't a Christian
! thing for us two women to live Tx