Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1908-07-15
CHAPTER xIv.-continued.

On the morning of the day of days
Gideon returned from his long alb
sence. Stella knew nothing of his
wanderings save the little told in his
infrequent letters; and she was quite
unprepared for the Gideon who pre-
scented himself before her. The change
she saw in him was mysterious, al
most uncanny. Something about him.
his clothes, his bow, his voice, an at
mosphere she could neither define nor
understand, made her feel as if a char
tcter before unknown had stepped out
# book to meet her. She was glad
there was no time for him, that she
could plead the pressure of work for
the evening
He had hardly gone when Vic Wah
poked his yellow face into grand
ma'am's room, where in spite of Au-
gust heat, four women were plying
hurrying needles in last preparations
for the evening.
Charley Clocker, he come now pitt
ty SOON
Cut my shoestrings! Extras, Vic;
and hurry" Sally B. rolled up her
WORK with one hand, smoothed her
hair with the other and was out of the
room before the cooks reply was
finished.
You callee me Vic Wah! Sabe?
All light. EXtlas plenty gosh quick
l damn hully," he called after her as he
ambled to the kitchen, his words fol-
lowing her flying form to the Office
door.
Standing in the open doorway Sally
b. began voluble welcome to her dis
tnguished guest while 'he was vet a
great way off, her high words carry
ing like arrows from a taut bowstring.
Not to the public wash basin and
all-serving roller fowl, but to her fas-
udiously clean best room, kept for
such emergencies, Sally B. conducted
Mr.. Croker for "a wash-up n hair
brush Without actual need of the
ceremony, he was too tactful to de-
cline it, but used Sally BIS home
wrought conveniences with an appre-
ciative thoroughness that brought
broad smiles to her face as she stood
by, serving him, and retailing we'll
selected railroad gossip the while.
The dinner served to the superinten-
dent, seated apart IN a corner of the
dining room, testified to Vic Wah's
fine understanding of the laconic or
der, extras The flag-draped, fir
trimmed walls, and a stage at the end
OF the room. aroused Mr.. Crocker's Gu
riosity; and Sally BIS description of
the show to be held there that night
FUR the benefit of Jim Sackett's wild
der was so eloquent that Mr.. Crocker
put IN her hand the first five dollars
Tor "a reserved seat" he said.
At six o'clock came a message from
Alfred to Stella. My train is ordered
10 the Front. You'll have to POSTPONE
the programme till l come. Set them
to dancing, and set Sally B. to ex-
plain. She's hostess; it will come
| properly from her I'll be there as
soon as possible. 1t will be after ten I"
The dispatch met Stella as she
went IN TO supper, early tonight and
| contrary to her custom.
Transfers. trainmen, shopkeepers
saloonmen, gamblers, employees of In
gram, Finn & Gould's Fast Freight
wagon train to leave in day or so
Tor the desert, the three musicians
from Auburn, a travelling minister
1t was an odd companioning of Drawn.
brain and guile there at supper under
the yellow kerosene lights in Sally
BIS hotel. No table-talk served as a
sauce 20 meat; no ceremony graced
the daily meal. Men did not eat, they