The Prescott daily news., 1908-06-27
Sally B. It was an old newspaper.


 go to go to Bill humpin' quick-ter- morrer, if I can git away. By goll! it'll beat the ole Harry for me to glt ready"
 Stella took the unsavory paper and looked vainly for Sally B.'s message. The only noticeable thing was a string of crosses on the margin.
 "Oh, 1 forgot. O course, you can't read Bills letter; nobody but me can. See them two crosses first there! Close together? Them means he's we'll See them four with lines over n under? That says he's struck 1t rich. Blamed rich. Lines under d mean pretty good; but lines on top, too, means whoppin! Them three crosses standin' apart, them's grub. There's a dot over each; that's all kinds. There's line under 'em; that means lots of it. Oh, Bills hit big lead this time, no doubt O that; an he's layin' out to work it on the jump, an with all the men he kin git" She looked at Stella exultantly, but turned quickly back to the hieroglyphics. Here's one big cross standin' alone; that's me; an the line under 1t means come'"
 What does the picture of . pen mean?' Stella asked, curiously.
 Sally B. looked a little conscious. "Oh, you know, l kin read, an make fair stagger at writin'; so when Bill t,,,p orfo opf ht,S that goes by way of ink have to help him out"
 But how can you leave in this busy season." Stella asked
 Its right smart pestersome, but l got ter. 1 got you, an Vi, an Vic. Grandma 'amll have ter-whats that word Al Vincent used the other day? happer-shapperon you all"
 Stella smiled halfheartedly. Do you think we can manager" She did not shrink from responsibility, but from the horde of men. Travellers, strangers, men of the town, all would make pretexts for lingering in the office or wherever they could find either girl; not from rudeness, but be- cause of the woman-hunger, the long ing for all that good woman stands for to men of the frontier. And Sally B. would not be there for refuge and court of appeal.
 "Of course you can manage. You got to. Sabe? Don't get skeered fore you begin. I've got Jimmy Dart staked out by telegraph. She's the best dinin' room gal in Placer county. She'n Vic Il run the eatin' end O. K. All you got ter do, Stella, is to boss the whole consarn." Sally B. whisked off with a telegraphed order for goods that kept several clerks in Sacramento busy all that afternoon.
 Toward supper time the three wom. en were in the corral" where Sally B. had put through" a tremendous cleaning. The room was long and bare, with rows of neat beds, an oc- casional chair, several rough tables and forest of nails uphanging various pieces of mems apparel
 Now you'n Viola ain't to touch them beds, but just ha'nt that Chiny limb O Satan, Wing, an see t he does 'em right I'm goin' to make Shack Newbegin boss of the corral, an he'll look out for any cuss that gifts on bender. He'll make him take leg bail too quick"
 Shackelford Newbegin had taken Gideon's place at the bar and had proved exceptionally trustworthy.
 ''Doggone 'em! Some of 'em sleeps in their boots, drunk or sober" Sally B. continued, her mind still on the beds. She scowled collectively, her neat soul outraged by memories of back aching seasons of blanket-wash ing, of ceaseless strife to keep the cor ral from 'smellin' wuss'n a pig-pen!"
 When strangers wants beds, you two gals come together to show 'em up, an have Wing bring up the car pet bags"
 Why, ma? You always bring 'em up yourself"
 That's all right; but you mind. I ain't goin' to have you an your teach CT totin' baggage just cause I hain't got no style"
 Only the stage took the road ahead of Sally B. the next day. Do you think I'm goin' ter git mixed with Gid lngram's outfit?" she asked when some one questioned her intention to lead. If one O them teams stalls, the whole procession Is Roored. No, sir rec! l got good wagons an good team; an I'm goin through on time. l am!"
 ThS tarpaulin-covered wagons were drawn up in front of the hotel. Sally