Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1908-04-03

BILE on the cause Of the disagreement
and yelled 10 him that he looked like
a badger and other things that an In
Jun wouldn't feel was compliment"
Red leaned back and roared. Il can
see him now putting his hands down
SO careful and turning back every
once In awhile to cuSs ME. Turned out
that II WAS his cayuse too. Feller that
sold ii to ne had stole it from him. |
oughtn't to laugh over it, but l can't
help bat smoker when l think how l
did that Injun."
Generally speaking. Miss Matte had
n lively sense of humor but the joke
OF this was lost ON her Her educn-
ton had been that getting shot was
far from funny.
why, | should have thought you
would have died. Will"
What! For little crack In the
leg?" cried Red, with some Impotence.
You people must quit easy In this
country. Die nothin' One of our
boys came along and took us to camp,
and we was up and doing again In no
time. Course, Black Wolf has a game
leg for good. but the worst that's
stuck to me Is yank or two Of rheu-
matism in the rainy season. paid
Wolf for his cayuse," he finished
shamefacedly. Il had the laugh on
him anyhow"
Miss Matte told him she thought
that was noble Of him, which tribute
Red took as medicine and shifted the
subject with speed to practical affairs.
He asked Miss Matte how much mon
ey she had and how she managed to
make out. Now, 1t was one Of the
not to speak Of material matters, per-
haps because there was so little ma
terlal matter in the community, but
Miss Matte, doomed to thousand
irksome petty economies, had often
longed for a sympathetic ear to pour
into it a good honest complaint of hat
ing to do this and that. She could not
exactly go this far with Cousin VIII,
but she could say 1t was pretty hard
to get along and gave some details.
She felt that she knew him so very
we'll in those few hours! Red heard
with mods OF assent He had scented
the conditions ut once.
1T amt any fun skidding on tho
thin Ice" said he when they had con-
cluded the talk. i've had to count the
beans l put In the pot, and 1t made me
hate arithmetic worse than when !
went over yOnder to school, Well,
them days have gone by for you, Mat
tie" He reached down and, pulling
out green roll, slapped 1t on the cen
ter table. 'Blow that In and Timber
up and remember that there's more
behind It."
Miss Mattie's pride rose at leap.
"Will," she said, II hope you don't
think I've told you this to get money
from you"
He leaned forward, put his hand on
her shoulder and held her eyes with q
sudden access OF sternness and au-
thority.
"And 1 hope, Matte" said he, shat
you don't think that I think anything
Of the kind"
The cousins stared into each others
eyes for full minute; then Miss Mat
tie spoke. mo. WILL" said she, II
don't believe you do"
II shouldn't think did," retorted
Red. what In thunder would l do
with all that money? Why. good
Lord. girl. could paper your house
with SO bills! Now you try to fly
them green kites. like tell you"
Miss Matte broke down. The not full.
ly realized strain Of fifteen years had
p0Rde itself felt when the cord snap
ped. Il don't know how to thank you
I don't know what to say. Oh, VIII
liam, 1t seems too good to be true"
What you crying about, MATTER"
said he, in sore distress. "Now hold
on! Listen to me a minute! There's
something I want you to do for me-"
What Is itT" she asked. drying her
eyes.
For dinner tomorrow" he replied,
"lets have n roast Of beef about that
SIZE" indicating washtub
The diversion was complete.
"Why. VIII! What would we ever
do with it?' said she.
do with 1t? Why. eat itr'
"But We couldn't eat all thatv
~Then throw what's left to the eats.
You amt going to fall down on N
the first favor I ask?" with mock seri-
BUSINESS.
You shall have the roast Of beef.
Pears to me that you're fond Of your
stomach. WILL" said Miss Matte. with
| a recovering smile.
II have a good stomach that's al
ways done the right thing by me when
I've Gone the right thing by It," said
Red. And. moreover. just look at the
constitution l have to support. But
| say. old lady. look Mt that" pointing
to the clock. "Eleven-thirty; time de-
cent people were putting up for the
| night"
The words brought to an acute stage
| wandering fear which had passed
through Miss Mattie's mind mt inter-
| walls during the evening. Where was
she to look for sleeping accommoda-
| lions for man? She revolted against
the convention that in her own mind
| rs well as the rest Of Fairfield forbade
the use Of her house for the purpose.
Long habit Of thought had made these
| niceties constitutional. 1t was almost
us difficult for Miss Matte to say "Tll
fix up your bed right there on the
sofa" rs II would have been for Red to
pick mans pocket, yet when she
thought Of his instant and open gen.
crosby and what a dismal return
therefor 1t would be to thrust him out
for reasons which she OWNED would
have no meaning for him, she heroical-
| ly resolved to throw custom to the
| winds and speak.
But the difficulty was cut In another
| fashion.
There's little barn In the back.
yard that caught my eye" said Red,