The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1908-01-09
Red Saunders
..By...
HENRY WALLACE PHILLIPS
COPYRIGHT 1902 MCCLURE. u COMPANY

y
there IN that little house. kin &
down with you jes' swell g not! Why
there she IL now. on the stoop.'
"Thankee sonny" said the big voice
Here's for miggles," and Miss Matti
caught the sparkle Of n coin as
few into the grimy fists of Eddie.
"Much obliged" yelled Eddie an'
vanished up the street
Miss Matte sat transfxed. He
breath came In swallows, and he
heart beat irregularly. Here was nov
city with a vengeance. The big mar
turned and fastened his eyes upoI
her. There was no retreat. She no
ticed with some reinsurance that his
eyes were grave and kindly.
AS he advanced Miss Matte rose IN
agitation, unconsciously putting her
hand on her throat. What could II
mean?
The gate was opened and the stran
ger strobe up the cinder walk to the
porch. He stopped a whole minute
and looked at her. At last!
well. Natter he said, don't you
know meT"
A food Of the widest hypothesis
flashed through Miss Mattie's mind
without enlightening her. Who was
this picturesque giant who stepped
out Of the past with SO familiar sal
utation? Although the porch was a
foot high, and Miss Matte fairly
tall woman, their eyes were almost on
level as she looked at him in won
der
Then he laughed and showed his
white teeth. mo use to bother and
worry you. Matte" said he. "You
couldn't call it in ten years. Well, I'm
your half uncle Fred's boy Bill, and |
hope you're a quarter as glad to see
me as am to see you"
"What,' she cried Not little Willy
who ran awayw
1.-THE same little Willy" he replied
in tone that made Miss Matte laugh
little, nervously, land what l want
TO know is are you glad to see me?"
'Why, of course! But. WILL sup
pose l should call you Will? l am SO
iustered-not expecting you-and it's
been so warm today. Won't you come
in and take chair" wound up Miss
Matte in desperation and fury at her
self for saying things SO different from
what she meant to say.
There was twinkle iii Tie mans
eyes as he replied in an injured tone:
why. good Lord. Matte. I've come
1000 miles or more to see you, and
you ask me 10 take chair just as II
I'd stepped in from across the way!
Can't YOU give a man n little warmer
welcome than that"
What shall dot' asked poor Miss
Matte.
"Well. YOU might kiss me for a
start" said he.
Miss Matte was all abroad. Still
ones half cousin. who has come such
a distance and been received so very
oddly, Is entitled to consideration. She
raised her agitated face and for The
first time in her life realized the pleas
ure Of wearing Il mustache.
Then Red Saunders, late Of the
Chanta Seechee ranch, North Dakota,
sat him down.
I'm obliged to YOU, Matte" he said
I'm all seriousness. ITO tell you the
truth. felt in need of little comfort
fng-here I've come all this distance
and of course. | heard about father
and mother-but l couldn't believe 1t
was true. Seemed as If they must be
waiting at the old place for me to
come back, and when l saw 1t all gone
to ruin Well, then l set out to find
somebody. and do you know. of all the
family there's only you and me left?
That's all. Matte. just us two! While
was growing up out west l kind of
expected things to be standing still
back here and be just the same as
left them-hum- Well, how are You.
anyhow"
''I'm well, viii, and'-laying her
hand upon his. don't think I'm not
glad to see you-please don't. I'm so
glad, VIII. l can't tell you-but I'm all
eonfused-so little happens here"
II shouldn't guess 1t was the liveliest
place In the world, by the look Of It,"
said Red. And as far as that's con.
cerned, I kinder don't know what to
say myself. There's such a heap to
talk about It's hard to tell where to
begin. But we've got to be friends
though. Mattie-we've just got to be
friends. Good Lord. We're all there's
left! Funny l never thought Of suct
Z thing! Well. blast It! That's enough
Of such talk. I've brought you pres
emit, Matte" He stretched out a lee
that reached beyond the limits II the
front porch and dove into his trousers
pocket, bringing out buckskin sack
He fumbled ut the knot a minute AM
then passed 1t over, saying, "You un
lie it-your fingers are sooplier thar
mine" Miss Mattie's fingers wer,
shaking, but the knots finally came un
done. and from the sack she brough
forth chain Of rich, dull yellow lump
fashioned into necklace. 1t weighe,
1 pound. She spread 1t out and locke,
at It astounded. "Gracious, VIII! /
that gold?" she asked.
ssThat's what" he replied. "The rea
article. lust as 1t came out Of th
ground: dug It myself That's tn