The Newport miner. [volume] (Newport, Wash.) 1899-current, 1908-12-24
Finding Is
Keeping.
By MARTHA M'CULLOCH-
WILLIAMS.
Copyrighted, 1908. by Associated
Literary Press.

Lisabeth climbed into the runabout
and sent Meg down the road at a clip
ping pace. There was certain ike
ness betwixt the girl and the mare.
Both s,,owed blood; both were hand
some in unusual fashion. Lisabeth
was a Spanish blond, and her face
was vivid as an autumn flower. Thus
Meg's copper red coat and faxen name
and tail brought her beautifully into
the picture.
81 don't see why nanny and the
colonel never will pull together" Lisa
beth complained to Meg when they
were safe in the big road. Meg was
her only confidant, her nearest com
rade.
"If only they ever did agree l might
give I'D to them," Elisabeth went on
plaintively. "Since they won't l nave
to stand up for my own way. They'd
hate each other forever if they thought
1 was partial"
The big road swept in long curve
halfway round the plantation. Lisa
beth caught glimpses Of the white
house, with tall red chimneys, nesting
among the trees, all along throughout
the first mile.
Several times she smiled at the
house; once she shook her fist, saying,
with frown: ooh, you look good, but
hn q
l can't do anything l want to do, be-
cause I'm going some day to be mis-
tress of Willow Wand But that isn't
the very worst-I must marry some
body fit to be master there-if ever
they find such a paragon. l won't do
it! / won't. 1 won't! I'll run away
with drummer man or even a gypsy
If like him."
Elisabeth was nineteen, vital to her
finger tips, an only child and, truth to
say, rather badly spoiled.
"They fight so, Meg" Elisabeth ran
ON, more than ever plaintive-"my
nanny and the colonel. He gets up
first. By breakfast time he has thought
Of brand new reason why / ought to
marry that Kinross thing" (Type can
never express the curl here Of Lisa
beth's lips) And he fires it at NAM
my as she gives him his coffee-and
spells her appetite always-and makes
her cry sometimes. But she gets even.
Long before dinners ready she's ready
with something good and better in
Hump billiard. Oh, Lord! Fancy liv-
ing with body named Hump! l hear
myself saying, 'Humpy, dear, or My
Humpy sugar lump! l have my Opin-
ion of folks who would go and name
a boy child Humphreys-don't care If
the name has been in the family forty
thousand years."
She fell silent a little while. The
road ran on down Leet's hill, which
was more than half mass Of clay
bedded round powders. One could
drive over it safe enough IL only one
knew how; also If ones horse were
clear footed and true pulling.
Evidently a passenger had essayed
coming up it who lacked all those
things. Halfway down the hill upon
a small gravelly bench there was an
overturned buggy with man half sit
ting, half lying beside it, casting rue
full glances alternately at the vehicle
and the horse. whose head barely
showed a bove the depths of roadside
gully.
The horse whickered appealingly to
Meg, who answered with the least
faint whinny. Elisabeth stopped oppo-
site the stranger, leaned a little to-
ward him, saying in her fathers most
judicial tone: I'm! Can't you pick
yourself UP after your spill?"
Certainly l can. I'm doing this all
for lark, Of coursev' the stranger re-
torted, pointing to his forehead,
bleeding from long cash, then on to
foot lying helpless in front Of him.
A Smallish. brass bound trunk little
beyond explained his plight. In the
spill it had somehow fallen upon his
ankle, breaking a bone. It was a
sample trunk, Elisabeth decided in
stantly. Therefore the stranger was q
drummer.
1t served him right for trying to go
cross country without driver and
with only single horse, but that was
no more than a fieeting thought She
was giggling so inside as she thought
what the colonel would say to him.
The colonel hated the whole race of
drummers, albeit he admitted they
had their uses. Notwithstanding he
would not refuse succor to this special
drummer. Elisabeth chuckled inly as
she got out and approached him, say
Ing: I'm real sorry you're hurt. At
first thought you were only
Drunk" the stranger supplemented
as she passed, coloring deeply. She
nodded. "But I'll spare you apologies
Instead I'm going to take you home
with me-" she said.
Sure I'll go?'' the stranger asked.
Elisabeth gave him a severe glance as
she answered: you needn't unless
you want to. Just tell me who you
are, who you travel for and where
you're going, and l can send word to