The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1908-06-09
A Chapter from ifef
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Inc wagon drew up at the farm, and
a man jumped down and Knocked on
the open door. In reply voice called
out to him to come in. II was n curi-
Gus voice, fiat and strained. as though
IL were an effort to speak. Expecting
to see an invalid, the stranger stepped
into the room.
A man of not more than thirty-five
lay back in rocker, his thin. sickly
hands extended on his knees, his face
pinched and grey-looking.
I'm afraid you're ILL.," the visitor
said. Il was going to ask your hos
pltality for an hour or two We've
Deen travelling since daybreak and the
horses want a rest, but If you'd rather
not be bothered, don't mind saving
So"
NO. don't go-stay," the man said
eagerly. I'm bit OF an invalid, but
that doesn't matter. It's treat to
see somebody from the outside world.
and you don't look as If you belonged
to these parts"
Il come from Winnipeg My names
Drummond. and I'm going up to Black.
foot Creek on business. / suppose
you've heard that they've struck oil
there"
Il hear nothing. One might as we'll
be dead as live here-better."
MIR. Drummond glanced around the
room. 1t was little whitewashed
place, with the usual stove in the GEN.
ter, its long pipe piercing the ceiling
TO warm the upper rooms. Through
the window he could see the potato.
patch and the fields beyond beginning
to sprout into greenness.
L suppose IL is a bit dreary in the
winter" he said There wouldn't be
much to do then"
There's nothing. You feel like a
castaway on a desert island. Nobody
comes near you, and you hear and see
nothing. You sit over the red hot stove
until you're half-baked on one side
while the Icy wind finds it's way
through every crack and freezes you
on the other. The days are long
enough, but the nights are worse when
you lie awake listening to the coyotes
howling down by the spring, and the
wind tears over the prairie like a de-
mon let loose"
You don't look fit for the life"
Drummond said compassionately. look.
ing at the thin. refined face and list.
less figure. You need the comforts of
civilization. 1t takes strong man
to face this sort of existence and Get
any good out Of IT,"
Its not any choice of mine. I've
never been used to It, My wife had n
FANCY to come up here, but I think
she's almost had enough Of It,"
Il shouldn't have thought there
could be any attraction for lady in
such place. There's isn't even much
sport" He concluded that the mistress
or the house must be of robust phy.
sique with manly tastes to take 10 the
wilderness from choice
He altered his mind when he saw
her come In.
She was tall and slender, with rather
hard face, which had probably been
pretty before toll and exposure to all
weathers had aged and roughened IL
Hers was the slenderness of strength
and clean proportions: she was as
straight and upright as a dart. Drum.
mond thought what n contrast abe
made to her husband. But though ne
was not prepossessed by her appear.
ance-and her chilly greeting in.
creased the feeling-she was oulto
different from the loud, sporting wo.
man he had imagined.
She put bowl OF potatoes down by
her husband.
This gentleman will excuse Won
getting on with these" she said. with
nervous laugh. "They are wanted
Tor dinner. Shall | show your man
the stables?" she added. turning tn
Drummond. You will want a shake.
down for the horsea."
Don't let me trouble you. can
find them myself, or anybody can
show me the way"
There IS nobody but me and Grant.
and he is engaged just now. NY bus
band, as you see. Is not strong enough
to do much. so we have changed
places. lie looks after the house and
does any little jobs he can"
Drummond could say no more. lie
caught n half-shamed, haIf.pleadinQ
look on the mans face as he followed
his wife outside, and he wondered
what It all meant. IL seemed a strange
household. He could not but admire
the way the place was kept. Every.
tRlng Was % clean AMI tidy there