Rocky Ford enterprise., 1908-06-19
CHAPTER I.-continued.

In short, by the magic of brilliant
color and natural grace she narrowly
escaped being extremely handsome
in the way OF a sun-burned peach, or
n maiden s.blush apple. And even If
you should think she were not hand
some. you would admit that there was
an understandable rustic charm about
her. She was like the aroma of the
hay.fields. or the woods. or a field of
daisies. or dandeiions.
The girl. laughing. surrendered the
money. and the old man. taking an
arm OF each. marched them peremp-
toTily away.
Come to the not:se and git his
clothes. Eferysing GOES in-stofepipe
hat. butterfly necktie. diamond pin.
toothbrush, hair-oil. razor and SOAP.
They had got far enough around the
corner to be out Of sight Of the store
during this Eaiety. and the old man
showed Seffy and the girl In front of
him. linked their arms. and retreated
TO the rear.
What Sephenijah =. Baumgartner.
Senior. hath fined together. let no.
body put athunder. begoshens." he an.
nounced.
The proceeding appeared to be pain
full TO Seffy, but not to Sally. She
frankly accepted the situation and
promptly put into action its opportuni-
ties for coquetry. She begged him.
first, with consummate aplomb, to aid
her in adjusting her parcels more Sc
curely. insisting upon carrying them
herself. and II would be impossible to
describe adequately her allures. The
electrical touches. halfcaress, half-de-
fiance: the confidential whisperings.
so that the willy old man in the rear
might not hear: the surges up against
him: the recoveries-only to surge
.again-these would require n mechan-
.ical continuance which reports not
only speech but action-and even this
might easily fail, so subtle was It all!
''Scf-Sefy. thought II was his
old watch he was nuctioning on. /
wanted II for-for-a nest-egg. aha
ha-ha, You must excuse me-"
You wouldn't a bid at all II you'd
knowed 1t was me. | reckon" said Seffy.
Yes, / would" declared the CO.
quette. I'D rather have you than any
nest-egg in the whole world-any two
OF 'em,"-and when he did not take
his chance-"if they were made of
gold!'
But then she spoiled 1t.
ITS worse fellows than you, Seffy."
The touch of coquetry was but too ap-
parent.
And better" said Seffy. with a
lump in his throat. Il know | amt no
good with girls-and don't care!"
''Yes." she assented wickedly.
There are better ones
Sam Pritz-"
Sally looked away. smiled. and was
silent.
"Sulky Seffy." she finally said.
IF he does stink of salt mackerel,
and most always drunk" Sery went
on bitterly. "Has nothing but n mo-
lasses-tapper,"
Sally began % drift further away
and to sing. Calling Pritz names was
of no consequence except 1t kept
Sefy from making love to her
while he wa. doing (which seemed
foolish to Sally. The old man came
up and brodght them together again.
"Oach! X, long and make lofe some
more. lige to see II. ] expect | am
an old fool. but like to see tits
like oil tInes-yas. and II you don't
look out .here. Seny. I'll take hand
myself-yassir! go long,"
He draw them very close together.
each lousing the other way. Indeed
he helt them there for moment,
roughly.
Seffy stole a glance at Sally. He
wanted to see how she was taking his
fathers odiously intimate suggestion.
But IL happened that Sally wanted
to see how he wns taking 1t. She
laughed with the frankest OF joy as
their eyes met.
"Seny-I do-like you" said the co,
quette. And you ought to know 1t.
You imp!"
Now this was immensely stip2ulat
ting to the bashful Seffy.
Il like you" he said-"ever since we
was babies"