The Red Cloud chief., 1908-05-08

,uyUr, 50 ! worked MN. lie got the
short straw, and had 10 crawl II mile
through cactus. while I sat conforta.
bic on the cause Of the disagreement
and yelled TO him that he looked like
a badger ana other things that m In.
Jun wouldn't feel was a compliment"
Red leaned back and reared. II a
sec him now putting his hands down
so careful and turning back every
once In awhile 10 cuss me. Turned out
that Il was his cnyusc too. Fcilcr that
sold II tn me had stole II from him. |
oughtn't TO laugh over It. but | can't
help but smoker when I think how I
did that %Injun."
Generally speaking. Miss Matte had
Il lively sense Of humor. but the joke
OF this was lost on her. Her cduca.
ton had been that getting shot WAS
far from funny.
why. | should have thought yon
would have died. Will
What. For n little crack In the
leg!" cried Red, with some impaticncc.
"You people must quit easy In this
country. Die notlln'. me Of OuT
boys came along and took us To camp,
md we was up and doing again In nc
time. Course, Black Wolf has Il game
leg for good, but the worst that's
stuck to me Is n yank or two OF rlieu.
matlsm In the rainy season. | paid
Wolf for his cayuse," he finished
shamefaccdly. II 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.
cy she had and how she managed &c
make out. Now, IT was II of the
canons Of good manners in Fairfield
not to speak Of material matters. per
hapS because there was so iiti,r ma.
terial matter in the community. but
Miss Matte, doomed 10 n thousand
irkSomc petty economics, hal often
longrd for II Sympathetic ear 10 pom
into ii II good honest complaint Of hat.
Ing to do this ana that. She could not
exactly 80 this far with Cousin VIII,
but she could say II was pretty hard
to get along and gave some details.
She felt that she knew him so very
we'll in those few hours. Rcd heard
| with mods of assent. He had scented
the conditions at once.
ut amt any fun skidding on the
thin ice" said he when they had con
Guided the talk. 'Ive had to count the
beans I 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 n green roll, slapped 1t Oh the cen.
| ter table. BLOW that in and timber
up and remember that there's more
behind IT,"
Miss Mattie's pride rose at a 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
sudden access OF %sternncss and au
thority.
"And I hope, Matte" said he, tina
you don't think that I think anything
of the kind"
The cousins stared into each other,
eyes for n full minute: then Miss Mat
tie spoke. No, VIII" said she, 81
don't believe you do"
Il shouldn't think I did" rc,ortcd
Red. What in thunder would | IL
with all that money? Why. good
Lord. girl. l could paper your hoUsC
with SO bills. Now YOU try To Il!
them green kites, liz" ! tell YOU"
Miss Matte broke down. The not full
~ realized strain Of fifteen years had
made Itself felt when the cord snap
ped. 1 don't know how TO thank you
| don't know what 20 say. oh. vii
liam. II seems too good to he true"
What YOU cry ing about, Mattic:'
said he, in sore distress. "Now ho,t
on. Listen to me Il minute. There!
something l want YOU TO do for nc"
"What Is ~" she asked, drying lie
eyes.
For dinner tomorrow he replied
lets have 4 roast of beef tOut tina
size" indicating Il washtub.
The diversion was complete.
why, VIII, What would we eve
10 with it, said she.
do with it? Why, eat IT,"
But we couldn't eat all that!'
"Thcn throw what's left to the cats
You amt going TO fall down on m
the first favor l ask" with mock ser
you shall have the roast OF beef
Pears to me that you're fond Of you
stomach. WILL" said Miss Matte, wit
n recovering smile,