Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1908-01-02
CHAPTER v.
At the Bon Ami.

At the Bon Ami.
Unlike most OF those who ride much
her escort was fast walker Louise
had trouble In keeping up with him.
though she had always considered her.
self good pedestrian. But Jim Mum
son was laboring under strange EN-.
barrassment. He was red.facedly
conscious Of the attention he was at.
tracing striding up the inclined
street from the station in the van OF
the prettiest and most thoroughbred
girl who had struck velpen this long
time.
Not that he objected to attention
under normal conditions. Not he! He
courted It. His chief aim in life
seemed to be to throw the limelight
OF publicity, first, on the Three Bars
ranch as the one and only In the cate
CORY Of ranches. and to be connected
with It N some way, however slight,
the unquestioned aim and object OF
existence OF every man. woman and
child In the cattle country; secondly.
on Paul Langford, the very boss Of
bosses. whose master mind was the
prop and stay Of the northwest. II not
Of all Chirstendom; and lastly. upor,
himself, the modest, but loyal seq
tor In this Paradise on earth. But&iT
'wSne FAR frpil mon mai cUuuitluns.
ThSre were. no women at the Three
Bars. There never had been any
woman at the Three Bars within the
memory Of man. To be sure. Willis
tons little girl had sometimes ridden
over on an errand. but she didn't
count. This--this was the real thing,
and he didn't know just hoy to deal
with 1t. He needed time to enlarge
his sight to this broadened horizon.
Ee glanced with nonchalance over
his shoulder. After all, she was only
q girl. and not such big one. either
She wore longer skirts s-7s Willis.
toms girl. but he didn't beile4e SIZE
was day older. He squared about
Immediately, and what lae had meant
to say he never said. on account Of
an unaccountable ttiickening OF his
tongue.
Presently he bolted into building.
which proved 10 be the Bon Ami,
restaurant Sunder the direct supervis-
ion O. the fat, voiuble and tragic Mrs.
Higgins, where the men from the
other side Of the river had right Of
wav and unlimited credit.
"what'll you have?" he asked. hos
pitably. the familiar air Of the Bon
Ami bringing him back to his accus-
toned self-conhdent swagger.
might have some tea and toast.
piease?" said Louise, sinking into q
chair at the nearest table. with two
startling yet amusing thoughts ram.
pant In her brain. One was, that she
wished Aunt Helen could have seen
her swinging along in the wake Of this
typical bold and licentious" man.
and calmly and comfortably sitting
down to a. cory little supper for two
at public eating house; the other
startling thought was to the effect
that the invitation was redolent with
snggestiveness, and she wondered II
she was not expected to say. "A whis-
key for me. please"
sdress : you kin," answered Jim,
wonder In his voice at the exceeding
harrenness ofithe order. Mrs. Hig-
gins, hello there, Mrs. Higginsl ! say.
there. bring sqn some tea and toast
for the ladylss
where Is the. Three Barsi" asked
Louise, her thoughts straying to the
tsrrors Of . 15-mile drive through .
strange and uncanny. country with q
stranger and yet more uncanny man.
Ehs had accepted him without Ques-
don. He was part and parcel with the
r,rangeness Of her new position. But
the suddenness Of the transition from
idie conjecture 10 startling reality had
rnissd her proud head and she looked
ttis new development squareIt In the
nee without outward hint Of inward |
pertnbation-
Say. where was you raised;" asked
Jim. with tolerant scorn. between |
hufe mouthfuls Of boiled pork and
ctbbage, intefsDersed 9th baked DO
iatoes. hot rolls and s6ggy dumplings. !
ahoyeled In with knife, fork or spoon
He occasionally anticipated dessert
b making a sudden sortie into the
o,nrter Of an immense custErd pie, !
hibtsnIng the end BY means Of noisy
draughts OF steaming coffee. Truly.
the Three Bay connection had the tat
a the land afths Bon Ami. - !