Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1908-06-25

knuckle bones when was only fool .
sir-when"-
"oh, is that it," Richard interrupta ,
1T was joke. them
Yes, sir"
my! What a delicate humor you
Englishmen have! Am to under
stand that you will continue to be my
servant on the original terms of agree
mentf'
1T would make me 'appy. M lord
oh. so 'appyw
very WELL" said Richard. I'm give
you another trial But understand me
Bills, there must be no more non
senser'
"Nd, sir"
"Notmore brandyT
"No, SIR"
"And you will obey me implicitly in
everything
II will, so 'elp mev'
"All right" smiled the Texan. "Ill
give you an order as a starter. Just
get those new riding boots of Lord
Croyland's, will you, and put them on
break them In for me-? may be out
for several hours. You will walk up
and down in them until l return"
'But-but," protested Bills, them
boots is too small for you, sir-I mean,
your lordship-an' my foot is bigger'n
yours, SIR"
II know that perfectly" answered
Richard pleasantly. Singular how Bills
hot
pleasant his master could be- Wen
kill two birds with one stone. Not
| only will you break those boots for
me, but per contra at the same time
you may be reminded of what 1t means
to break contract with me. Am
clear?'
The valet sat limp and speeches.
He made no move to obey the harsh
command, so Richard turned on his
heel, crossed to the window and stood
looking out among the trees.
Bills" he asked presently, have
you noticed how many crows are fly
Ing about the place? l never observed
them before"
Eyes, yes. M lordv' the servant gasp.
ed. 1--WE noticed 'em frequent, sir,
an'-an', awskin' your pardon, sir. Pm
ready to put the boots on"
Richard watched the operation In
grim enjoyment. The fit was a tight
one. but Bills accomplished the feat
at last, though the perspiration came
out on his forehead in copious profu- |
sion.
THANK you" said the Texan simply |
and departed without giving any fur
Their directions.
He enjoyed his ride with Miss Har-
riet hugely. For three long. blissful
hours he cantered with her on beauti- |
full country roads, where the air was
sweet and invigorating. where the
scent of wild flowers came to them and
the fragrance of the wild woods sweet
er still in the deepening dusk. A hun
dred times he was on the verge of
confessing all, of throwing himself up
on the mercy of her gentleness, but a
warning something held him In check.
and in spite of his impulses-like the
sailor in the opera-he remained an
Englishman. Once she turned to him
with sparkling eyes.
do you know" she said, there are
times when you remind me so of a
man l CHANGED to meet that-that"-
THE cowboyT Richard asked.
She made no answer, but flushed and
gave free rein to her eager horse, while
the Texan spurred after her. laying
frm hand upon her bride arm.
"And II l were he would 1t make
difference then-a difference, | mean, {
In winning your respect and trust
and
"How absurd you arer' she laughed
In swift interruption. Have not Civ
en- you both already? My cowboy is
but memory, and you-why, gracious, ,
how late it's getting! We shall never
be In time for dinner! Conner
If Richard and Miss Harriet enjoyed
their afternoon, the same could not be
said of Bills. For three long hours i
the servant did penance for his sins. I.
knowing not which ached the most {
his head, his heart or his tender feet.
To walk was agony. To sit was to I
suffer with gnawing, burning heat
that ever increased as his feet began /
to swell. At the end of the first half |
hour he determined to run away, to
hide himself somewhere In the wilder !
ness Of New York. where his master
might seek for him in vain. Immedi-
ately. however. a stumbling block pre-
sented itself. To get into the boots
had been difficult. To get out of them /
proved to be an utter impossibility,
and to run anywhere with such an !
agonizing handicap was out of the {
question. True he might have cut
them of, but In view of the thought of {
crows and knuckle bones he preferred
to bear his martyrdom.
Richard found him seated on the
edge of the bathtub. with his feet in
half an inch Of warm water-a mutt. !
neer reduced, like his boots, to a piti-
able pulp. i
Hello. Woolsey." Richard asked
cheerfully. whats up?"
M lord" the valet walled, .for
Gawd's sake. 'elp me, sir, for I'd
rather ave you shoot me in the parts
wot doesn't count than wear these ERE
blasted boots fer another minute, Mr..
Williams, sir. II you'll be SO good"
''That'll cost me pair Of boots to
Croyland." thought Richard over his
cigar as be dismissed the wretched
valet to seek relief below stairs. But
rather think It was money WE'LL