The Lamar register., 1908-02-19
CHAPTER v,-continued.


"What'n you have?" he asked. hos
Ami bringing him back to his accus-
toned self-confident swagger.
Might l have some tea and toast,
please?" said Louise, sinking Into a
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 coy little supper for two
at a public eating house: the other
startling thought was to the effect
that the invitation was redolent with
suggestiveness, and she wondered If
she was not expected to say, "A whls-
key for me. please"
Guess you kim" answered Jim.
wonder in his voice at the exceeding
barrenness of the order. Mrs. Hig-
gins, hello there, Mrs. Higgins! l say,
there, bring on some tea and toast
for the LADY,"
where is the Three Bars?" asked
Louise, her thoughts straying to the
terrors of 15-mile drive through a
strange and uncanny country with
stranger and yet more uncanny man.
She had accepted him without ques-
ton. He was part and parcel with the
strangeness of her new position. But
the sudienness Of the transition from
idle conjecture to startling reality had
raised her proud head and she looked
this new development squarely in the
face without outward hint of inward
perturbation.
Say, where was you raised?" asked
Jim, with tolerant scorn, between
huge mouthfuls of boiled pork and
cabbage, interspersed with baked po-
tatoes, hot rolls and soggy dumplings.
shoyeled in with knife fork or spoon.
He occasionally anticipated dessert
by making sudden sortie into the
quarter of an immense custard pie,
Fastening the end by means of noisy
draughts of steaming coffee. Truly
the Three Bars connection had the fat
of the land at the Bon Ami.
"Why. it's the Three Bars that's
bringin' you here. Didn't you know
that? There's nary a man in the
hull country with backbone enough to
keep off all-fours 'ceptin' Paul Lang
ford. I'm. You just try once to walk
over the boss, will you? Lord! What
a grease spot you'd make!'
"Mr. Gordon isn't being walked
over, is he?" asked Louise. finished
with her tea and toast and impatient
to be on.
"Oh. Gordon? Pretty decent sort O.
chap. Right idees. Don't know
much about handlin' boss thieves and
SIGH. Amt smooth enough. Acted
kind O. like a chicken with Its head
cut on till the boss got into the round
up"
Obi" said Louise. whose concep-
ton of the young counsel for the state
did not tally with this delineation.
Yep, Miss. this here's the boss's
doin's. Yep. Lord! What'll that
gang lock like when we are through
with 'em. Spendin' the rest O their
days down there in Sioux Falls, medi-
tatin' on the ACCESSIBILITY o walkin'
clear o. the toes o. the Three Bars in
the future and cussin' their stupendi-
fled stupidity in foolin' even once with
the Three Bars. Yep. sir-yep, ma am
1 mean-Jesse Black and his gang
have acted Just like pesky. little plum
fool moskeeters. and we're goin TO
slap 'em. The cheek Of em, hghtih
on the Three Bars! Lord!
Mr.. Williston informed, did he
not?"
"Williston? oh. yes. he informeu'
but he'd never "a done it If 1t haah
"a been for the boss. The oil 1ellynsh
wouldn't "a had the nerve to ihioii III
without backin', as sure as slon y,
wall. The boss is a dom THIS ! zen
you, Miss. But Williston S goih vi
the stand to-morrer all right, ana So
am l."
The two cowboys at the corner taoie
had long since finished their suppe,
They now lighted bad-smelling cisai
and left the room. To Louises srea'
relief Munson rose, too. He was D"oh
very soon with a neat little runapou'
and a high spirited team of bays
"Boss's private" explained Jim WIN
pride. "Nothin' too good for lauy'
so the boss sent this and me 10 an
keer o. 1t. And O. you. too, MISS Ne
added, as an afterthought
He held the lines in his brown, mus !,
cular hands, lovingly. while he sto"eu
away Louise's belongings and hinsei,
snugly in the seat. and thensthe BLOOD