The Irish standard., 1908-04-18
CHAPTER XVI.

o0uy D. ACA0D 1UG wagon VV0uUs
Busy nights made Sally BIS risings
no later. She served as good break
fast TO Mr.. Crocker the next morning
as If the hotel routine had been un-
broken.
The little town was full OF confusion.
and the center of 1t was the hotel. The
dining room was overflowing. Added
to the crowd of the night was a gang
Of men just arrived and clamoring for
breakfast before they were hustled on
the Front. There was none of the ex-
pectant quiet Of the supper hour in
the green-embowered room. And Sally
B. was everywhere, generating the sit
uation masterfully.
There was meager time for dream
ing. yet the heart Of Stella dreamed
on. though her head bent faithfully
to its tasks at the office desk. The
night in fairyland had passed, still its
visions held. Across the gulch tender
hands she knew we're preparing the
dead for burial; but often as her
thoughts strayed there to death. still
ness, mystery, she whipped herself
back again to the hustle and hurry
around her. This she could endure.
float serenely over with Alfred's eyes
ever on her own, his kiss still thrilling
her lips. Nor would she think of him
as flying from her. Plenty Of time to
vision him far away, his mind occupied
with alien concerns. Plenty of time
to count off the days. the weeks
would it be months before she should
see him?
Before noon a man came in from
the east with two wagons and six
horse team, bringing a message for
Sally r. It was an old newspaper.
crumpled and dirty.
"Just look a here!" Sally B. said
excitedly. as she entered the Office
and held the paper out to Stella. Il
go to go to Bill humpin' quick-ter-
morrer, II l can git away. BY goll!
it'll beat the ole Harry for me to git
ready"
Stella took the unsavory paper and
looked vainly for Sally BIS message.
The only noticeable thing was string
OF crosses on the margin.
"Oh, forgot. O. course, you can't
read Bills letter; nobody but me can.
See them two crosses first there?
Close together? Them means he's
WELL See them four with lines over
n under? That says he's struck it
rich. Blamed rich. Lines under'd
mean pretty good; but lines on top.
too, means whoppin'! Them three
crosses standin' apart. them's grub.
There's dot over each; that's all
kinds. There's a line under 'em; that
means lots Of 1t. Oh, Bills hit big
lead this time, no doubt o. that; an
he's layin' out to work 1t on the jump.
an with all the men he kin git" She
looked at Stella exultantly, but turned
quickly back to the hieroglyphics.
Here's one big cross standin' alone;
that's me; an the line under It means
come"
what does the picture of q pen
Mean?" Stella asked, curiously.
Sally B. looked a little conscious.
"oh, you know. kin read. an make q
fair stagger at writin'; SO when Bill
has any very important business that
goes by way Of ink have to help him
OUT
But how can you leave in this busy
season." Stella asked.
ITS right smart pestersome. but
got ter. got you, an vi, an Vic.
Grandma'am'll have ter-what's that
word AL Vincent used the other day?
shapper-shapperon you all"
Stella smiled half-heartedly. "Do
you think we can manager" She did
not shrink from responsibility, but
from the horde Of men. Travellers,
strangers, men of the town, all would
make pretexts for lingering in the
office or wherever they could find
either girl; not from rudeness, but be.
cause Of the woman-hunger, the long.
ing for all that good woman stands
for to men Of the frontier. And Sally
Ito Be Continued.)
H.