The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1908-03-27

judge Mrs. Higgins, my good wom-
an, how is our friend, the .canker-
worm, coming on these days?"
j "Canker-wor repeated Mrs, Hig-
gins. "Meanin', your honor" :.
"Just what I superintendent.
Isn't he the worm gnawing in discon-
tent at the very core of the fair fruit
of established order and peace in the
cow country"
I-I-don't understand, your hon.
or" faltered the woman in great trepf.
dalton. Would his honor consider her
a hopeless stupid? But what was the
man talking about? Louise looked up.
flush Of color staining her cheeks.
maybe fre-brand would suit you
better, madame? My young friend,
the tire-brand," resumed the judge,
rising. '*That is good fire-brand. Is
he not melting the populace to open
| rebellion, false doctrine and schism?'
Is it not because of him that roofs are
burned over the very heads of the
helpless homesteader?"
For shame, Uncle Hammond" ex
claimed Louise, still flushed and with
,, mutinous little sparkle in her eyes.
''You are poking fun at me. You
/ haven't any right to, you know; but
that's your way. 1 don't care, but Mrs.
Higgins doesn't understand"
Don't you, Mrs. Higgins?" asked
the Judge.
mo, 1 DON'T. snapped Mrs. Hig-
gins, and she didn't, but she thought
she did. *Only if you mean Mr.. Rich
ard Gordon, I'll tell you now there
amt no one in this here God-forsaken
country who can hold tallow candle
to him. just put that in your pipe and
smoke it, will you?"
She piled up dishes viciously. She
did not wait for her guests to depart
before she began demolishing the
table. It was a tremendous breach of
etiquette, but she didn't care. To have
an ideal shattered ruthlessly is ever
a heart-breaking thing.
"But my dear Mrs. Higgins" ex-
postulated the Judge.
You needn't" said that lady, short
ly. II don't care" she went on, IF
the president himself or an archangel
from heaven came down here and
plastered Dick Gordon with bad-smell-
in names from the crown of his little
toe to the tip of his head, I'd tell 'em
to their very faces that they didn't
know what they was a talkin' about,
and what's more they'd better go
back to where they belong and not
come nOsin' round in other peoples
business when they don't understand
one single mite about it. We don't
want 'em putin their fingers in our
pie when they don't know a thing
| about us or our ways. That's my
say" she closed, with appalling sig
| nifcance, f1attering herself that no
one could dream but that she was
dealing in the most off-hand general
tiles. She was far too polite to an
tagonize, and withal too good a wom-
an not to strike for friend. She
congratulated herself she had been
true to all her gods-and she had
| been.
Louise smiled in complete sympa-
thy, challenging the judge meanwhile
with laughing eyes. But the judge
he was still much of a boy in spite of
| his grave calling and mature years
| just threw back his blonde head and
shouted in rapturous glee. He
laughed till the very ceiling rang in
| loud response; laughed till the tears
shone in his big blue eyes. Mrs. Hig-
| gins looked on in undisguised amaze
ment, hands on hips.
| Dear me, suz!" she sputtered, 'is
the man gone clean dafy?"
| won't you shake hands with me,
Mrs. Higgins?" he asked, gravely. II
ask your pardon for my levity, and /
assure you there isn't a man in the
whole world esteem more or hold
greater faith in than Dick Gordon-or
love so much. I thank you for your
championship of him. would that he
had more friends like you. Louise
are you ready?"
| Their walk to the hotel was silent
one. Later, as she was leaving him to
go to her own room, Louise laid her
head caressingly on her uncles
sleeve. .-.&
+: Uncle Hammond" she said, impul.
sively, "you are incorrigible, but you
are the best man in all the world
+. "The very best?" he asked, smiling:
/ ". .~.s IL +. s=@
"The very best" she repeated, Arm.
| ~.
/ There was full offender that term
and the close Of the first week found
the court still wrestling with GRIMM
I al cases, with that Of Jesse Black vel
4 uncalled. Gordon reckoned that
I Blacks trial could not possibly be
i taken up until Tuesday or Wednes
day Of the following week. Long be
fore that, the town began filling ur
for the big rustling case. There were
4 other rustling cases on the criminal
docket, but they paled before this one
where the suspected leader Of game
i was on trial. The interested and the
Il curious did not mean to miss any par1
4 of it. They began coming in early il
4 the week. They kept coming the re
IT