Warren sheaf., 1908-04-09

On, though her head bent faithfully
to its tasks at the office desk The
night in fairyland had passed, snH it,
visions held. Across the gulch tender
hands she knew we're preparing the
dead for burial. but often as her
thoughts s1rayed there to death, still
ness mystery, she whipped herself
back again to the hustle and hurry
around her This she could endure,
aoaI 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 OF the days. the weeks
would It be months before she should
| see him.
the east With two wagons and a six
horse team, bringing a message for
Sally B. 1t was an old newspaper,
crumpled and dirty
Just look a here" Sally B. said
excitedly, as she entered the odce
and held the paper cut to Stella I
go to go TO Bill humpin' quick
nerrer, If / can git away By gon.
it'll beat the ole Harry for me to git
| ready
Stella took the unsavory paper and
looked vainiy for Sally BIS message.
The only noticeable thing was a string
| OF crosses On the margin
-Oh, forgot o. course, you can't
read Bits letter; nobody but me can
See them two crosses first there7
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 s1aRdin' apart, thems grub
There's dot over each: that's Ill
kinds There's q line under EN-; that
| means lots Of it Oh, Bills hit a big
lead this time, 40 doubt O. that; an
he's layin' out to work it 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 sIanair' alone,
that's NE. an the line under it means
come"
What does the picture OF 4 pen
Gsan-" Stella asked, curiously.
Sally B. looked a little conscious
oh, you know, kin read, an make a
fair stasgeT at wriIin', SO when Bill
has any very important business that
goes by way Of ink I have to help him
out"
But how can you leave in this busy
season." Stella asked
Its right smart pestersome, but I
got ter / got you. an" Vi. an Vic
Grandma anil have ter-xhat's that
word Al Vincent used the other day ,
shapper-shapperon you all"
Stella smiled half-hearledly. DO
you think We can manage" She did
not shrink from responsibility. but
from the horde Of men Travellers.
/ strangers, mea Of the town, ali would
make pretexIs for lingering in the
Office Or wherever they could find
either girl; not from rudeness, but be
cause Of the *onan-bunser, the long
ing for all that a good WOMAN stands
for TO men Of the frontier And Sally
B. would not be there for refuge and
court Of appeal
OF course you can manage You
got to- Sabe? Don't get skeered fore
/ sou begin I've got jimmy Dart staked
| cut By telegraph She's the best
dinin' room gal in Placer county. she'n
Vic Il rua the eatin' end O. Z. All
you got ter do, Stella, Is to boss the
| whole consarn-~ Sally B. whisked Oh
/ TO make her preparations, which began
with telegraphed order for goods
that kept several clerks in Sacramento
busy ali that afternoon
Toward supper tine the three Won
| en were in the corral" where Sally
B. had put through" a tremendous
| cleaning The room was long and
bare, with rows OF neat beds, an oc-
| caslonal chair, several rough tables
| and a forest of nails uphanging various
| pieces Of mems apparel
Now you'n Viola amt to touch
| them beds, but just ha'nt that Chiny
| limb o Satan, Wing, an see t he does
| 'em right Fm goin' to make Shack
| Newbesin boss Of the corral, an he'll
| look out for any cuss that gifts On 4
| bender. He'll make him take leg hail
/ too quick"
| Shackeaford Newbegin had taken
GleetEs place 1t the bar and had
proved exceptionally Trustworthy.
| @Doggone EN-. Some of 'em sleeos
In their boots, drunk or sober" Sally
B. continued, her mind stin on the
beds She scowled redectively. her
neat soul outraged by memories Of
back aching seasons OF blanket-uash-
ing, OF eeaseless strife to keep the cor
rl from smel1fn wuss'n a pik-pen,"
When strangers wants beds. Won
two gals come together to show 'em
up, an have Wing bring up the car
pet bags"
Why, ma, You always bring en-
up yourself"
That's all right; but you mind. /