Golden Valley chronicle. (Beach, Billings County, N.D.) 1905-1916, 1909-12-31


too busy to talk now"
''Thats all right" graciously. IL
don't mind SEEM folks work. Comm
up tonight?'
"Where?'
"Cooner's. of course" with n grin
but there's no need to get mad. Rill.'
at the look on the others face. II
amt here to plague ye. come down
to sell my later patch. What'n ye
give?
1t was Bills turn to grin.
1--WE heerd bout that later patch"
he said. Its two acres. an old Coon.
er plowed it with his mule. an your
dad planted it all by himself, an ye
was to do the hoein' an diggin'.
don't b'lieve we've struck lick In it
yet"
II don't b'lieve have" acknowl-
edged Gabe frankly. but what'll We
give?'
"Why. thought they was your we'd.
din taters." said Bill wonderingly. Il
heerd Cooner say there'd be forty
bushels an that ye could sell twenty
an have twenty for a winter put by
Eyes. heerd him say that myself"
smiled Gabe but. see here. Bill, 1
amt a-hinderin' of nobody. Bet likes
ye better'n she does me. an ye like
her. an the wust thing her dads got
ag'in ye is that ye'd take her away.
He don't want her to leave Now,
there's ten acres that joins him on the
other side, an it can be had for $50.
heerd the owner say so. Can ye raise
$3O?' anxiously.
Il might part of it and the rest when
this bark's done.'
'Well," in relieved tone. I'VE git
it quick's ye can. The owner d take
half down and wait for the rest. He
told me so. He tried to sell it to Inc,
but didn't want no land to work.
But ye must hurry. The preach
ers comm up in two weeks. an We
want to be ready. Old Cooner II be
all right longs We own ten acres j'inin'
an two acres Of taters."
can yell give up Bet?" incredulously.
Longs she likes We best. of course,
l amt comm in between nobody that
way. Bill"
Bill looked at him earnestly; then
his face cleared, and he extended his
hand.
"Ye're the best fellow that ever
was" he cried heartily, IAN I'm sorry
for anything I've said or done. I'll be
your friend after this. Now, what'Il
ye take for the taters?"
"Oh, that's all right" easily. when
ye're married and settled up there I'll
let We do the chores when l have any,
SO 'twon't cost ye nothin' but work"
Gabe went directly to Cooner, draw
ing long face.
THAT Bill Tanners too smart for
me-" he grumbled. II went down
there thinkin' 1 could make trade.
but he's got my taters an amt got
thing to show"
He waited long enough for his words
to have their full effect. then added:
II b'lieve I'll go out to Mexico or
Maine or somewhere that way. The
only thing is it'll be right hard for Bet
to 70 so fur, but mebbe she can stand
IT,"
''Bet go to Mexico or Manner almost
shrieked Cooner. why. you-you
plumb idiot. Bill Tanners with doz-
en- of We. Bet II stay right here. Now
ye be gittin' off,
But thought
Thought nothin'"' angrily. "Git
along with ye."
Gabe went with downcast head until
he got beyond the cabin. Then he be-
gan to chuckle.
His chuckles grew louder and louder
as he widened the distance between
him and the cabin. and by the time be
. had gone half mile they had devel.
oped into roars Of laughter.
In his present mood. however
laughter seemed all too ineffective as
% an expression of his feelings. and he
stood on his head. turned handspring
or two and then walked on his hands
9 for at least dozen feet along the
rough road.
> Not in years had Gabe displayed one
tenth Of the energy he now expended.
u He was very tired. however. wher
e his paroxysm Of Joy was over, and be
o promptly sought secluded nook ir
the woods and took long nap.
Is When he awoke an hour later the
first audible sound he made was 8
Is chuckle, and he continued in this mer
'. ~ mood until the outlines Of the pa
D rental cabin were sighted.
- Much of the next two weeks hi
d spent upon his back. with his face Il
. the sky.
But when the wedding day came b
Il was among the guests. smiling ant
,. happy. with his hair cut in honor O
the momentous occasion.
e. Mary Bet drew him aside at thu
e. first opportunity. her eyes moist will
'e grateful tears.
& ooh. Gabe." she whispered happily
II shan't ever forgit what we've don
y for Bill an me. 1t was fine the wa.
$. We got round dad. an so smart. l.
II never s'posed ye had it in ye. Bill toll
n me all about it. an we won't ever fol