Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1909-10-29

low me l saw Barbara, dressed for rid
ing, the color in her cheeks high from so
much cannonading.
Good morning" she called to me. 81
rode down to the Ship, but found that
you had all flown, so 1 left my horse in
the woods and came here. l thought you
must have gone for the season, by the
looks of the house. May come in?"
You may" l cried, my heart bound
ing with new delight at the sweetness of
her voice. II remember a day when you
wouldn't enter"
You forget, Mr.. Selden, that that was
when there was peace in the land. Many
things happen in a SIEGE
MANY delightful things. One minute
and I'll be down at the door"
/ hurried downstairs, but before I
could open the front door I heard Bar
bara's voice crying, wait, waltz
Rodney jumped from his couch and
Joined me. He as we'll as l had slept in
his clothes What is it, Felixf' he
asked
Miss Graham is outside and wants to
come in, but she's just called to me to
wait. L II Opeu luc lllllt SLUG WIuuDW
first"
/ slid the window-bolt and looked out,
Two men, the disagreeable chap of our
first meeting and another surly-faced indi-
vidual. stood some twenty feet back of
Barbara. l placed my revolver on the
window ledge.
Now, then, what do you men want?"
demanded.
1--WE don't want the lady to go ip,' the
disagreeable one replied.
Does the lady want to-" l asked
'She does" said Barbara, In a most de-
termined tone of voice.
'1'hen she shall. Slide back the bolts,
Rodney" | whispered. "Now If any one
chooses to interfere with her entering my
house, he can reflect that he's looking in
to a straight steel barrel"
The door opened. and Barbara, her
head high, walked in. l shut the small
window and put the revolver in my pock-
ct. There's a pretty mad-looking pair
out there" said. "Welcome tc the log
house ~
But Barbara was not regarding me.
"Why, Rodney" she exclaimed, what
has happened to your arm? They didn't
shoot you, did they?' She had caught
sight of Rodney's arm in a sling.
Its nothing, Barbara" he said, beam
ing; only a scratch. l might have been
potted by that badly shooting snipe."
She looked at him, her face all admi-
ration. Its like you to speak lightly,
but you've been In danger, and partly on
my account, for you'd never have laid
eyes on Monsieur Duponceau if it hadn't
been for me-"
would have drifted out Of the room II
| could, but l was caught between them
and the door.
Rodney smiled could imagine how
pleased he must be feeling.
We've had several scraps on the
Ship" he explained, "and when our food
gave out we came up here"
"You poor dears = she exclaimed, and
this time l was included in her words.
i've been thinking of you every minute
of the last two days, and wanting to
come over to join you. Well, I've stolen
away at last, for morning ride, and now
I'm going to stay here with you"
"Stay here with us ~ we both exclaim-
ed in amazement.
Until after breakfast. I'm going to
set your table, and pour your coffee, and
fix your rooms, and show you in general
what a woman can do in a house."
We both had had visions of that al
ready, | fancy. l caught Rodney's eye
he smiled, and the color rose to his face.
"Where's Charles?' Barbara demanded.
| led her into the kitchen, where Charles
was busted, and Rodney and l sat on the
dresser tand watched while Barbara roll
ed up her sleeves, pinnep a napkin over
her dress as an apron, and proceeded to
direct Charles as to the cooking things.
Either one of us would have been su-
premely happy If the other had not been
there.
When the table was set, and the break
fast on it's way from the kitchen to the
dining-room, Duponceau appeared, for
worn on the Ship, but still all in black,
save for his gold chains, and still envel-
oped In that peculiar air of mystery
which instinctively set him apart from all
ordinary beings. Barbara curtsied to
him, and he raised her hand to his lips
and kissed it with the grace Of the old
time school.
Eve are not quite forgotten by the out
side world" he said, with almost tinge
Of royalty in his voice, very far indeed
from forgotten, when 20 charming an emis-
sary joins u.s."
Barbara looked pleased; could see
that Duponccau was still her paragon of
romance.
"Will YOU take the head of the table,
monsieurT she asked. He carefully seat
ed her behind the coffee-urn, took his own
place, and Rodney and l sat at the sides.
1t was the first state breakfast my cot
tage had ever known.
Barbara contrived that we should all
forget that we were cooped up In q log