Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-05-12
CHATTER N.

He - M-thf-.>i-Ne.
~ARLY the next morning Corpo.
raj Thomas came into the
store and found Necia tending
it while Gale was out. Ever
since the day she had questioned him
about Burrell this old man had taken
every occasion to talk with the girl,
and when he asked her this morning
about the reports concerning Lees
strike she told him of her trip and all
that had occurred.
'You see, I'm mine owner now"
she concluded. eff it hadn't been n
secret l would have told you before l
went SO you could have been one Of
the first"
''I'm goin' anyhow" he said, "if the
lieutenant will let me and if it's not too
late"
Then she told him of the trail by
Black Bear creek which would save
him several hours.
$50 that's how you and he made it,"
he observed, gazing at her shrewGly.
II supposed you went with your fa-
there"
"Oh, no! We beat him in,', she said
and fell to musing at the memory of
those hours passed alone with Meade,
while her eyes shone and her cheeks
glowed. The corporal saw the look, and
1t bore out a theory he had formed dur
ing the past month, so as he fingered
he set about task that had lain in his
mind for some time. AS a rule, he was
not careful man in his speech, and
the delicacy of this maneuver taxed his
ingenuity to the utmost, for he loved
the girl and feared to say too much.
1.-THE lieutenant is smart young
fellow" he began, land it was slick
work jumpin' all those claims. It's
just like him to befriend girl like
you. I've seen him do it before
,"Whatv' exclaimed Necia "Befriend
other girls?"
.'Or things just like it. He's always
dom favors that get him into trou-
ble.'
"This couldn't cause him trouble,
could it, outside of Stark's and Run
MONS grudge?"
.'No, reckon not" assented the cor
poral, cropping blindly for some way of
expressing what he wished to say.
Except, of course, it might cause a
lot Of talk at headquarters when it's
known what he's done for you and
how he done it. l heard somethin
about it down the street this morn
In, so I'm afraid it will get to st
NIichael's and then to his folks
II don't understand" said Necia
"Ee hasn't done anything that any
man wouldn't do under the same cir.
cumstances."
mo mans got right to make folks
talk about nice girl" said the cor
poral, land the Teller that told me
about it said he reckoned you two
was in love-" He hurried along now
without offering her a chance to speak.
"Of course that had to be caught up
quick; you're too fine u girl for that"
300 fine?" laughed Necia.
II mean you're too fine and good to
let him put you in wrong. just as he's
too fine n fellow and got too much
ahead of him to make what his peo-
Pile would call !, messy-alliarce."
"WouM his people object toto such
n tlling| questioned the girl. They
were alone in the store, and so they
could talk freely "I'm just suppos-
ing. you know"
20 Lord! Would they object?' Cor
poral Thomas laughed in a highly arti-
fetal manner that made Necia bride
and draw herself up Indignantly.
'Go ahead and tell me: | won't be
offended" insisted the girl. you
must. don't know much about such
things. for I've lived all my life with
men like father and Pcleon and the
priests at the mission, who treat me
just like one of themselves. But
somebody will want to marry me some
day, I suppose. so ought to know
what is wrong With me-" She flushed
up darkly under her brown checks.
Corporal Thomas began To perspire
uncomfortably. but went on doggedly:
Tin goin' to tell you a story. not
because it applies to Lieutenant Bur,
rell"-
"Qf course" said the girl.
but just to show you what mean
1t WAS a good long spell ago. when
was Mt Fort supply which was the
frontier In them days, like this is now
We freighted III from Dodge Cry will
Duh teams, ana II was sure the fringe
OF the frontier-no wohiea' no society
nothlh' mach except a Tort IL lot OF IN
juns and few officials With theil