El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-03-22
The Honorable Senator Sagebrush
Copyright, 1910, By
STREET & SMITH
Continued from yesterday.)

it If you have ridden far. Take the
easy chair, and we can talk while the
kettle is boiling. Are you new to the
west, Mr.. Blount? Or is this only
return to your own? The senator IS
always talking about you, but he Is
so proud of you that he forgets to tell
US the really interesting things that
we want to know"
The serving man took his own time
about coming back for the guest, so
long time that Blount forgot that it
was past midnight. that he was
guest in a strange house and that he
did not yet know the name Of his en-,
tertainer
For all this forgetfulness the little
directly responsible. Almost before he
knew it Blount found himself chatting
companionably, with her and finding
her charmingly responsive in what
ever field the talk happened to fall.
The white haired old butler came at
last to show him the way to his luxu-
rious lodgings on the second floor Of
the mansion.
With a touch Of hospitality which
carried Blount back to his one winter
in the south, the hostess went with
him as far as the stair foot, and her
GOOD night was still ringing must
cally in his ears when the old negro
lighted the acetylene in the guest
room. put another stick of wood on
the small fire that was cracking and
swapping cheerfully on the hearth and
bobbed and bowed his way to the
door,
Blount saw his last chance for bet
ter information vanishing for the
night and once more broke with the
traditions.
Uncle Barnabas, suppose you tell
me where 1 am before you 60" he
suggested. Whose house is this?'
The old man stopped on the thresh-
old, chuckling gleefully. "A-ain't you
know dat, sab? A-ain't Mis- Honoria
done tell you dat? You's at Wa'trace
Hall, Mahsteh Majah's country house.
Yes. sab, OATS whah you is-kee, hee?'
"And who is Master Major? press
ed Blount, whose bewilderment grew
with every fresh attempt to dispel it
"A-ain't she fell you dat? Kee, hee!
Ev'body knows Mahsteh Majah; yes,
sab. Eff Mis- Honoria amt tell you
ole Barnabas amt gwine to. No. sah-
Ah'll bring yo' all's coffee in de mawn-
in: yes, sab Good night, sab. Kee.
heer Aud the door closed silently
upon the wrinkled old face and the
bobbing head.
Having nothing else to do. Blount
went to bed, but sleep came reluc-
family.
Whittier had curiously tricky fate
led him? Where was Wartrace Hall,
and who was Mahsteh Majah? Who
was the winsome little lady who look
ed as if she might be twenty and who
had all the wit and wisdom Of the
ages at her tongues end?
These and kindred speculations kept
him awake for long hour after the
door had closed behind the ancient ne
gro, and he was just dropping off into
his first loss of consciousness when
the familiar purring Of a motorcar
aroused him again.
There was a window at his beds
head, and he reached over and drew
the curtain.
The view gave upon the avenue Of
cottonwoods and the circular carriage
approach.
A touring car, with its powerful
headlights paling the white radiance
Of the moon, was drawn up at the
steps, and he had a feeting glimpse Of
big man, swathed from head to heel
in a dust coat, descending from the
tonneau.
81 suppose that is Mahsteh Majah."
he unused sleepily. That's why the
little lady was sitting up so late and
why she had the tea things out. She
was waiting for him" Then to the
thronging queries. threatening to re-
turn and keep him awake: Scat Go
away! Call it a pipe dream and let
me go to sleepv'