Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1912-08-01
chap. and I love him"
"Os. good h%eavens!" cried Margaret,
going into the house as she spoke.
CHAPTER x,.
Wherein Mrs. Comstock and Mrs. Sin.
ton Clash Over Billy.

|
Am ! going to sleep here?" he asked.
Sure you are" said Sinton.
Where can he sleep2" he asked Mar.
garet.
Pm sure l DONE know" she an
swered.
"Oh. | a sleep list any place." said
Billy, ION the floor or anywhere. Home
l sleep on pas coat on a store box. and
Jimmy and Belle they sleep on the
store box too. | sleep between them
SOS | don't roll of and crack my head.
Amt you got a store box and a old
coat?"
Sinton arose and opened a folding
lounge. Then he brought an armload
of clean horse blankets from a closet.
"These don't look like the nice white
bed a little boy should have. Billy" he
said. "but We'll make them do. This
will beat a store box all hollow"
Billy took a long leap for the lounge.
When he found it bounced he proceed
ed to bounce until he was tired. By
that time the blankets had to be re-
folded. Wesley had Billy take one end
n help. while both of them seemed
to enjoy the job. Then Billy lay down
and curled up in his clothes like a little
dog. But sleep would not come. FL
nally be sat up. He stared around rest
lessly. Then he arose. went to Sinton
and leaned against his knee. Sinton
picked up the boy and folded his arms
around him. Billy sighed in rapturous
content.
THAT bed feels so lost like" he said.
Jimmy always jabbed me on one side
and Belle on the other. and so I knew
l was there"
Billy slid from Sinton's arms and
walked toward Margaret until he
reached the middle Of the room. Then
he stopped and at last sat on the floor.
Finally he lay down and closed his
eyes. This feels more like my bed;
If only Jimmy and Belle was here to
crowd up a little so it wasn't so alone
like"
Wont 1 do, Billy?" asked Sinton in
a husky voice.
Billy moved %restlessly. Seems like
seems like-toward night as if a body
got kind O. lonesome for a woman per-
son-like her"
Billy indicated Margaret. "You
don't like boys, do you?" he ques-
toned.
II like good boys" said Margaret.
Billy was at her knee instantly.
well. say, I'm a good boy" he an
nounced joyously.
Il do not think boys who hurt help
less kittens and pull out turkeys tails
are good boys"
Yes. but I didn't hurt the Kittens"
explained Billy. "They got mad bout
list L.. little fun and scratched. each
other. I didn't s'pose they'd act like
that. And | didn't pull the turkeys
tail. 1 list held on to the first thing 1
grabbed and the turkey pulled. Hon
est. it was the turkey pulled" He
turned to Sinton. "You tell her.
Didn't the turkey pull? 1 didn't know
it's tail was Loose, did II"
II don't think you did. Billy" said
Sinton.
Billy stared into Margaret's cold
face. sometimes at night Belle sits
on the floor and l lay my head in her
lap. I could pull up a chair and lay
my head in your lap-like this, I
mean" Billy pulled up a chair, climb
ed on it and laid his head on Marga-
ret's lap. Then he shut his eyes
again. Margaret could have looked
little more repulsed if he had been a
snake.
Billy was 20 up.
"My, but your lap is hard" he said.
"And you are a good deal fatter AN
Belle, too" He slid from the chair
and came back to the middle Of the
room.
ooh. but ! wisht my pa wasn't
deadr! he cried. The flood broke and
| Billy screamed in desperation.
Out of the night a soft, warm young
figure flashed through the door and
with a swoop caught him in her arms.
| She dropped into a chair, nestled him
closely and dropped her fragrant
brown head over his little bullet eyed
red one and rocked softly as she
crooned over him:
"Billy. boy. where have you been?
Oh, I have been to seek a wife.
She's the joy Of my life.
But, then, she's a young thing, and she
can't leave her mammy!"
Billy gripped her with a death grip.
Elnora wiped his eyes. kissed his face.
swayed and sang.
do you love m tight as that?" he
questioned blissfully.
Eyes. bushels and bushels" said FL
nora. Better than any little boy in
the whole world"
Billylooked at Margaret. "She don't!"
he said. "She don't want me here t
ALL"
Elnora s:nothered his face against
her breast and rocked.
"You love me. don't you?" he said.
II will if you will go to Sleep"
Every single day you will give me
your dinner for the bologna, won't
you?" said Billy.
Eyes, I WILL" replied Elnora. "Bu.
you will have as good lunch as l do