The Kenna record. (Kenna, Roosevelt County, N.M.) 190?-1924, 1912-12-13
FOR VALUE RECEIVED.
Mary Finds Out All About the
FarnIeys, DisIiked By Her
Aunt.
BY oEoRGIA LOTT sELTER.

Boo Farnley slapped the reins over
the sleek backs of his big black team,
and huddled into his fur coat. With
the disappearance of the sun, the
winter day seemed to gain rapidly In
chill gloominess.
Glancing up, he caught the flutter of
a woman's skirts at the side Of the
road ahead.
why that" muttered Bob, must be
that little Waite girl. Isn't IT like old
Mary Waite to send that child to town
afoot day like this
The Waites had always been nard.
close people, keeping much to them
selves In their gloomy. unpainted
homestead at the end OF the pine lane
30 when Mary Waite was left to spend
the latter part of her life, the last
survivor of her family, no one won
dered at her living alone and working
the few cultivated acres of her farm
as best she might But when It was
known that she had sent for little Molly
Waite, runaway Bud Waite's only
child, to come and live with her, the
countryside was agog with conjecture
and curiosity.
She's almost helpless with rheuma-
tism," declared the neighbors. "or she
would never do it. She wants the girl
to take care Of her-you can depend
upon a Waite getting value received
for all the charity they givel"
Bud has been dead over FIVE years,
and the girl has been looking out for
herself as best she could Well, may
be she will find 1t az comfortable here
as she has been used to having"
And probably" they always added
as a comfortable after-thought, prob
ably she is Waite herself, and will
be a match for Mary at her own
game"
All this passed through Bob Farm
ley's mind as his team. with big
strides. gained on the little. figure in
the road ahead.
The girl plodded on, Indifferent tc his
approach. Even when he drew up OPP
posite her, she did not turn her head.
Get in and rider" called Rob in his
big cheerful voice.
The girl muttered her thanks with
out stopping
but this is Miss Waite. isn't TT
I'm Bob Farnley, your nearest neigh
Dor. You can ride almost home, and
1t is getting dark fast"
She stopped then, and turned to look
at him timidly.
At sight of the sweetness Of the
blue eyes, the sensitiveness OF the lips,
Farnley shut his teeth together saw
agely, What could such a girl as this
be doing at the old Waite place?
The honesty of his face was reassur-
ing, for she allowed him to lift her up
over the high wheel and wrap her in
the warm robes without a protest.
I'm afraid you will think me very
stupid or very unfriendly," she said
then, with a smile. But you see,
am not used to the country. In the
city we do not accept rides from
: strangers"
Il did not think about that" an
swered Bob, quickly. II thought only
about your long walk in the cold and
dark; it is going to be dark early To-
night"
This is much better. thank you.
But ! never rode so high up before.
I'm not accustomed to horses"
Farnley asked questions and list
ened in sort of maze.
Oh, no, she was not at all lonely,
with the woods and the poor half
starved winter birds, and the dear.
soft-muzzled calves with their gentle
eyes. They didn't seem quite 30 nice,
however, when they had grown into
cows with long horns; and she could
mt quite help being afraid Of horses,
though she knew 1t was foolish. Yes,
she took care of the stock; Aunt Mary
was not able to get out And she had
to walk to town because she did not
know how to hitch or drive the team;