The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-04-17

Margaret stepped back with bleeding hands. Sinton cut the cord with his knife, and the poor little cats raced under the house bleeding and disfig- ured. Margaret, white with wrath, faced Sinton.
 "If you don't hitch up and take that animal back to town,", she said, T wills
 Billy threw himself on the grass and began to scream.
 "You said could have fried chicken for supper" he walled. 'You said she was nice lady"
 Sinton lifted him, and something in his manner of handling the child infu- riated Margaret. His touch was so gentle! She reached for Billy and grip ped his shirt collar in the back. Sin tons hand closed over bers.
 7"Gently, girlp' he said. 'This little body is covered with sores."
 .'sSoresr' she calculated. "Sores What kind of sores?'' zsa s- + ?. s"Oh, they might be from bruises made by, fists or boot toes, or they might be bad blood from wrong eating, or they might be pure filth. Will yOu hand me some towels?" No, won't," said Margaret. s'Well, give me some rags, then.'
 Margaret compromised on pieces of old tablecloth.
 Sinton led Billy to the cistern, pump ed cold water into the tub, poured in a kettle of hot and, beginning at the head, secured him. The boy shut his little teeth and said never a word, though he twisted occasionally when the soap struck raw spot. Margaret watched the process from the window in amazed and ever increasing anger. Where did Wesley learn it? How could his big hands be so gentle? Sin ton came to the door.
 Have you got any perOXide?
 "A little," she answered stifdy.
 'sWell, I need about a pint, but I'll begin on what you have"
 Margaret handed him the bottle. Wesley took cup, weakened the drug and said to Billy: Man, these sores on you must be healed. Then you must eat the kind of food that's fit for little men. I am going to put some medicine on you. and it is going to sting like fire. If it just runs off I won't use any more. If it boils there is poison in these places, and they must be tied up, dosed every day, and you must be washed and kept mighty clean. Now, hold still, because am going to put it on."
 'sI think the one on my leg is the worst" said the undaunted Billy, hold ing out raw place. Sinton poured on the drug. Billy's body twisted and writhed, but he did not run.
 Gee, look at it boilr' he cried. "I guess they's poison. You'll have to do it to all of them"
 Sinton's teeth were set as he watch ed the boys face. He poured the drug, strong enough to do effective work, on a dozen places over that little body and bandaged all he could. Billy's lips quivered at times, and his chin jumped, but he did not shed a tear or utter a sound other than to take a deep interest in the boiling.
 .Now am clean?' asked Billy.
 "Yes, you are clean outside," said Sin ton. "There is some dirty blood in your body, and some bad words in your | mouth, that we have to get out, but that takes time If we put right things to eat into your stomach that will do away with the sores, and if you know that don't like bad words you won't say them any oftener than you can help, will you, Billy?" Billy leaned against Sinton in ap- parent indifference.
 T want to see mew he demanded.
 Flow long until supper, Margaret?' ?'' asked Sinton.
 l "You are going to keep him for sup 1 per?'' she asked.
 "Surep' said Sinton. That's what brought him for. It's likely he never had a good square meal of decent food in his. life. He's starved to the bone"
 Margaret arose deliberately. removed the white cloth from the supper table and substituted an old red one she used to wrap the bread. She put away the pretty dishes they commonly used and set the table with old plates | AoA pACo oAu A1tCucu ulGuSllo. DuC ShC fried the chicken and was generous with milk and honey, snowy bread, gravy, potatoes and fruit.
 Sinton reprinted the scratched wheel Hn mended the fence, with Billy hold ing the nails and handing the pickets Then he filled the old hole, digged 3 new one and set the hitching post.
 Billy hopped on one foot at his task 1 of holding the post steady as the eartf was packed round it. There was no' the shadow of trouble on his little freckled face. Sinton threw in stones and pounded lthe earth solid around the post. The sound of gulping sol attracted him to Billy. The tears were rolling down his cheeks. If I'd knowed you'd have to get down in hole and work so hard l wouldn't "a hit the horses he said.
 ''Never you mind, Billy" said Sinton "You will know next time, so yot can think over it and make up you mind whether, you really want to be fore you strike"
 | Sinton went to the barn to put ava, r the tools. He thought Billy at hi! heels, but the boy Jagged on the way