Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-04-17


Mrs Keap spoke with honest en-
barrassment. Listen! Don't you see
what situation this ISL If Jean and
Helen should ever discover"
Jean planned Il all; even this"
Mrs Keap stared at him in Mortified
silence.
you do love me, Roberta?" Chaplin
undertook to remove the girls hands
from her face. when a slight cough in
the hall behind caused him to turn
suddenly in time to see Berkeley Fres-
no passing the open door.
There, You see," Mrs. Heaps face
was tragic. "You see," She turned
and fled, leaving the master of the
ranch in the middle of the floor, be-
wildered, but a bit inclined to be
happy. A moment later the plump
face Of Berkeley Fresno appeared eau.
tiously around the door-iamb. He
coughed again gravely.
az happened to be passing" said he.
You'll pardon me-"
This Is the most thickly settled
spot In New Mexico!" Chaplin declared
with IN artificial laugh. choking his
Indignation.
Fresao slowly brought his round
body out from concealment.
81 came in to get a match
Why don't you carry matches?"
Fresno puffed complacently upon his
pipe. This" he unused. as his host
departed. eliminates the chaperon,
and that helps come"
Still BIZ Slower lost no time IN
breaking the news to the boys.
"Thsre's something comm Off" he
advised Willie. We've got another
foot-runner"
If he had hoped for an outburst Of
/ rapture on the part of the little gun
man he was disappointed. for Willie
shifted his holster. smiled evilly
through his glasses. and inquired, with
ominous restraint:
Where is he?"
Being the one man on the Flying
Heart who had occasion to wear a
gun, Willie seldom smiled from a
sense of humor Here it may be said
that, deceived at first by his scholarly
appearance, his fellowlaborers had
jibed at Willie's affectation Of swing
ing holster, but the custom had Ian.
guished abruptly. When it became
known who he was, the other ranch
hands had volubly declared that this
was a free country, where man
might exercise a wide discretion in
the choice of personal adornment;
and as for them. they avowed unani
mously that the practice of packing a
Colts was one which met with their
most cordial appreciation. In time
Willie's siX-shooter had become &C
cepted as a part of the local scenery
and, like the scenery, no one thought
Of remarking upon it, least OF all those
who best knew his lack of humor. He
had come to them out Of the Nowhere
some four years previously, and while
he never spoke Of himself and dis
couraged "reminiscences in others. II
became known through those vague
uncharted channels by which news
travels on the frontier that back IN
the Texas Panhandle there was a
limping marshal who felt regrets al
mention Of his name, and that farther
north were other men who had gu
perstitioug dread Of understood COW
men with spectacles.
This here Is a real foot-runner.'
said Slower.
Exactly" agreed the other. "Where
is he?"
He'll be here this afternoon. Mig
ger Mikes bringin' him over from the
railroad. He's a guest"
"Oh!"
yep, He's intercollegit champeer
Of Yale"
"Yale?" repeated the near-sightet
man. Don't knows l ever beer
there. Much Of town."
I amt never Travelled east myself
but Mise Jean and the little yaller
haired girl say he's the fastest man II
the world. l fggered we might ril
up something with the Contlpede
Still Bill winked sagely.
''See here, do you reckon he'd run?
Sure! He's friend of the boss
And he'll run on the level too. HI
can't be nothin' like Humpy."
IF he is, I'll git him." said the COW
boy, "Oh. III git him sure guest o
no guest. But how about tho phone
graph7"
The Centipede will put 1t up quicl
!, enough; there amt NO sentiment Il
that outfit"
-Then 1t sounds good"
9 AN 1t II work. Gallagher's anxious
TO trim us again. Some folks can
stand prosperity"
d Willie spat uneiringly at grass
hopper. Lord" said he. "it's to-
= good! It don't sound possible"
n well, 1t is, and our man will b.
here this evenin'. Watch out for Mis-
q ger Mike, and when he drives up let
D. give this party welcome that !
% warm his heart on the Jump. There
nothin' like a good impression"
= I'll be on the Job" assured Willie
''But state right here and now. II W
I do get race there amt a-goin' to b
no chance Of our losin' for a secon
!. time"
p And Slower went on his way t
o spread the tidings.
n
n 1t was growing DARK when the ra
tie of wheels outside the ranch,hous
= brought the occupants to tho porch 1
!. time to see Niger Mike halt his bucl