The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1913-08-21
I'VE may be gone before you re-

Young Chaplin started. you don't
mean that. really7"
Mrs. Keap nodded her dark head
1T was all very we'll for me to chap
eron Helen on the way out from the
east, butt isn't exactly regular for
me to play that part here with other
young people to look after"
| "But you understand, OF course
Jean must have explained to You.
Mother was called away suddenly. and
she can't get back now. You surely
won't leave-you can't" Chaplin add
ed, hopefully: "Why. you would break
up Jeans party. You see, there's mo-
body around here to take your place."
"But-"
Nonsense! This IL an unconven-
tional country. What's wrong with
you as a chaperon, anyway Nobody
out here even knows what q chaperon
| IL. And I'll be back as soon as can"
"Do you really think that would
help?" Roberta's eyes laughed humor-
ously.
I'm not thinking Of the others. I'm
thinking Of myself" declared the
young man, boldly. II don't want you
10 kO U0kOI0 I0tUIu. XO0 AO0e AOtt
II you go. IL shall follow you" He
grasped her hand impulsively.
"Oh!" exclaimed the chaperon.
'This makes it even more impossible.
Go! Col" She pushed him away. her
color surging. "Go to your old Eleven
x Ranch right away"
"But I mean It," he declared, earn
estly. Then, as she retreated farther:
''It's no use. shan't go now until"
/ "You have known me less than q
week."
} THAT is long enough Roberta"
Mrs. Keap spoke with honest en-
} barrassment. Listen! Don't you see
7 what situation this is7 II Jean and
Helen should ever discover"
. "Jean planned it all; even this"
Mrs. Keap stared at him in Mortified
silence. 49, --.ss+'s.:~e'. = - r. =
"You do love me, Roberta?" Chaplin
undertook to remove the girls hands
9 from her face, when a slight cough In
d 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
9 was tragic. "You see!" She turned
and fed. leaving the master Of the
, ranch in the middle Of the floor, be
wildered, but a bit inclined to b
happy. A moment later the plumb
| face Of Berkeley FRESNO appeared cay
! 1iouny around ths aoor.jamh, H
| coughed again gravely.
| II happened to be passing" said HI
l you'll pardon me?" ~-zsss,.-.-4.
I "This is the most thickly settle
! spot In New; Mexico!" Chaplin declare
| with an artificial laugh. choking hi
4 indignation. -ss-. .7!f-r7r"-s~zs~rs. .----
| Fresno slowly brought his roun
body out from concealment.
II came in to get match"
"Why don't you carry matches?"
Fresno pulled complacently upon hi
| pipe "This." he unused. as his ho'
| departed, eliminates the chaperol
| and that helps some" ---'-'~'.+,
| Still Bill Slower lost no time
breaking the news to the .,ovs -~
>, mere, sqsssn,as Comm orr I;
| advised willie. "we've got anoth,
i foot-runner!" *. !,
. II he had hoped for an outburst
raptur-- on the part of the little gu
man he was disappointed. for VIII
=. shifted his hols.ar. smiled evil
4 through his glasses. and ,,.eopired. wit
! pminous restraint:
q <Where is hef"
Being the one man on the FLYNN
II Heart WHO had occasion to wear
ID gun, While seldom smiled from
. sense OF humof. Here It may be sal
: that. deceived at fEet by his scholarl
N appearance, his fellow-laborers ha
1ibed at Williels anectation Of swinl
le ing holster. but the custom had Lar
o. guished abruptly When 1t becam
70 known who he was, the other rancf
J hands had volubly declared that thi
|. was q free country, where q ma
= might exercise wide discretion 1
: the choice Of personal adornment
z and al for them, they avowed unan
! mously that the practice Of packing
z Colts was one which met with thei
: most cordial appreciation. In tim
z Willie's six-shooter had become a,
: cepted az a part of the local scener!
( and. like the scenery. no one though
: Of remarking upon it. least of all thos
2 who best knew his lack of humor. H
/ had come to them out of the Nowher'
Z some four years previously. and Will
! he never spoke Of himself, and di
Z couraged "reminiscences In others,
I became known through those vagu
= uncharted channels by which new
= travels on the frontier. that back
the Texas Panhandle there was
&c limping marshal who felt regrets ,
mention Of his name. and that farthe
- north were other men who had . 3
perstitious dread Of undersized COY
men with spectacles.
This here 10 . real foot-runner
= said Slower.
"Exactly," agreed the other. "Whel
l 10 he1" s.s5.5e s-.sF-s~4
Hell be here tbs afternoon. Nj
Il 49, hvA A~p ~