Mexico Missouri message., 1913-12-11

the doctor. The old man Is madden
than any hornet ever dared be, and
they go in the morning. But the stu
alton was too much for our German
friend He left with the Others"
Well we went out and I took the
path I knew best. which was out to-
ward the springhouse. At the little
bridge over the creek Doctor Barnes
stopped, and leaning over the rail. took
a good look at me.
when you self-contained women go
to pieces" he said, you pretty near
smash don't you? You look as II you'd
had a death in your family"
This was my family" l half
sniveled.
But" he said, you'll be getting
married and having a home of your
own and forgetting all about this"
He looked at me with his sharp
eyes. There's probably some nice
chap in the village, eh?"
Look here" turned on him. IF
you're talking all this nonsense to keep
my mind off things, you needn't"
I'm not" he said. I'm asking for
the sake of my own mind. but we'll
not bother about that now. We'd bet
ter start back"
We went back to the house and
Strengthened the news stand, Amanda
King having taken a violent toothache
as a result of the excitement. The
Jenningses we're packing to go, and
Miss Summers had got bottle OF per-
oxide and shut herself in her room. At
six o'clock Tillie beckoned to me from
the door of the officers dining room
and said she'd put the basket In the
snow by the grape arbor. got ready,
with a heavy heart, to take 1t out /
had forgotten all about their dinner,
for one thing, and had to carry bad
news.
But Mr.. Pierce had been there be-
fore me. / saw tracks in the fresh
snow, for, praise heaven! 1t had
showed all that week and our prints
were filled up almost as fast as we
made them. When | got to the shelter
house 1t was in wild state of ex-
element. Mrs. Dick, with her cheeks
flushed, had gathered all her things on
the cot and was rolling them up In
sheets and newspapers. But Mr. Dick
was sitting on the box in front of the
fire with his curly hair standing every
way. He had been roasting potatoes,
and as / opened the door, he picked
one up and poked at 1t to see II 1t was
done.
"Damn!" he said, and dropped 1t.
Mrs. Dick sat on the cot rolling up
pink ribbon and looked at him.
IF you want to know exactly my
reason for insisting on moving tonight,
I'll tell YOU" she said. paying no atten-
ton to me. 1T is your disposition"
He didn't say anything. but he put
his foot on the potato and smashed 1t.
''If | had to be shut in here with
you one more day." she went on. I'D
hate you"
why the one more day." he asked,
without looking up.
But she didn't answer him. She was
| In the worst kind OF a temper; she
threw the ribbon down, and coming
over, lifted the lid of my basket and
looked In.
Ham again!" she exclaimed un-
gratefully. Thanks SO much for re
Numbering us, Minnie. / dare say our
dinner today slipped your mind~
Il wonder If it strikes you, Minnie,
Mr.. Dick said, noticing me for the first
time, that If you and Sam hadn't been
so confounded meddling, that fellow
Pierce would be washing buggies in
the village livery stable where he be
longs, and I'd be in one piece of prop
erty that's as good as gone this min
ute"
l was in bad humor, anyhow, and
I'd had enough. ! stood just inside the
door and told them I'd done the best
| could, not for them, but because Ii
promised the old doctor, and II IL
made mistakes I'd answer for them tC
him If ever met him in the mex
world. And in the meantime / washed
my hands of the whole thing, and they
might make out as best they could
was going.
Mrs. Dick heard me through. Thei
she came over and put her hand OF
mine where 1t lay on the table.
You're perfectly right" she said. "
know how you have tried, and that tn,
fault Is all that wretched Pierce's. Yol
mustn't mind Mr.. Carter, Minnie. He
been in that sort of humor all day"
He looked at her with the most mis-
cradle face l ever saw, but he dldn'
say anything. She sighed, the littl
wretch.
l plodded back with my empty bas
ket. | had only one clear thought
that I wouldn't have any more tram
ing across the golf links in the snow
! wanted to get back to my room an
go to bed and forget.
But as | came near the house | say
Mr.. Pierce come out on the from
piazza and switch on the lights. H
stood there looking out into the snow
and the next minute I saw why Con
ing up the hill and across the law
was a shadowy line OF people, blac
!, against the white. | thought for