Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1914-12-18

Of the work But I'm not more than
half convinced, remember"
That's enough for the present" an.
swered Emma McChesney, briskiy.
well, now. suppose we talk machlD.
cry and girls, and cutters for
while"
Two months later found T. A Buck
and his sales manager, both shirt
.sleeved, both smoking nervousiy AZ
they marked. ticketed. folded, ar
ranged. They were getting out the
travellers spring lines. Entered Mrs.
McChesney. and stood cycling them.
worriedly. 1t was her dozenth visit
to the stock room that morning. A
strange restlessness seemed to tr0u.
BILE her. She wandered from office 10
show room, from show room to fac
tory.
whats the trouble?" inquired +.
A. Buck, squirting up at her through
a cloud Of cigar smoke.
ooh, nothing" answered Mrs. Mo
Chesney, and stood lingering the piles
of glistening satin garments, queer,
faraway look in her eyes. Then she
turned and walked listlcssly toward
the door. There she encountered
Spalding--Billy Spalding Of the Gov.
eted middle-wcstern territory, Billy
Spalding, the long-hcaded, quick.
thinking; Spalding the persuasive,
Spalding the mixer, Spalding on whom
depended the fate OF the L. A. Buck
featherloom knickerbocker and pa,
jana.
Morning! When do you start
out?" she asked him.
In the morning. Cad, that's some
line, what? I'm itching to spread it
You're certainly wonder-child, Mrs.
McChesney. Why, the boys
Emma McChesney sighed, somberly
THAT line does sort of-well. tug at
your heart-strings. doesn't it?" Al
eight the next morning there burst
upon Mrs. McChesney distracted T.
A. Buck.
Hear about Spalding?" he demand,
ed.
"spalding? No"
Ills wife 'phoned from st. Luke's,
Taken with an appendicitis attack al
midnight. They operated at five this.
morning. One of those had-it-been.
northumberland. operations,
That settles us"
Poor kid" replied Emma McChes.
ney. Rough on him and his brand.
new wife"
"Poor kid! Yes. But how about
his territory? How about our new
line? How about
"Oh, that's all right" said Emma
McChesney, cheerfully.
"Td like to know how! We haven't
a man equal to the territory. He's our
one best bet,
"oh, that's all right" said Mrs. Mo
Chesney again, smoothly
A little impatient exclamation broke
from T. A. Buck. At that Emma Me-
Chesney smiled.
I'm going out with that line. I'm
going to leave trail Of pajamas and
knickerbockers from Duluth to Can,
ton" 70
you! No, you WON'T" A dull
painful red had swept into T. A.
Bucks face. 1t was answered by o
flood of scarlet in Mrs. McChesney'e
countenance.
Il don't get you," she said. I'm
afraid you don't realize what this trip
means It's going to be a fight.
They'll have to be coaxed and bullied
and cajoled, and reasoned with. It's
going to be show-me' trip"
T. A. Buck took q quick step for
wa-d. That's just why. l won't have
you lighting with buyers, taking their
insults, kowtowing to them, salvina
them. lit isn't womans work"
Emma McCnesney was sorting the
contents of her desk with quick, rerv.
GUS fingers. I'LL get the twentieth
century," she said, over her shoulder.
Don't argue, please. If it's no work
for woman then suppose 1t follows
that I'm unwomanly. For ten yeara
l Travelled this country selling T. A.
Bucks featherloom petticoats. MY
first trip on the road was in the
s"SsAeo eAu PIelty, tOO. III WOlU
an Of thirty-seven now"
| She arose, and shut her desk with q
bang, locked it, and turned a flushed
and beaming face toward T. A. Buck.
as he stood frowning before her.
4 "Your father believed in me-fronf
the ground up. We understood each
other, he and l. You've learned lot
in the last year and half, T. A. Ju.
nior-that-was, but there's one thing
you haven't mastered. When will you
learn to believe in Emma McChes.
ney?"
She was out Of the Office before h
had time to answer, leaving him stand.
ing there.
In the dusk Of late winter eve.
ming just three weeks later, man
paused at the door Of the unlighted of.
fee marked Mrs. McChesney." He
looked about moment, as though
dreading detection. Then he opened
the door. stepped into the dim quies