The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1914-12-10
Copyright by The Century Co.
CHAPTER xvuI-contInued.

"Ah. yew young rascal" cried Sam.
uel. "Yew're the Teller that eat up
all my winter cabbages."
At this uncanny reading OF his
mind Mr.. C%ottontail darted on into
the woods again 20 seek out his mate
and inform her that their guilt had
been discovered.
Finally. Samuel came TO the break
In the woodland, an open field OF rye.
green as s%pringtime grass. and his
own exquisitely neal abode beckon.
Ing across the gray rail fence TO him.
How pretty Blossy's geraniums
looked In the eitting.room windows!
Even at this distance. too. he could
see that she had not forgotten 10 wa.
ter his pet abutilon and begonias. How
welcome In the midst OF this furry Of
snow--how welcome 10 his eye was
that smoke coming out OF the chin.
neysl All the distress OF his trip away
from home seemed worth while now
for the Joy OF coming back.
Before he had taken down the fence
rail and turned into the path which led
20 his back door. he was straining his
ears for the sound OF Blossy's voice
gossiping with Angy. Not hearing II.
he hurried the faster.
The kitchen door was locked. Tn.
key was not under the mat; II was not
J In the safe on the porch. behind the
| stone pickle.pot. lie tried the door
again. and then peered In at the win.
dow.
Not even the cat could be discerned.
The kitchen was set In order, the
breakfast dishes put away, and there
was no sign Of any baking or prepare.
tons for dinner.
lie knocked, knocked loudly. Nh
answer. He went to a side door. to
the front entrance. and found the
whole house locked. and no key to be
discovered. II was still early In the
morning. earlier than Blossy would
have been likely TO set out upon an
'arrand or to spend the day; and then.
100. she was not n TO risk her
health In such chilly. damp weather.
with every sign OF a heavy storm.
Samuel became alarmed. He called
sharply. "Blossy!" No answer. Mis-
Rose!" No answer. "Ezra!" And
still no sound In reply.
His alarm increased. lie went 20
the barn; that was locked and Ezra
nowhere In sight. by standing on tip
toe. however, and peeplng through a
crack In the boards. he found that his
horse and the two.seated surrey were
missing.
WAL. I never" grumbled Samuel
conscious once more OF all his physical
discomforts. THE minute my backs
turned, they go a.gallivantin'. | bet
yer" he added after a moments
. thought. II bet yer it's that air Angy
- Rose. She's got ter git an CAD every
second same as Abe. an my poor wife
has been drug along with her"
There was nothing left for him &c
do but seek refuge In his shop and
await their return. Like nearly every
other bayman, he had a one.room
shanty, which he called the shop
and where he played at building boats
and weaving nets. and making oar'
and tongs.
va ohiuNAult Etbou w iit VI W
tho house. and fortunately had an old
discarded kitchen stove In II. There
It the wanderers had not taken tina
Key also. he could build a fire. anC
stretch out before IL on a bundle o
a .lcloth.
lie gave a start OF surprise, how
- ever, as he approached the place; fol
surely that was smoke coming out o
The chimney!
Ezra must have gone out with thu
horse, and Blossy must be entertaining
Angy In some outlandish way de
manded by the idiosyncrasies OF thu
Rose temperament.
samuel flung open the door, AM
strobe in: but only to pause on thu
threshold. struck dumb. Blossy wa
not there. Angy was not there. no
anyone belonging to the household
But sitting on that very bundle o
canvas, stretching his lean hands owe
tho stove. with Samuel's cat on hi
lap, was the "Old Hoss"-Abrahan
Rose!