The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1914-03-12

than any hornet ever dared be. and
they 60 In the morning But the situ-
alton Vas too much for our German
I friend He left vith the others"
Well We vsnt out and | took the
J path knew best. which was out to
ward the spring ghouse At the little
bridge over the creek Doctor Barnes
stopped. and leaning over the rail. took
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" 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 of 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 were packing TO go, and
Miss Summers had got bottle Of per.
oxide and shut herself in her room. At
six o'clock Tillie beckoned 10 me from
the door OF the officers dining room
and said she'd put the basket in the
snow by the grape arbor l got ready,
with heavy heart, to take II 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 heavenl 1t had
showed all that week and our prints
were filed up almost as) fast as we
made them. When ! got 70 the shelter
house II was in a wild state OF ex
citement. Mrs. Dick, with her cheeks
flushed. had gathered all her things or
the cot and was rolling them up in
sheets and newspapers. But Mr.. Dicl
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 it TO see II 1t wai
done.
"Damn!" he said, and dropped IL
Mrs. Dick sat on the cot rolling VI
] pA Of him
II you want TO know exactly M
reason for insisting on moving tonight
I'll tell you" she said. paying no atten
ton TO me. ''It Is your disposition"
He didn't say anything, but he pu
his foot on the potato and smashed It
IF / had 10 be shut In here viii
you one more day." she went on, To
hate you"
why the one more day7" he asked
without looking up.
But she didn't answer him. She wal
in the worst kind Of a temper; sh'
threw the ribbon down, and coming
over, lifted the lid OF my basket anC
looked in.
Ham againl" she exclaimed un
gratefully. Thanks so much for re
membeging US, Minnie. ! dare say oui
dinner today slipped your mind"
Il wonder II It strikes you. Minnie,
Mr.. Dick said, noticing me for the firs
} time, that II you and Sam hadn't beel
so confounded meddling. that fellow
, Pierce would be washing buggies II
: 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
J ute"
was in a bad humor. anyhow. an,
I'd had enough. stood Just inside tn
door and told them I'd done the bes
could, not for them. but because II
, promised the old doctor. and II II
made mistakes I'd answer for them I
: him II ever met him in the mex
, world. And In the meantime washe
/ my hands OF the whole thing. and the
. might make out as best they could.
: was going.
Mrs. Dick heard me through. The
she came over and put her hand o
: mine where It lay on the table
: You're perfectly right" she said.
) know how you have tried, and that IN
= fault is all that wretched Pierce's. Yo
{ mustn't mind Mr.. Carter, Minnie. He
been in that sort OF humor all day"
I He looked at her with the most mil
cradle face / ever saw. but he didn
say anything. She sighed. the littl
5 wretch
I I plodded back with my empty bal
] ket, had only one clear thought
I that wouldn't have any more tram
: ing across the golf links In the snow
l wanted 10 get back to my room an
{ 90 TO bed and forget.
!, But as I came near the house sa'
{ Mr.. Pierce come out on the fror
{ piazza and switch on the lights. II
J. stood there looking out into the snow
3 and the next minute | saw why. Con
e ing up the hill and across the law
was a shsdowy line Of people. blac
Z against the white. thought for
n minute that my brain had gone WRONG
8 then the FIRST figure came into n