The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1916-05-04

that ] ever seen a missus leanin' over
either side of bar In this country, but
I've strayed some from the home fence
an you may be surprised, Mis- Wayne.
to know thet they's lands where no one
amt never heerd tell on a barman an
where barmaids Is some cOmmoner'n
the milkin' brand"
"Yes?" said Mrs. ]. Y. encOurag-
Ingly.
"Sho' thing" replied Kemp; II seen
ems | won. forget the fust time be-
cause / WES considerable embarrassed.
| missed a steamer In Moo Yawk an
the firm was in hurry, so they sent
me acrost to Southampton, an while !
was waltin' for the Brazil boat a feller
I'd picked up on boa'd showed me
around some. Well. II want long be-
fore he corralled me. quite wlllin', in
bar. l pulled OF my hat and he
says, why d'yOu take OF yo' hatT and
says, Why don't you take of yOurn7
Don't you see they's lady heap Thee
he bust out laughln' and everybody
that was nea' enough to hea' bust oft
laughin' an the missus behind the bar
laughed, too, though somehow 1t didn't
sound as If sha laughed because she
couldn't hep It,"
Kemp paused to blush over the mem
ory. He did not notice that the judge
and ]. Y. had drawn quietly nearer
and that the rest Of the group of
grown-ups were intent on his words
"They's times" he continued. "when
it's fittin that man should be without
shOOtin' irons an that was one of 'em.
can't rightly say what would have
happened but guessin's easy. When
he was through laughin' the feller that
was showin' me around slapped me on
the back and sez, That amt no lady:
it's a barmaid.' An then they all
laughed some mo- and the missus just
kind O. laughed an l mought "a been
dreamin', but thought l seen look
in her eyes thet says she wasn't laugh.
in inside at all. Ever sence then I've
been of opinion that missus has no
call to handle drinks an l ce'tainly
hope I'll never see one a'doin' of it
under the home fence"
Kemp stayed at Maple House for a
week. Before he left he was known
throughout the countryside. His lanky
figure, dropping mustaches, domed hat
and the way he held out the reins in
| front of him when he rode marked him
from the start, and when the youth
of the surrounding farms learned that
he was a genuine cowboy that had
ridden everything with four legs, they
worshiped from afar and glOried in
casual approaches.
Just before he went away Kemp
took it upon himself to call on Alix.
| Alan led him to where she sat on the
lawn among the trees at The Firs and
left him. Alix looked up in wonder at
his tall, lank form. Kemp held his hat
in his hand and twisted it nervously.
mis- Lansing" he said, Il want
you should let me say few words to
| ye. | seen Mister Lansing bout five
weeks ago."
Alix sprang to her feet, her pale
| cheeks atlame. Yes" she said.
! w HcH-Wueu Is lie COulluS ouC
sank down again and buried her face
| in her hands. The shame of putting
that question to a stranger over
| Whelmed her.
| Kemp sat down near her. "Sho, Mis-
Lansing" he said, don you take it
hard that you're gettin' word of Mr..
Lansing through me. Him an me an
Liebers ben most pardners.'
Tenderness had crept into Kemp's
drawl. Alix looked up. please" she
said, "tell me all about him-all about
r these years."
: Kemp hesitated before he spoke. II
=. amt got the words ner the right to
tell you all about them three years,
e Mis- Lansing, an l can't tell you all
: about Mr.. Lansing, cause the biggest
e part o. some men don't meet the eye
7 it's inside on 'em. Thet's the way ii
! is with Mr.. Lansing l en- tell you,
; though, thet Mr.. Lansing is well an
e strong-strOng enough to swing a steer
4 by the tail.
t 'That's what l know. Now I'll tell
= ye some o. my thoughts. Mr.. Lansing
t want born to be maverick. Right
Y now, I'm willin' to wager, he's headed
e for home and the corral, but he amt
j comm on the run-he'S browSin' and
s chewin' his cud.
: "When l seen him FIVE weeks ago
!, thought on hog-tyin' him an bringin'
j him along, cause Mr.. Wayne had tol
me about you an the two-year-old. But
D it come to me that woman Of sperit-
t one of Ourn-wouldn't want her mau
t should be brought in. She'd sooner
/ he'd hog-tie hisseff.'
: Alix' head hung in thought. Her
r hands were clasped in her lap. As
Kemp's last words sank in the first
e smile of many days came to her lips
f Kemp rose and said good-by. With
D his hat pulled well over his brows and
+ his hands in his pockets, he slOuched
. | toward the gate.
e AliX jumped up and followed him.
:, She laid her thin, light hand on his
: arm. 'Thank you," she said, a little
: breathlessly. Kemps deep-set eyes
f twinkled down on her. He held out
: his big, rough hand and Alix gripped
/ it.
"Not good-by," she said.
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