The Taney County republican., 1916-01-27


Little Sletz," he said, though he
had meant to use her name alone,
Little SletE-"
But what he would have said was
left unspoken for Ma Daily creaksd
In the doorway with q bowl Of broth.
My goodness, ma" he said whlm'
sically, III you don't stop filling me
with broth I'll refuse to eat at all. ]
want slice Of ham and some Of your
Incompatible rice pudding
You want what you get. You sip
this all"
AS Sandry obsdiently finished the
last drop, the general reached in the
Capacious pocket Of her dish apron.
Here" she said, see what found"
She held sQuarely before his eyes a
little red morocco notebook, opened at
a page far to the back,
Miss Ordway dropped It as she rode
of on the bay this mornin' an !
picked 1t up"
Without volitlon, Sandry glanced at
the white page, which held few
neatly tabulated notes.
1--WE ought not to read 1t, ma" he
was saying, 1T may be private"
Then a change came over his fea,
lures and involuntarily he peered
closer.
Mas keen, old eyes were upon his
face and she saw 1t slowly lose what
little color returning life had given 1t,
saw look Of bewilderment Of amaze
and something very like fear settle
down upon it. drawing the features,
tightening the skin. He stared hard
at the few scant notes, then raised
dilated eyes to her.
Are you sure. ma, sure" he
asked in q strangely altered voice.
Sure? Ever know me to speak
when want sure. SOM" said the gen.
eral grimly.
For, though the notes on the page
were 80 few and so meaningless to an
outsider, II WAS plain that they had
fallen under the one pair OF eyes
whose owner they most vitality con.
cerned.
This was what Walter Sandry read:
Tuesday night: Ruined! Ruined! Help
less. and he does not know
Wednesday: Scoundrels all-James B.
Whithy- Musseldorn-Copper and Zirc.
Consolidated Legitimate! My God it's
done legitimatcly! Within the law May
such law be damned, James b. Whltby--
am the law this night
Thursday: Dad old chap!
When he had finished, his weak
hands trembled on the sheet and there
was the look OF a cornered animal in
the bright, blue eyes that sought the
old woman's pleadingly.
Ma" said Sandry hoarsely, take It
back and put It where Miss Ordway
will casually find it, and don't say |
saw it"
Without a word, Ma Daily picked up
her bowl. put the little red book in her
pocket and took Siletz away to the
noon work, leaving the man for the
first time alone. or a wide and Gun.
ming knowledge was this old handler
of men. She knew that he would
think best in solitude.
Mother" said Siletz as they passed
up the path, "she never dropped that"
Course not. lied an stole both.
IA ,.-nrth ,tytItn
thin threatenin' Sandry. an though
he's pretty weak to be worried, it's
best he should know"
And in the meantime Poppy Ordway
was talking to Hampden on the Sietz
road. The man was passionate, force.
full, a little worried by her long alb
sence from their rides. and he used
every persuasion at his command to
win her from the Daily camp.
what for do you want to stay
there?" he begged.
Don't you know am writing lum-
ber story?"
Sure. But why can't you come to
the Yella Plnes"
And have the country talkisg?
ride with you too much for that
have a reputation In the great world
that | can't afford to lose In the little
one"
But they say you're goin' 10 marry
that da-beg yer pardon-that Johnny
Eastern. That so? For Gods sake,
girl. don't say IT,"
Hampden's red face was pale, and
she enjoyed seeing this coarse. bull.
like man shaken to his foundations.
And what il It is?"
I'll kill him! So help me heaven,
I'll get him next--I tell you | can't
stend for that"
Get him next time" she was saying
swiftly TO herself, oh, Hampden,
fancy there1l be a lot of getting
whether or not Walter Sandry wants
me to qult-now, after all I've gone
through with you to get my line staked
out!"
Aloud she said at the same time.
Not isn't true" And Hampden
caught her hand and kissed it.
March crawled by and April-May
came in with the feel and look of sum.
mer-as 1t does in the western hills.
warm ana bright and eternally sunny.
Sandry wondered II 1t had ever rained
Any exeTtion tired him cruelty, so he