The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-10-26
ssTHE IDYL or TWIN FIRES"
Copyright

!, Copyright 1914-15, by Doubleday, Page & Co.

III. "I feel already as II Twin Fires
was as much yours as mine.'
She made no reply, except to ask
when the train went back.
The next day the painters LETT
for good, and Hard Cider had COM
pleted his tasks. I sent word to
Mrs. Pillig to be ready to come the
next morning, and asked Mrs. Bert
to order for me the necessary stock
of groceries from the village.
The next day l was standing on
my kitchen porch, talking to Mike,
when they arrived. It was a
memorable moment. I heard the
sound of wheels, and looked up.
A wagon was approaching, driven
| by an old man. Beside him sat
thin woman in black, with gray
hair and a worried look. Behind
them, on a battered trunk, sat
Peter, who was not thin, who wore
no worried look. and who chewed
gum. Beneath the wagon, invisible
at first, trotted a mud-bespattered
yellow pup. The wagon stopped.
Good morning, Mr.. Upton" said
Mrs. Pillig. "This is me and
Peter"
where's Buster?" said Peter.
At the word Buster" the yellow
pup emerged from beneath the
cart, wagging the longest tail, In
proportion to the dog, ever seen on
a canine. II would be more correct
to say the tail wagged him, for
with every excited motion his whole
body was undulated to the ears.
I went out and aided Mrs. Pillig
to alight, and then Mike and l
lifted the trunk to the porch. l
looked at the dog, which had also
Joined us on the porch, where he
was leaving muddy paw marks.
do | understand that Buster Is
also an arrival?" said I,
"Oh, dear me, Mr.. Upton, you
must excuse me-" Mrs. Pillig cried
anxiously. Yesterday we took him
away and this morning he just sud
denly appeared behind the wagon,
and I told Peter he couldn't come,
and Peter cried, and Buster
wouldn't go back, and I'll make
Peter take him away just as soon
as the rain stops"
well, | hadn't bargained on Bus
ter, that's fact" said |.
I didn't like dogs; most people
don't who've never had ono. But
he was such a forlornly muddy
mongrel pup. and SO eloquent Of
tail, that I spoke his name on an
impulse.
The great tail wagged him to the
ears. Then he suddenly sat up on
his hind legs, dangled his front
| paws. looked me square in the eyes,
and parked.
That was too much for me.
peter" said I, you may keep
Buster"
"Golly, I'd "a had hard time not
| to-" said that young person, I'M
mediately making for the barn, with
Buster at his heels.
Mrs. Pillig and I went inside.
While she was inspecting the kitch-
en-, Mike and I carried her trunk
up the back stairs.
And what time do you have
your dinner?" asked Mrs. Pillig
There's no meat in the house.
Guess you forgot to order the
butcher to stop; but there's eggs"
Eggs will do" said I, and one
o'clock. Bert has his at twelve.
but I want mine at one. Maybe I
shall have a guest"
"A guest!" she cried. you
wouldn't be putin a guest on me
the first mornin'!"
We'll, it's doubtful, I'm afraid"
I answered. Perhaps I'll wait till
tomorrow night, and have three
guests for supper-just Bert and
his wife and their boarder-sort Of
housewarming, you know. want
you to make a pie"
We'll, reckon I can wait on
table stylish enough for Mrs.
Temple" said she, "and I'll make
lemon pie that'll make Bert
Temple sorry he didn't marry me-"
IT shouldn't want you to wreck
Bert's domestic happiness" said I,
but make the pie, just the same!"
(Contjnued In Our Next lssuol