The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-09-04
A NOVEL A WEEK.
Next Week
PANDORA'S BOX
BY John A. Mitchell.

were far from normal conditions.
There were no women at the
Three Bars. There never had
been any woman at the Three
Bars within the memory OF man.
Presently, he bolted into a
building, which proved to be the
Bon Ami, a restaurant under the
direct supervision of the fat Mrs.
Higgins.
"What'll you have?" he asked.
Hospitality, the familiar air of the
Bon Ami bringing him back to his
accustomed self-confident swag-
ger.
might I have some tea and
toast, please?" said Louise, sink
ing into a chair at the nearest
table.
Guess you kim" answered
Jim, wonder in his voice at the
exceeding baroness of the order.
MRS. Higgins, hello there, Mrs.
Higgins! / say, there, bring on
some tea and toast for the LADY,"
'Where is the Three Bars?"
asked Louise, her thoughts stray
ing to the terrors OF 15-mile
drive through a strange and I'M
canny country with a stranger
and yet more uncanny man.
Say, where was you raised?"
asked jim, with tolerant scorn.
why, it's the Three Bars
that's bringin' you here. Didn't
you know that? There's nary a
man in the hull country with
backbone 'ceptin' Paul Langford.
I'm. You just try once to walk
over the boss, will you? Lord!
What a grease spot you'd make!"
Mr.. Gordon isn't being walk
ed over, is he?" asked Louise.
"Oh, Gordon? Pretty decent
sort o. chap. Don't know much
about handlin' boss thieves and
SIGH. Acted kind o. like chicken
with its head cut off till the boss
got into the roundup"
Obi" said Louise, whose con-
ception of the young counsel for
the state did not tally with this
delineation.
The two cowboys at the corner
table had long since finished their
supper. They now lighted bad
smelling cigars and left the room.
To Louise's great relief, Munson
rose, too. He was back very soon
with a neat little runabout and a
high-spirited team of bays.
Boss private" explained Jim
with pride. "Nothin' too good for
a lady, so the boss sent this and
me to take keer O. it. And o.
you, too, Miss" he added, as an
after-thought.
why didn't Mary Gomez"
Great guns! Did l forgit to
tell you? Williston's got the
stomachache to beat the band and
Marys got to physic him gin to-
morror. He was pizened. You
see, everybody that ate any meat
last night was took sick, but Will
liston he was worse'n all, he
bein' a hearty eater. He was a
stayin' in town over night on this
preliminary business, and Dick
Gordon he was took, too, but not
SO bad, bein' what you might call
a light eater. Friends o. Jesse's
that we amt able to lay hands
on yit pizened that there meat.
Yep, no doubt about it."
The air of August was delicious
not that night was coming on.
There was no wind, but the swift
unflagging pace of the Boss
matched team made a stiff breeze
to play in their faces. 1t was ex-
hilarating.
The moon came up. Then there
were miles of white moonlight
and lonely plain. But for some
time now there has been a light
in front of them. 1t is as il it
must be a will-o'-the-wisp. They
never seem to get to it. But at
last they are there. The door
is wide open. A pleasant odor of
bacon and coffee is waited out to
the tired travellers.
Come right in," said the
CHEEKY voice of Mary. How tired
you must be, Miss Dale. Tie up,
Jim, and come in and eat some
thing before you go. Well, you
can eat again-two suppers won t
hurt you. l have kept things
warm for you. Yes, Dad is bet
ter, thank you. He'll be all right
in the morning."