The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1917-07-28

Paloma regarded her parent curl
ously. How do you know you don't
like her when you've never seen her?'
''Oh, I've seen her, all I want to;
and heard her talkin' to you just now.
won't stand for nobody teIlIn' you
bad Stories
Paloma snickered. ''The idea! She
doesn't"
Get her out, and keep her out"
Blaze rumbIed- "She amt right; she
ain't-human. Why, what d'yOu reck-
on saw her do, the other day2 Makes
me SILVER now. You remember that
big buIl-snake that lives under the
barn. the one I've been layin' for?
Well, you won't believe me, but him
and her are friends. Factl 1 saw
her pick him up and play with him.
Wheel The gOOse-fesh popped out
on me till it busted the buttons Of my
vest. She amt my kind Of people.
PalOma. Strange amt no name for
her; no, sir That 8oman's dam near
peculiar"
Paloma remained unmoyed. st
thought you knew. She used to be a
snake-charmer."
"A-what?" There was no doubt
about it. Blaze's hair lifted. He
blinked through his big spectacIes; he
paved the air freely with his hands.
'How can you let her touch you? 1
couldn't. I'll bet she carries a pocket
full of dried tOads and-and keeps live
lizards in her hair. knew an old VOC
doc woman that ate cockroaches. Get
IA he Doll
gate the house,
At thai moment Mrs. Strange herself
opened the kitchen door to inquire, rs
anything wrong?' Misleading Blaze's
expression for one of pain, she ex-
claimed: Mercy! Now, what have
you done to yourself?'
But the object of her sOlicitude
backed away, making peculiar clucking
sounds deep in his throat. Paloma
was saying:
'sThis is my father, Mrs. Strange.
You and he have never happened to
meet before"
why, yes we havei 1 know you"
the seamstress exclaimed. Then a puz-
zled light fickered in her black eyes.
Seems to me we've met somewhere,
but-Tve met so many people" She
extended her hand, and Blaze took
it as if expecting to find it cold and
scaly. He muttered something unin-
telligible. I've been dying to see you"
she told him, land thank you for Civ
ing me Paloma's work. I love you
both for it,
Blaze was immensely relieved that
this dreaded crisis had come and gone !;
but wishing to make assurance doubly
smile the like. of which his daughter
had never seen, and in a disguised
voice inquired, Now where do you
reckon you ever saw me?"
The seamstresS shook her head. 81
don't know, but I'll place you before
long. Anyhow, I'm glad you aren't
hurt. From the way you called PalOma
1 thought you were. I'm handy around
sick people, so +"
Listen 90 Paloma interrupted.
There's someone at the front door. !"
She left the room; Blaze was edging
after her when he heard her utter a
stified scream and call his name.
Now Paloma was not the kind of
cry brought Blaze to the front of the
house at a run. But what he saw there
treasured him mOmentariIy; nothing
was in sight more alarming than one
of the depot hacks, in the rear seat of
which was huddled the figure OF a
man. Paloma was flying down the walk
toward the gate, and Phil Strange was
awaiting on the porch. AS Blaze flung
himself into view the latter exclaimed /:
81 brought him straight here, Mr..
Jones, cause knew you was his best
friend"
who? Who is itY"
Dave Law. He must have come in
on the noon train. Anyhow, I found
him-like that" The two men hurried
toward the road, side by side.
whats wrong with him?" Blaze de
manded.
81 don't know. He's queer-he's of
his bean. I've had a hard time with
him"
Paloma was in the carriage at Dawes
side now, and calling his name; but
Law, 1t seemed, was scarcely con-
scious. He had slumped together; his
face was vacant, his eyes dull. He was
muttering to himself q queer, deIiriOus
tumble of words.
"Oh, dad He's sfck-sick," Paloma
sobbed. Dave. don't you know us?
You're home, Dave. Everything is
all right now"
"'Why. you'd hardly recognize the
boyI'' Blaze exclaimed; then he added
his appeal to his daughters. But they
could not arouse the sick man from
his coma.
"sHe asked me to take him to Las
Palmas," Strange explained Looks
to me like a sunstrOke"
Paloma turned an agonized face TO
her father. 'Get doctor, quick" she
implored; ''he frightens ne"
But Mrs. Strange had followed. and
now she spoke up in q matter-Of-fact
tone: Doctor nothing" she said. ST
know more than all the doctors. Pa
Iona, you go into the house and get a
bed ready for him, and you men lug
him in. Come, now, on the run, all of
YOU! I'll show you what TO do" She
took instant charge OF the situation.