The Ozark spectator., 1917-06-06

trified him into utterance. "I seen her." he declared, holding his chin well down and in, and speaking in a pardonably proud throat.
 "Good, Bull p
 "They've got things tied up for fair over there." He spoke slowly and brokenly. "I never got inside the house till after supper. Toward night helped Pardaloe put up the stock. He let me into the kitchen after my coaxing for cup of coffee-hes an ornery, cold-blooded guy, that Parda Toe. Old Duke and Sassoon think the sun rises and sets on the top of his head-funny, ain't it?'
 De Spain made no comment. 'Whilst I was drinking my coffee"
 "Who gave it to you?'
 "Old Bunny, the Mex. Pardaloe goes out to the bunkhouse; I sits down to my supper, alone, with Bunny at the stove. All of sudden who comes a-trippin' in from the front of the strong as I could, but l was too cold and stiff to jump up real strong. She seen me, but didn't pay no attention. 1 dropped my spoon on the floor. It didn't do no good, neither, so I pushed hot plate of ham and gravy off the table. It hit the dog n he jumped like kingdom come. Old Bunny sails into me, Nan a-watchin', and while Mex was pickin' up and cleanin' up, I sneaks over to the stove and winks at Nan. Say, you oughter see her look mad at me. She was hot but 1 kept a-winkin, and says to her kind of huskylike: Got any letters for at me as if she'd bore holes into me. but I stood right up and glared back at the little girl. Come from there this mornin',' says l, going back to- night. Someone waiting there for news
 By jing! Just as I got the words out O my mouth, who comes a-stalk- ing in but Gale Morgan. The minute he seen me, he lit on me to beat the band-called me everything he could lay his tongue to. l let on I was drunk. but that didn't help. He or dered me off the premises. N the worst of 1t was. Nan chimed right in and began to scold Bunny for lettin' me in-and leaves the room quick like. Bunny put 1t on Pardaloe. and she and Gale had 1t, an b jing, Gale put me out-said he'd pepper me. But wait till 1 tell V how she fooled him. It was rainin' like h-l. n 1t looked as if I was booked for ride through 1t and hadn't half drunk my second cup of coffee at that. I starts for the barn, when someone in the dark on the porch grabs my arm, spins me around like top, throws flasher up into my face. and there was Nan. Bull she says, I'm sorry. I don't want to see you ride out in this with nothing to eat; come this way quick
 "She took me down cellar from the outside. under the kitchen. When Gale goes out again she filings up the trapdoor, speaks to Mex. pulls all the kitchen shades down. locks the doors, and l sets down on the trapdoor steps m eats pipin' hot supper; say! Well, I reckon 1 drank couple O quarts of coffee. Bull she says, I never done you no harm, did IF 'Never,' says I, and I never done you none, neither. did I? And what's more. never will do you none.' Then 1 up and told her. Tell him. says she. I can't ast hold of horse, nor n pen, nor n piece of paper-I can't leave the house but what l am watched every minute. They keep track of me day and night. Tell him. she says, I can protect myself; they think they'll break me-make me do what they want me to-marry-but they cant break me. and I'll never do it-tell him that
 "'But,' says l, that ain't the whole case, Miss Nan. What he'll ask me- when he's borin' through me with his