Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1917-08-02
CHAPTER VII.--continued.

3
II Smith hesitated, 1t was only partly
on his own account. He was thinking
again of the young woman with the
honest eyes when he said: do you
know why l turned Williams down
when he spoke to me the other day."
Colonel Dexter Baldwin had his
faults, like other men, but they were
not those of indIrection.
81 reckon I do know, son." he said,
with large tolerance. you're a lame
duck of some sort. But that's our
lookout. BARLEY is ready to swear
that you are not crooked crook, what
ever else it is that you're lodging for.
Besides, there's yesterday"
eve agreed to forget the yesterday
Incidents" the lame duck reminded
him quickly. And then: 81 ought to
say NO. Colonel Baldwin; say it
straight out, and stick to it. If don't
say tiff 1 ask for a little tlme-it is
because 1 want to weigh up a few
things-the things l can't talk about to
you or to Williams. If, in the end,
should be fool enough TO say Yes it
Is only fair to you to say that, right in
the middle of the scrap, 1 may fall
TO pieces on you"
Baldwin was too Shrewd to try to
push his advantage when there was,
or seemed to be, a chance that the
desired end was as good as half at
tanned. And it was purely manful
prompting that made him get up and
thrust out his hand to the young fell
low who was trying to be as frank
as he dared to be.
"Put it there, John" he said heartily.
Nobody in the Timanyoni is going to
ary into you an inch farther than you
are to let 'em; and if you get into
Toubie by helping us, you can count
IN at least one hacker who will stand
W ycu until the cows come home.
Now, then, hunt up your coat, and
we'll drive over to Hillcrest for bite
20 eat. I had my orders from the
tEnlssus before left town, and know
better than to go home without you.
Never mind the cOmmissary khaki. 1t
won't be the first time that the work
ing clothes have figured at the Hill
crest table-not by long shot"
And because he did not know how
TO frame a refusal that would refuse
Smith got his coat and went.
Given his choice between the two,
Smith would cheerfully have faced
another hand-to-haud battle with the
claim Jumpers in preference to even
so mild n dip into the former things
as the dinner at Hillcrest fOreshad-
owed. The reluctance was not forced (;
1t was real. The primitive man in him
did not wish to be entertained. On
the fast auto drive down to Brewster,
across the bridge, and out to the Bald
tEin ranch, Smiths humor was frankly
sardonic. He cherished q small hope
that Mrs. Baldwin might be shocked
at the soft shirt and the khaki. II
would serve her right for taking a man
from his job.
At the stone-plllared portal he got
~9ut 10 open the gates. Down the
road a horse was coming at n smart
sgallOa, the rider, Corona Baldwin
booted and spurred and riding a mans
saddle.
Smith let the gray car go on Its
way up the drive without him.
so you weakened, did you? In
disappointed in you" was Miss Bald
wins greeting. you've made me lost
my bet with colonel-daddy. I said yol
wouldn't come"
II had no business tn come" he an
severed morosely. But your fathe
wouldn't let me off,"
~Of course he wouldn't; daddy neye
lets anybody off, unless they owe hin
money. Where are your evenln
ciothesp
Smith let the lever Of uorosenes
slip back to the grinnlng notch. The
are about two thousand miles away
and probably In some second-han
shop % this time. What makes 20
think / ever wore a dress SUITE" II
had closed the gates and was walllin
beside her horse up the driveway.
''Uh, / just gUtcsed It," she returne
Tightly, "aad IL you'l hold your breah
HI guess again."
boat" he laughed.
AT tbe steps negro stableboy wa
waiting to take Miss Baldwln's hors
Smith Lnew how to help woma
down from a slde-saddle; but the tw'
utJrryped RIG stumped him. The youn