The Benson signal., 1917-10-13

the Dowl, elnpted 1t. The poison eiec-
trified him into utterance. II seen
her." he declared, holding his chin
well down and in, and speaking in a
pardonably proud throat.
"Good, Bull"
"They've got things tied up for fair
over there" He spoke slowly and
brokenly. 'T never got inside the
house till after supper. Toward night
I helped Pardaloe put up the stock.
He let me into the kitchen after my
coaxing for a cup of coffee-he's an
ornery, cold-blooded guy, that Parda-
loe. Old Duke and Sassoon think the
sun rises and sets on the top Of his
head-funny, amt it?"
De Spain made no comment.
"Whilst I was drinking my coffee"
"Who gave it to your"
"Old Bunny, the Mex. Pardaloe
goes out to the clubhouse; sits down
to my supper, alone, with Bunny at
the stove. All of q sudden who comes
house but Nan. I jumps up as
strong as I could, but I way too cold
and stiff to jump up real strong. She
seen me, but didn't pay no attention.
I dropped my spoon on the floor. 1t
didn't do no good, neither, so pushed
a hot plate Of ham and gravy off the
table. 1t hit the dog n he jumped
like kingdom come. Old Bunny sails
into me, Nan a-watchin', aud while
Mex was pickin' up and cleanin' up,
T sneaks over to the stove and winks
at Nan. Say, you oughter see her
look mad at me. She was hot, but l
kept a-winkin', and says to her kind
of huskylike: Got any letters for
Calabasas tonightY Say, she looked
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 I, 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. I let on I was
drunk, but that didn't help. He or
dered me off the premises. M the
worst of it was. Nan chimed right in
and began to scold Bunny for lettin'
me in-and leaves the room, quick
like. Bunny put it on Pardaloe, and
she and Gale had it, an b. jing, Gale
put me out-said he'd pepper me. But
wait till I tell v how she fooled. him.
It was rainin' like HI, m it looked
as if I was booked for a ride through
it and hadn't half drunk my second
cup Of coffee at that. starts for the
barn, when someone in the dark on
the porch grabs my arm, spins me
around like top, throws a 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 I sets down on the trapdoor steps
n eats a pipin' hot supper; Sly !!
Well, reckon I drank couple O.
quarts of coffee. Bull she says, I
never done you no harm, did IT.
Never says I, 'and I never done ycu
none, neither, did I? And what's
more, I never will do you none Then
up and told her. Tell him. says
she, Il can't get hold of a horse, nor
a pen, nor 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, Il Gan protect myself; they
think they'll break me-make me do
what they want me to-marry-but
they can't break me, and I'll never do
it---te1l him that
"'But,' says I, that amt the whole
caSs, Miss Nan. What he'll ask me,
when he's borin' through me with his