Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1917-11-10


full truth-yes, and the whole neigh
borhood would likewise know hi
shame. In fancy, Blaze saw his rep
utation torn to shreds and himself ex
posed to the gibes of the people whC
venerated him. He would become {
scandal among men, an offenSe to re
spectacle women; children would shuI
him. Blaze could not bear to thinl
of the consequences, for he was very
| fond of the women and children Of
Jonesville. He rose from his ham
mock and tiptoed down the porch int
! the kitchen, from which point of Sc
curity he called loudly for his daugh
| ter
Alarmed at his tone, Paloma came
running. "What is the matter?" she
asked, quickly.
Get her Quit" Blaze cried, sayagely
"Get shed of her."
Her? WhoY
'"rhat varmint"
"Father, what ails your"
"Nothin' ails me, but don't want
that caterpillar crawlin' around my
premises. | don't like her"
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 l want to
and heard her talkin' to you just now.
| won't stand for nobody tellin' you
bad stories"
Paloma snickered. "The ideal She
DOESN'T"
Get her out, and keep her out"
Blaze rumbled. "She amt right; she
ain't-human. Why, what d'you reck-
on | saw her do, the other day? Makes
me shiver now. You remember that
big bull-snal1e that lives under the
barn, the one I've been layin' for?
Well, you won't believe me, but him
and her are friends. Fact! / saw
her pick him up and play with him.
Who-ee! The goose-flesh 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 woman's dam near
peculiar"
Paloma remained unmoved. ST
thought you knew. She used to be
nake-charmer."
"A-what?" There was no doubt
about 1t. Blaze's hair lifted. He
blinked through his big spectacles; he
paved the air freely with his hands.
How can you let her touch you? I
couldn't. I'll bet she carries a pocket
full of dried toads and-and keeps live
lizards in her hair. knew an old voo-
doc woman that ate cockroaches. Get
shed of her, Paloma, and We'll fumi-
gate the house."
AT that moment Mrs. Strange herself
opened the kitchen door to inquire, rs
anything wrongW 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:
"This is my father Mrs. Strange.
You and he have never happened to
meet before"
"Why, yes we have! I know you,"
he seamstress exclaimed. Then puz-
lied light fickered in her black eyes.
Seems to me we've met somewhere,
met so many people" She
extended her hand, and Blaze took
t as If expecting to find it cold and
'caly. He muttered something unin-
eligible. 1--WE been dying to see you,'
The told him, "and thank you for CIV
ng me Paloma's work. l love you
10Th for it."
Blaze was immensely relieved that
his dreaded crisis had come and gone /;
,ut wishing to make assurance doubly
ure, he contorted his features into a
mile the like of which his daughter
lad never seen, and in a disguised
'oice inquired, Nov where do you
eckon you ever saw me?"
The SeamStress shook her head. II
lont know, but I'll place you before
ong. Anyhow, I'm glad you aren't |
lurt. From the way you called Paloma
thought you were. I'm handy around
lick people, so /"
Listen ~ Paloma interrupted. |
There's someone at the front door"
She left the room; Blaze was edging
fter her when he heard her utter a
titled scream and call his name.
Now Paloma was not the kind of
.irl to scream without cause, and her
ny brought Blaze to the front of the |
Iouse at Il run. But what he saw there
eassured him momentarily; nothing
vas in sight more alarming than one
f the depot hacks, in the rear seat of
which was huddled the figure of a
nan. Paloma was flying down the walk
oward the gate, and Phil Strange was
waiting on the porch. AS Blaze flung
imself into view the latter exclaimed:
II brought him straight here, Mr.
ones, cause l knew you was his best
riend."
who? Who is it?"
Dave Law. He must have come in
n the noon train. Anyhow, l found
Unlike that" The two men hurried
Oward the road, side by side.