Connecticut western news. [volume] (Salisbury, Litchfield Co., Conn.) 1871-1970, 1918-03-07

your 1lIC duu lCdNS IL III d country
where there's nothing but woods and
eternal silence-but we've got around
twenty thousand dollars to show for
1t, Hazel. And one can't get some
thing for nothing. There's a price
mark on 1t somewhere, always. Be
my good little pal-and see If you can't
make one of these stores dig up a
white waist and black skirt, like you
had on the first time I saw you"
He kissed her, and went quickly out.
And after a long time of sober staring
at her image in the glass Hazel shook
herself fmpatiently.
"Im silly, selfish, incompetent lit
tie beast" she whispered. "Bill ought
to thump me, instead of being kind.
l can't do anything, and / don't know
much, and I'm a scarecrow for looks
right now. And / started out to be
real partner.2
She wiped an Grant tear away, and
made her way to a store. The stock
of ready-made clothing drove her to
despair. 1t seemed that what women
resided in Hazelton must invariably
dress In Mother Hubbard gowns of
cheap cotton print with other gar
ments to match. But eventually they
found for her undergarments of q
sort, waist and skirt, and comfort
able pair of shoes. Hats, as milliner
would understand the term, there were
none. And In. default of such she
stuck to the gray felt sombrero she
had worn into the Kappan and out
again-which, in truth, became her
very we'll, when tilted at the proper
angle above her heavy black hair.
Then she went back to the hotel, and
sought bathroom.
Returning from this she found Bill,
a Bill all shaved and shorn, unloading
himself of sundry packages of new
attire.
"Aha, everything Is lovely,s he greet
ed. "Old Hack jumped at the pelts,
and paid fat price for the lot. Also
the ranch deal has gUne through. He's
a prince, old Hack. Sent up a man
and had it surveyed and classified
and the deed waiting for me. And
oh, say, here's a letter for you"
"For me? Oh, yes" as she looked
at the handwriting and postmark. II
wrote to Lorraine Marsh when we were
going north. Good heavens, look at
the date-it's been here since last Sep
temberi"
''Hackaberry knew where we were,"
Bill explained. Sometimes in camps
like this they hold mail two or three
Fnv tlpt fpta ha
interior"
She put aside the letter, and dressed
while Bill had his bath. Then, with
the smoke and CRIME of hard trail
obliterated, and with decent clothes
upon them, they sought the dining
room. There, while they waited to be
served, Hazel read Lorraine Marsh's
letter, and passed it to Bill with a
self-conscious little laugh.
There's an invitation there we
might accept" she said casually.
He returned the letter as the wait
ress brought their food.
Wouldn't it be nice to take a trip
homer" Hazel suggested thoughtfully.
AID love to-"
ave are going home,g Bill reminded
gently.
~Oh, of course,s she smiled "But
I mean to Granville. I'd like to go
back there with you for while, just
to-just to"
"To show EN-" he supplied lacon-
ically.
"Oh, Bill ~ she pouted-
Nevertheless, she could not deny
that there was a measure of truth in
his brief remark. She did want to
'show EN-
She looked acros the table at her
husband, and thought to- herself with
proud satisfaction that she had done
we'll. Viewed from any angle whatso-
ever, Bill Wagstaff stood head and
shoulders above all the men she had
ever known. Big, physically and men
tally, clean-minded and eapable-in-
dubitably she had captured a lion,
and, though she might have denied
stoutly the imputation, she wanted
Granville to see her lion and hear him
roar.
"Still thinking GranvilleT' Bill
queried, when they had finished an
uncommonly silent meal.
Hazel flushed slightly. She was,
and momentarily she felt that she
should have been thinking Of their lit
tie nest up by Pine River Pass instead.
She knew that Bill was homing to the
cabin. She herself regarded it with
affection, but of a different degree from
his. Her mind was more occupied
with another, more palpitating circle
of life than was possible at the cabin,
much as she appreciated its green and
peaceful beauty. The sack of gold
lying in the bank had somehow opened
up far-fung possibilities. She skipped
the interval of affairs which she knew
must be attended to, and betook her
self and Bill to Granville, thence to
the bigger, older cities, where money
in of