Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1918-05-04
CHAPTER XViII--Continued.

10 GOtt $ country, Mrs. NagStaff" he
saia "Und let me carry dot sud case
s,retty."
They walked two blocks to the
Kings hotel, where Lauer's family
was housed. He was in for supplies,
he told her, and, of course, his wife
and children accompanied him.
mot dat Gredda ISIS afraid. She ISIS
so goot a man as 1 on der rancn ven l
am gone" he explained But for dem
it ISIS a change. Und l bring by der
town a vaigOnloat off bobadoeS. By
Gosh, dem bobadoes ISIS sell high
1t flashed into Hazel's mind that
here was heaven-sent opportunity to
reach the cabin without facing that
hundred miles in the company of
chance-hiTed strangers. But she did
not breach the subject at once. In
stead she asked eagerly of Bill. Lauer
told her that Bill had tarried few
days at the cabin. and then struck out
alone for the Eines. And he had not
said when he would be back.
Mrs. Lauer, unchanged from year
earlier welcomed her with pleased
friendliness. And Jake left the two
of them and the chubby kiddies in the
Kings Office while he betOOk himself
about his business. Hazel hailed his
wife and the children to her room as
soon as one was assigned TO her. And
there, almost before she knew it, she
was murmuring brokenly her story in
10 an ear that listened with sympathy
and understanding. Only a woman
can grasp some of a woman's needs.
Gretta Lauer patted Hazels shoulder
with a motherly hand, and babe her
cheer up.
Homes the place for you, dear"
she said, smilingly. "You just come
right along with us. Your man will
come quick enough when he gets
word And Wen take good care Of you
Ia the meantime. La. I'm all excited
over it. It's the finest thing could hap
pen for you both. Take it from me.
slcarie, l know We've had our trou-
bles Jake and I. And, seeing I'm only
six months short Of being a graduate
nurse, YOU needn't fear. Well. well :"
IN need to have food hauled in"
Hazel reflected. And some things /
brought with me. | wish Bin We're
here. I'm afraid III be a lot of both
er. Won't you be heavily loaded as it
Isl"
She recalled swiftly the odd, make
shift team that Lauer depended on
the mule, lOp-eared and solemn "und
Gretchen, der cow" She had cash
and drafts for over three thousand dol
lars on her person. She wondered if
1t would offend the sturdy independ-
ence of these simple, kindly neighbors,
If she offered to supply a four-horse
team and wagon for their mutual use?
But she had been forestalled there, she
learned in the next breath.
"Oh, bother nothing" Mrs. Lauer de-
clared. why, we'd be ashamed if we
couldn't help a little And FAIRS the
load goes, you ought 70 see the four
beautiful horses your husband let
Jake have You don't know how much
Jake appreciates it, nor what a fine
man he thinks your husband is. We
needed horses so bad, and didn't have
the money to buy. SO Mr.. Wagstaff
didn't say a thing but got the team for
Us, and Jake's paying for them in
clearing and blowing and making i'm
prOFements on your land. Honest
they could pull twice the load Wen
have. There's a good wagon road
most Of the way now. Quite a lot Of
settlers, too. as much as fifty or sixty
miles out, And we've got the finest
garden you ever saw. Vegetables
enough to feed four families all win
ger. Oh, your old cities. never want
70 live in one again. Never a day have
the Riddles been sick. Suppose it is a
olt out of the world? You're all the
more pleased when somebody does
happen along. Folks is so different in
a new country like this. There's plen'
~ for everybody-and everybody
helps like neighhors ought to-"
Lauer came w after time, and
Hazel found herself unequivocally in
their hands. With the matter Of trans
port ng herself and supplies thus
solved. she set out to find Felix Cour-
No-seur-who would know how to get
word to Bill. He might come back to
tie cabin in a month or SO he might
mot come back AZ an unless he heard
from her. She was smitten with a
great fear that he might give her up
as lost 10 him, and plunge deeper into
the wilderness in some mood Of reck-
'eSsness. And she wanted him, louged
Tor BIN. Il only so thar she could make
amends.
She easily found Courvoiseur, a tall
spare Ftenehman. past middle age.
Yes, he could deliver - message to Bill
Wagstaff; that is. he could send a
man. Bill Wagstaff was in the Klap-
pan range.
But if he should have left there?"
ttazel suggested uneasily.
+ weel leave weeth Witey Lewees
word Of Were e GO" Courvoiseur reas-
sursd her. An iny man, witch ees
my bruzzer-law. witch / car mos fully
lrns', g weel follow 'eem. So Beere
e@S arrange Z ees say mos parRe-
T'iiar If madame ees come or weesh