Western Kansas world., 1918-03-28

/ l.
cold riding Get down and put on
coat, and I'll have FIRE in a minute"
Il suppose If must, I must; but l
can get on without any help. thank
you," Hazel answered ungraciously.
Roaring Bill made no reply. but
stood back. and when her feet touched
solid earth he threw over her shoulders
the coat he had worn himself. Then
he turned away. and Hazel saw him
STOPPING here and there, and heard
the crack of dry sticks broken o>er
his knee. In ne time he was back to
the horses with an armful of dry stuff.
aad had small blaze licking up
through dry grass and twigs. AS 1t
grew he Piled ON larger sticks till the
bright fame waved two feet high,
lighting up the nearby woods and
shedding a bright glow on the three
horses standing patiently at hand He
paid no attention to Hazel until she
came timidly up TO the fire. Then he
looked up at her with his whimsical
smile.
That's right" he said; "come on
| and get warm No use worrying-or
getting cross. 1 suppose from your
civilized, conventional point of view
it's a terrible thing to be out in the
| man. But I'm not a bear-I won't eat
you"
I'm sorry If seemed rude" Hazel
said penitently; 81 can't help thinking
of the disagreeable side of it, People
talk so. I suppose I'll be nine days
| wonder in Cariboo Meadows"
Bill laughed softly
LET them take 1t out in wondering"
| he advised. "Cariboo Meadows is a
| very small and Insignificant portion OF
| the world. anyway"
He went to one of the packs, and
came back with a canvas cover, which
he spread on the ground.
"Sit on that" he said. ''The earth's
always damp in the woods"
Then he stripped the horses of their
burdens and tied them out of sight
among the trees. That task finished.
| he took an ak and rustled n pile of
wood. dragging dead poles up to the
| fire and chopping them into short
| lengths. When finally he laid aside
his ak. he busted himself with gather
| ing grass and leaves and pine needles
| until he had several armfuls collected
and spread in an even pile to serve as
a mattress. Upon this he laid his bed
| ding, two thick quilts. two or three
|
| whole inclosed with long canvas
sheet the bed tarpaulin of the cattle
| ranges.
There" he said: ''yoq can turn in
whenever you feel like it,
| For himself he took the saddle bIan-
| kets and laid them close by the fire
within reaching distance of the wood
pile, taking for cover a pack canvas.
/ He stretched himself full length. filled
| his pipe, lit 1t. and fell to staring into
the fire while he smoked.
Half an hour later he raised his
| head and looked across the fire at
| Hazel.
"Why don't you go to bedY' he
| asked.
I'm not sleepy" she declared. which
was palpable falsehood. for her eye
| lids were even then dropping.
Maybe not but you need rest" Bill
said quietly. "Quit thinking things.
It'll be all the same hundred years
| from now. Go on to bed. You'll be
more comfortable"
| Thus peremptorily commanded. Ha-
gel found herself granting instant obe-
| dience. She got into the blankets just
| rs she stood. even to her shoes. and
drew the canvas sheet up so that It
hid her face-but did not prevent her
| from seeing.
| In spite of herself she slept fitful1y.
Now and then she would wake with
start to n half-frightened realization
| of her surroundings and plight. and
| whenever she did wake and look past
| the fire it was to see Roaring Bill Wag-
staff stretched out in the red glow. his
brown head pilIowed on one folded
| arm.
Then all at once she wakened out Of
sound slumber with violent start.
Roaring Bill was shaking the tarpau-
| lin over her and laughing.
'Arfse. Miss Sleeping Beauty" he
said beyishly. breakfasts ready"
He went back to the fire. Hazel sat
up. patting her tousled hair into some
semblance of order. OF in the east
| a reddish streak spread skyward into
| somber gray. In the west, black night
gave ground slowly.
"Well, it's another day" she whis-
pered, as she had whispered to herself
once before IT wonder if there will
! ever be any more like it?''