Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1918-02-15

Wagstaff became. if anything. more of
an enigma than ever, In the light of his
dwelling. She recollected that Cariboo
Meadows had regarded him askance,
and wondered why.
He came in while her gaze was still
rowing from n object to another, and
threw his wet outer clothing, boy
fashion. on the nearest chair.
WELL" he said. "we're here
Please don't forget, Mr.. W~agstafr,"
she replied coldly, that / would much
prefer rot to be here
He stood a moment regarding her
with his odd smile. Then he went into
the adjoining room. Out of this he
presently emerged, dragging a small
steamer trunk. He opened it, got down
on his knees. and paved over the con-
tents. Hazel, looking over her Shout
der, saw that the trunk was filed with
woman's garments. and sat amazed.
"Say, little person. Bill finally re-
marked, ut looks to me as if you could
outfit yourself completely right here"
Il don't know that 1 care to deck
myself in another woman's fnery,
thank you," she returned perversely.
"Now, see here" Roaring Bill turned
reproachfully "see here"
He grinned to himself then, and went
again into the other room, returning
with n small, square mirror. He plant
ed himself squarely in front of her,
and held up the glass. Hazel took one
look at her reflection, and she could
have struck Roaring Bill for his au-
dacity. She had not realized what
an altogether disreputable appearance
a normally ~good-looking young woman
could acquire in two weeks on the
trail, with no toilet accessories and
only the clothes on her back. She
tried to snatch the mirror from him,
but Bill eluded her reach, and laid the
glass on the table.
you'll feel a whole lot better able to
cope with the situation he told her
smilingly, when you get some decent
clothes on and your hair fixed. That's
a woman. And you don't need to feel
squeamish about these things. This
trunks got a history, let me tell you.
A bunch of ~simon-pure tenderfeet
strayed into the mountains west of
here a couple of summers ago.. There
were two women in the bunch. The
youngest one, who was about your age
and size, must have had more thar
her share of vanity. 1 guess she fig
ured on charming the bear and the
moose, or the simple abOrigines who
dwell in this neck of the woods. ANY
how, she had all kinds of unnecessary
fixings along, that trunkful of stuff
in the lot. You can imagine what q
nice time their guides had packing thai
on a horse, Ell? They got into a deuce
of a pickle finally, and had to abandon
! a lot of their stuff, among other things
the steamer trunk. ] lent them a hand
: and they told me to help myself to the
4 stuff. So l did after they were out
of the country. That's how you COM
to have a wardrobe all ready to YOU
u hand. Now, you'd be awful foolish Il
Z act like a mean and s~tiff-necked femal,
4 person. You're not going to, are your
: he wheedled. Because 1 want t,
. make you comfortable. What's tn,
) use of getting on your dignity over /.
little thing like clothes?"
y 81 don't intend to-" Hazel sudden1,
changed front. "T1l make myself al
comfortable as I can-particularly i
: it will put you to any trouble"
l You're bound to scrap, ehf" h
grinned. "But it takes two to build
fight, and l positively refuse to figh
with you"
He dragged the trunk back into tn
room, and came out carrying a grea
armful of masculine belongings. Tw
4, such trips he made, piling all his thing
k onto a chair.
d There !" he said at last. "That en-
D. of the house belongs to you, little Del
ID son. Now, get those wet things off BIZ
Is fore you catch a cold. Oh, wait a mir
r utel"
" He disappeared into the kitchen en-
he of the house, and came back with
wash-basin and a pail of water.
rs "YOur room is now ready. madan
ut an it please you" He bowed wit
er mock dignity, and went back into III
til kitchen.
O. Hazel heard him rafting pots an
r. dishes, whistllng cheerfully the Will
She closed the door, and busted herse
n with an inventory of the tenderfot
h lady's trunk. In it she found ever
nd thing needful for complete change, an
De n variety of garments to boot. Folde
in the bottom of the trunk was a grs
lis cloth skirt and q short blue sf
tie kimono. There was a coat and ski
too, of brown corduroy. But the fen
DIS nine instinct asserted itself, and 81
laid out the gray skirt and the kimon
he For a dresser Roaring Bill had fas
ms toned a wide shelf, and on it she foul
a toilet set complete-hand miro
.er military brushes, and sundry article
re, backed with silver and engraved wi
his initials. Perhaps with a spice
wv malice, she put on a few extra toucht
up There would be some small satisfa
re ton in tantilizing Bill Wagstaff-ev
eet If she could not help feeling that
err might be a dangerous game. And, tn
arrayed in the weapons of her sex, S
by slipped on the kimonO. and went in
res the living room to the cheerful glow
in the fire.
Bill remained busy in the kitchC
tn Dusk fell. The CLEAN of a light show
The through a crack in the door. In [
the big o only the fire gave battle
eel the shadows. throwing a rudy gl
Bill into the far Presently Z