The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1918-02-22

ice. l didn't think about you getting
cold riding. Get down and put on O
coat, and I'll have fire in a minute"
Il suppose If / must, / must; but /
can get of 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 over
his knee. In no time he was back to
the horses with an armful of dry stuff,
and had q 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 q 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.
''Thats right" he said; "come on
and get warm. No use worrylng-or
getting cross. suppose from your
civilized, conventional point Of view
It's terrible thing to be out in the
woods all night alone with a strange
man. But I'm not q bear-I won't eat
you"
"Tm sorry If l seemed rude" Hazel
said penltently; II can't help thinking
of the dlsagreeable side of 1t. People
talk SO. suppose I'll be nine days
wonder in Carlboo Meadows"
Bill laughed softly.
"Let them take II out In wondering"
he advised. "Cariboo Meadows is q
very small and Insignificant portion Of
the world, anyway"
He went to one Of the packs, and
came back with canvas cover, which
he spread on the ground.
"Slt 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 a pile Of
wood, dragging dead poles up to the
FIRE and chopplng them into short
lengths. When finally he laid aside
his ok, he busied 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
pairs Of wooden blankets, pillow, the
whole inclosed with a long canvas
sheet, the bed tarpaulln Of the cattle
ranges.
"There," he said; "you can turn in
whenever you feel like It."
For himself he took the saddle blan-
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 filed
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 hs
asked.
SIN 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. "Qult thinking things.
It'll be all the same a hundred years
from now. Go on to bed. You'll be
more comfortable"
Thus peremptorlly commanded, Ha.
eel found herself granting instant ODE
dlence. She got into the blankets Just
rs she stood, even to her shoes, and
drew the canvas sheet up so that 1t
hid her face-but did not prevent her
from seeing.
In spite Of herself she slept fitfully.
Now and then she would wake with a
start to half-frightened realization
of her surroundings and plight, and
whenever she did wake and look past
the fire twas to see Roaring Bill Wag-
STAFF stretched out In the red glow, his
brown head pillowed on one folded
arm.
Then oil at once she wakened out Of
sound slumber with a violent start. |
Roaring Bill was shaking the tarpau-
lin over her and laughing.
"Arise. Miss Sleeping Beauty" he |
said boyishly. Breakfasts ready"
He went back to the fire. Hazel sat
up, pattlng her tousled hair into some
semblance of order. on In the east
a reddish streak spread skyward into
somber gray. In the west, black night
gave ground slowly.
swell, it's another day." she whis-
pered. as she had whispered TO herself
once before. Il wonder il there Will
ever be any more like it?"
III 4