The Dolores star., 1918-11-15

hung pictures, dainty black-and-white
prints, md water color or two. And
between the pictures were nailed heads
OF mountain sheep and goat, the ant
lers OF deer and caribou. Above the
hreplace spread the huge shovel horns
OF moose. bearing across the prongs
shotgun and fishing rods. The center
OF the floor-itself, as she could see,
OF hand-smoothed logs-was lirhtened
with grent black and red and yellow
rug or curious weave. Covering up
the bare surface surrounding 1t were
bearsktns, black and brown. Her feet
rested IN the fur of monster silver
tip, fur thicker and softer than the
pie or any carpet ever fabricated by
man. All around the walls ran shelves
| hlled with books. A guitar stood in
one corner, mandolin in another,
Except for the dust that had gath
cred lightly in its owners absence, the
place was as neat and clean as If the
housemaid had but gone over 1t. Hazel
shrugged her shoulders. Roaring Bill
Wagstaff became, If anything, more of
an enigma than ever In the light of his
dwelling. She recOlected that Carlboo
Meadows had regarded him askance,
and wondered why.
he came in while her gaze was still
rowing from one 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.. Wagstafr,"
she replied coldly, that would much
prefer rot to be here"
He stood moment regarding her
with his odd smile. Then he went into
the adjoining room. Out of this he
presently emerged, dragging small
steamer trunk. He opened 1t, got down
on his knees, and paved over the con-
tents. Hazel, looking over her shoul-
der. saw that the trunk was filed with
woman's garments. and sat amazed.
"Say, little person." Bill finally re-
marked. at looks to me as If you could
outfit yourself completely right here"
~ don't know that / care to deck
myself In another woman's flnery
thank you" she returned perversely.
Nov, see here" Roaring Bill turned
reproachfully; "sce 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 Mt her reflection, and she could
have struck Roaring Bill for his au-
dacity. She had not realized what
an altogether disreputable appearance
n 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 whole lot better able to
cope with the situation" he told her
smllingly, "when you get some decent
clothes on and your hair fixed. That's
woman. And you don't need to feel
squeamish about these things. This
trunks got history, let me tell you.
A bunch of simon-pure tenderfeet
strayed into the mountains west of
here n 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 than
her share of vanity. 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
fxings along, that trunkful Of stuff
In the lot. You can imagine what
nice time their guides had packing that
on horse, eh7 They got into deuce
of pickle finally, and had to abandon
n lot of their stuff, among other things
the steamer trunk. lent them a hand,
and they told me to help myself to the
stuff. SO I did after they were out |
of the country. That's how you come
to have a wardrobe all ready to your
hand. Now, you'd be awful foolish to
net like mean and stiff-necked female
person. You're not going to, are your"
he wheedled. Because l want to
make you comfortable. What's the
use of getting on your dignity over a
little thing like clothes"
II don't intend to-" Hazel suddenly
front. "I'll make myself as !
--~~~~-~--"-"--~'>"->@'~"