Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1918-07-04
CHAPTER xvIII-continued.

to Colts country, Mrs. Vagstaff," he
said. "Und let me carry dot suid case
alretty."
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 iss afraid. She ISIS
so goot a man as on der ranch ven
am gone" he explained. But for dem
it ISIS a change. Und / bring by der
town a vaigonloat off bobadoes. By
Gosh, dem bobadoes ISIS sell high"
1t flashed into Hazel's mind that
here was a heaven-sent opportunity to
reach the cabin without facing that
hundred miles in the company of
chance-hired strangers. But she did
not breach the subject at once. In
stead she asked eagerly of Bill. Lauer
told her that Bill had tarried a few
days at the cabin, and then struck out
alone for the mines. 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 DQSlaCSSs AAdLSA hoAS0 AAAS
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
to an ear that listened with sympathy
and understanding. Only a woman
can grasp some of a woman's needs.
Gretta Lauer patted Hazel's 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 u.s. Your man will
come quick enough when he gets
word. And We'll take good care of you
in the meantime. La, I'm all excited
over it. It's the finest thing could hap
pen for you both. Take it from me,
dearie, I 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 I
brought with me. / wish Bill were
here. I'm afraid I'll be a lot of both
er. Won't you be heavily loaded, as it
tsp
She recalled swiftly the odd, make
shift team that Lauer depended on
the mule, 1op-eared and solemn, "und
Gretchen, der cow" She had cash
and drafts for over three thousand dol
lars on her person. She wondered if
it 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 to see the four
beautiful horses your husband let
Jake have. You don't know how much
Jake appreciates it, nor what fine
man he thinks your husband is. We
needed horses SO bad, and didn't have
the money to buy. So Mr.. Wagstan
didn't say thing but got the team for
us, and Jake's paying for them in
clearing and blowing and making i'm
provementS on your land. Honest,
they could pull twice the load We'll
have. There's 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
ter. Oh, your old citiesI never want
to live in one again. Never a day have
the Riddles been sick. Suppose it is a
bit out of the world? You're all the
more pleased when somebody does
happen. along. Folks is so different in
n new country like this. There's plen-
ty for everybody-and everybody
helps, like neighbors ought to-"
Lauer came up after a time, and
Hazel found herself uneQuivocally in
their hands. With the matter of trans
porting herself and supplies thus
solved, she set out to find Felix Cour-
voiseur-who would know how to get
word to Bill. He might come back to
the cabin in a month or so; he might
not come back at all unless he heard
from her. She was smitten with
great fear that he might give her up
as lost to him, and plunge deeper into
the wilderness in some mood of reck-
leSsneSS. And she wanted him, longed
for him, if only so that she could make
amends.
She easily found Courvoiseur. a tall
spare Frenchman, past middle age.
Yes, he could deliver a 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?''
Hazel suggested uneasily.
"'E weel leave weeth W'itey Lewees
word of Were e CO." Courvoiseur reas-
sured her. AN my man, witch ees