The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1918-05-09

n shotgun and fishing rods. The center
of the floor-ltself, as she could see
of hand-smoothed logs-was lightened
with great black and red and yellow
rug of curious weave. Covering up
the bare surface surrounding ii were
bearsklns, black and brown. Her feet
rested In the fur of a monster silver
tip, fur thicker and softer than the
pile Of any carpet ever fabricated by
man. All around the walls ran shelves
filled 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 it. Hazel
shrugged her shoulders. Roaring Bill
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 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.. Wagstaff," :"
she replied coldly, that l 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 small
steamer trunk. lie opened 1t, got down
on his knees, and paved over the con-
tents. Hazel, looking over her shOul-
der, saw that the trunk was filled 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 finery,
thank you" she returned perversely.
"Now, see here" Roaring Bill turned
reproachfullyi "see here"
He grinned to himself then, and went
again into the other room, returning
with a 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-
daclty. She had not realized what
an altogether dlsreputable appearance
n normally good-looklng 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
smilingly, "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 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 than
her share of vanity. | guess she fig.
ured on charming the bear and the
moose, or the simple abOrlgines 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 O
nice time their guides had packing thai
on horse, eh? They got into deuce
Of pickle finally, and had to abandon
lot of their stuff, among other things
the steamer trunk. lent them hand
and they told me to help myself to the
stuff. SO | did after they were out
Of the country. That's how you come
to have wardrobe all ready to youl
hand. Now, you'd be awful foolish tC
act like q mean and stiff-necked female
person. You're not going to, are your
he wheedled. Because l want t
make you comfortable. What's tn,
use of getting on your dignity over {
little thing like clothes"
81 don't intend to-" Hazel suddenly
changed front. "pll make myself al
comfortable as | can-particularly 4
it will put you to any trouble"
you're bound to scrap, eh?" h,
grlnned. "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 grea
nrmful of masculine belongings. Tw,
such trips he made plling all his thing
onto chair.
"There I" he said at last. "That ent
of the house belongs to you, little per
son. Now, get those wet things of be
fore you catch cold. oh, wait min
utew
He disappeared into the kitchen ent
of the house, and came back with
wash-basin and pail of water.
"Your room 10 now ready, madam
an It please YOU" He bowed wit