Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1918-11-28
HE;
f.
'oN BertranaW Sinclair
ogyi5h 4 LITTLE. BpoW Co

DER, saw that n trunk was nlleu WIFI
woman's garments, and sat amazed.
"Say, little person." Bill finally re-
marked, cit looks to me as if you could
outfit yourself completely right here."'
II don't know that 1 care to deck
myself in another woman's finery,
thank you," she returned perversely.
"Now, see here" Poaring Bill turned
reproachfully; "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-
dacity. She had not realized what
an altogether disreputable appearance
a normally g~ood-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 summer ago. There
We're two women in the bunch. The,
youngest one, who vas about your age,
and size, must have had more than
her share of vanity. I guess she fig
ured on charming the pear 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 a
nice time their guides had packing that
on a horse, eh? They got into a deuce
of a pickle finally, and had to abandon
a lot Of their stuff, among other things
the steamer trunk. I 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
act like a mean and ~stiff-necked female
person. You're not going to, are you?'
he wheedled. because I 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
changed front. "In make myself as
comfortable as I can-particularly if
it will put you to any trouble"
you're bound to scrap, eh?" he
grinned. "But it takes two to build a
fight, and I positively refuse to fight
with YOU"
He dragged the trunk back into the
room, and came out carrying a great
armful of masculine belongings. Two
such trips he made, piling all his things
onto a chair.
"There.!" he said at last. 'That end
of the house belongs to you, little per-
son. Now, get those wet things off be-
fore you catch a cold. Oh, wait a min
ute!"
He disappeared into the kitchen end
of the house, and came back with a
Wash-basin and a pail of water.
"Your room is now ready, madam,
an it please you" He bowed with
mock dignity, and went back into the
kitchen.
Hazel heard him rafting pots and
dishes, whistling cheerfully the while.
She closed the door, and busted herself
with an inventory Of the tenderfoot
lady's trunk. In it she found every
thing needful for complete change, and
a variety of garments to boot. Folded
in the bottom of the trunk was a gray
cloth skirt and a short blue silk
kimono. There was a coat and skirt,
too, Of brown corduroy. But the femi-
nine instinct asserted itself, and she
laid out the gray skirt and the kimono.
For q dresser Roaring Bill had fash
toned a wide shelf, and on it she found
a toilet set complete-hand mirror,
military brushes, and sundry articles,
backed with silver and engraved with
his initials. Perhaps with a spice Of
malice, she put on a few extra touches.
There would be some small satisfac-.
ton in tantilizing Bill Wagstaff-even
If she could not help feeling that it
might tie a dangerous game. And, thus
arrayed in the weapons Of her sex, she
slipped on the kimono, and went into
the living room to the cheerful glow Of
the fire.
Bill remained busy in the kitchen.
Dusk fell. The CLEAN of a light showed
through a crack in the door. In the
big room only the fire gave battle to
the shadows, throwing a ruddy glow
into the far corners. Presently Bill
came in With a pair of candles which
he set on the mantel above the fire.
place.
"By Jove!" he said, looking down at
her. "You look good enough to eat!
I'm not a cannibal, however," he con-
tinued hastily, when Hazel flushed.