The state herald., 1919-11-28
CHAPTER I-contInusd.

what hopelessly. Her father read hel
perplexity.
ut seems as though you would be
In charge here for a while. Reenie,'
he said, $50 you will save time by
getting acquainted at once with your
equipment. Look the house over and
see what you have to work with"
well, I can commence here" she
answered. "This is Dawes room. ]
suppose I should say Mr.. Elden's,
but-what was 1t he said about mis-.
terng'? It would be splendid II II
were cleaned up she continued, with
kindling enthusiasm. "These bare
logs, bare floors, bare rafters-we've
got back to essentials, anyway. And
that's his bed" She surveyed a
framework Of spruce poles, on which
lay an old straw mattress and some
very gray blankets. II suppose he
is very tired when he goes to bed"
she said, drolly, as though that could
be the only explanation Of sleep amid
such surroundings.
In the south end Of the larger room
stood a fireplace. crudely made Of
slabs of native rock. The fires Of
many winters had crumbled the rock.
no that 1t had fallen in In places and
was no longer employed for Its origi.
nal purpose. A very rusty and greasy
stove now occupied the space imme-
diately in front Of the fireplace. the
stovepipe leading into the ample but
tottering chimney. Near the stove
wns n bench supporting a tin wash.
basin. a wooden pail and certain frag-
ments of soap-evidently all the equip
ment necessary for the simple ablu-
tions Of the Elden household. The
remnant Of a grain-bag. with many evi.
dences Of use and abuse. performed
the functions Of a towel. and broken
piece Of loOking-glass gave the faintest
lntimation that strain Of fundamen-
tai relationship links the sexes. By
the western wall was a table, with nu.
merous dishes. and to the wall itself
had been nailed wooden boxes salmon
and tomato cases-now containing an
assortment Of culinary supplies. A
partially used sack Of -four and an
other Of rolled oats leaned against the
wall. and trnpdoor In the floor gave
promise Of further resources beneath.
There was q window in the east and
another In the west. both open and
unscreened: myriads Of flies gave the
only touch Of life to the dismal scene.
Irene looked 1t all over. then leaned
against the window sill ana laughed.
Her father had brought her west for
holidays, with the promise Of changed
surroundings and new experiences, but
he had promised her no such delight
~ this. With the Eden kitchen still
photographed In her mind she called up
the picture OF her own city home-the
order; the precision: the fxedness |;
the this-sits-here-and. .that-stands.t there
ness: the hatness and emptiness and
fornality Of II all; and she turned
again to the Eden kitchen and laughed
"A soft, ripplinE. irrepressible laugh.
a. irepressible as the laughter Of the
mountain stream amid the evergreens.
Then she looked again from the open
window. this time with eyes that saw
the vista Of valley and woodland and
foothill that stretched down into the
opening prairie. Suddenly she realised
that she was looking down upon pic.
ture-one Of natures obscure master.
pieces-palnted In brown and green
and saffron against an opal canvas. II
was beautiful. not with the soiemnity
Of the great mountains. nor the sol.
smnity Of the great plains. but with
that nearer. more intimate relationship
which Is the peculiar property Of the
foothill country. The giri drew q
great breath Of the pure air and was
about to dream . new daydream when
the voice Of her father brought her 70
earth.
Can't you hnd anything that will Dc
for u bandagcf' he asked.
"Oh, you dear Daddykins I" she r.
piled. her voice tremulous with self
reprosch. II hnd forgotten. There
was spell. or something; It Just came
down upon me In the window. Tn,
bnndngei Dear. mol The only cloth
see is the kitchen towel. and I can,
recommend II. Bn what goose
nm! Our grips nre In the cnr, or un
der II. or somewhere. I'll he back II
jiYy." And she wns on Mt shnr,
trot down the trnil along which nh,
hnd no recently come In Dave Eden,
wagon.
The grips were duly found. md Ircn,
congratulated herself that she md hcl
father were In the hnbit OF travelling
with equipment for overnight. Arrive,
NJ tho house, she deity wrapped |
hnndngc about her fathers injury an,
vet TO work ut the preparation Of sup
per--a tnsk not strnngc TO her. M be-