Judsonia weekly advance., 1919-10-30
CHAPTER l-Continued.

She looked about the place some what hopelessly. Her father read her perpexity.
 "lt seems as though you would be In charge here for while, Reenie," {" he said, ''so 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, l can commence here" she answered. "This is Dave's room. suppose I should say Mir. Elden's, but-what was it he said about mis- tering'? It would be splendid if it were cleaned up," she continued. with kindling enthusiasm. "These bare logs, bare floors, bare rafters-weve 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. q 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 fireplace, crndey made of slaDs or native rock. The fires of many winters had crumbled the rock so that it 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- diateiy in front of the fireplace, the stovepipe leading into the ample but totterinG chimney. Near the stove was bench supporting n tin wash basin, wooden pail and certain frag- ments of soap--evidently all the equip ment necessary for the simple ablu- tons of the Elden household. The remnant of grain-bag, with many evil dences of use and abuse, performed the functions of towel, and a broken piece of looking-glass gave the faintest lntlnation that strain of fundamen- tai relationship links the sexes. By the western wall was 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 flour and an- other of rolled oats leaned against the wall, and trapdoor in the floor gave promise of further resources beneath. There was a 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 0Q1inSt fha window ci1 ! 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 as this. With the Elden kitchen still photographed in her mind she called m dhe picture of her own city home-the order; the precision; the fixedness: the this-sits-here-and-that-stands-there- ness; the flatness and emptiness and formality of it all and she turned @gain to the Elden kitchen and laughed -a soft, rippling, irrepressible laugh, as irrepressible 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 realized that she was looking down upon a pic -ture-one of natures obscure master pieces-painted in brown and green and saffron against an opal canvas. It was beautiful, not with the solemnity of the great mountains, nor the sol emnity of the great plains, but with that nearer more intimate relationship which is the peculiar property of the foothill country. The girl drew q great breath of the pure air and was about to dream a new daydream when the voice of her father brought her to earth.
 Cant you find anything that will do for bandage?" he asked
 "Oh, you dear Daddykins." she re- piled her voice tremulous with self reproach. 'I had forgotten. There was spell. or something; it just came down upon me in the window. The bandage? Dear. no! The only cloth I see is the kitchen towel, and 1 can't recommend it. But what goose I am, Our grips are in the car, or un- der it. or somewhere. I'll be back in