The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1920-12-09
RANDALL
PARRISH
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"A BIT tough looking. I suppose. "
Shelby said with hasty glance about.
"Sorter surprise. this bringin a wife
back with me Never reckoned on any
such thing, or I'd a cleaned the shack
up bit However. I'll straighten
things around In a lily, as soon as ]
show the Kid the corral Here's a
chair 10 sit in" and he dumped its
/ load on the floor you amt afraid 10
walt here. are your"
"oh. no; will be all right You
need not hurry"
She made herself say these words
/ calmly. looking him frankly In the
! face, yet as he went outside. closing
the door behind him. seemingly quite
satisfied with her readiness to abide
the situation. she bowed her head on
the dirty table, and her body shook
with sobs which could no longer be
restrained. SO this was what she had
come to--thisi She had kept herself
up all day with dreams and this was
the realization She lifted her face
and looked about. the tears still mist
ing In her eyes; then she suddenly
laughed. and stood up with cheeks
glowing. and lips firmly set II was
horrible mess, to be sure. yet the
place itself was not so bad; she had
lived in far worse; and once put IN
some degree Of order and cleanliness
II might prove fairly comfortable In.
deed. She surveyed the scene. as re
vealed by the yellow fame OF the
lamp, her heart beating faster This
was 10 be her home. She had come
here as mistress. II mattered not so
much what II was now. but what she
should make Of II. Her slender form
Strengthened with new determination.
There was yet another door. and she
looked out through II into small
lean-to. the lamp held high over her
head. This was evidently the kitchen,
containing. as il did. a small COOK
stove. sort OF roughly built closet
and sink. the latter stacked with IN
washed dishes. An armful OF spit
wood lay on the floor. and half sian
of bacon hung 10 q nail.
Olga gave vent to another laugh
but this time there was no hint OF hys-
terra In II. She had found herself.
Dressed still in the long buster, she
set down the lamp on small table.
and dropping upon her knees, swiftly
kIndled o fire In the stove, As the
wood began to crackle cheerfully she
searched the closet for materials. re
joicing 10 discover some dishes yet
unused. together with remnants OF
food sufficient for her purpose. There
was sugar, condensed milk, few
knarIy potatoes a small sack Of -four,
and a half can OF coffee. She dumped
these out on the table. and began hum
ming q tune, as she added the slab OF
bacon 10 these treasures. She was too
busy by now 10 give another thought
10 the dirt and disorder about her.
Shelby was kept outside considera.
bly, longer than he had anticipated.
The buckskin. In spite Of sixty-mile
Journey. retained viciousness enough
TO kick the lantern out OF the KIDS
hand and smash Il into smithereens.
thus compelling the two 20 work In
darkness Macklin, unacqualnted with
the surroundings. was Of little use,
and most Of the work had 10 be done
by Shelby in person. When u was all
over with both men were sweating
profusely tired and angry the Kid
cursIng everything from the creation
Of the world shelby. suddenly re
Numbering the girl left alone In the
house all this time. lost the last grip
on his temper
"Shut mp" he barked savagely. |
I've had lust enough Of that What
did vou expect anyway reception /
committee an q banquet Come on 4
IN. now well hustle up some grub.
Here You might as well tote few Of 4
those things along ulth sou
Both men loaded up with packages
from the blackboard the Kid still 4
swearing under his breath, but Shelby
grlmiy silent He was remembering
what that Interior looked like and
wondering how she was taking such
home coming he could not but con
irnsi the dirt and disorder 70 which
be had brought her with the immacn
late cleanliness % the shack where
ne lived IN Pouca The memory
made him half afraid 70 20 IN and
face her eyes He lifted The iatcf
the bundles 90 The othei
arm piled 70 his chin and stepped
across the threshold Then BE- stopped
suddenly with bis mouth vide opeu.
~ KID pushing IN behind him. evef
more heavily laden. She stood ~ ne
middle n ne a0or. win cheeks
flushed and eyes smiling
-'Yon boys can pile that STUFF % ne
ahle she announced brightly i've
scraped those papers % Do one corner
n there's plenty o. room Never mind
shout bringing the rest 10 now sup
lef.s ready
shelby pui his bundles dom viii
ut word bis eyes quick % perceive
he chair cleared - their debris ne
ioor swept the ashes bach IN the
,tove- lie could hardly comprehend
he oirseis