The Red Cloud chief. [volume] (Red Cloud, Webster Co., Neb.) 1873-1923, 1920-12-30
CHAPTER vl-Continued.

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-thlsi She had kept herself
up all dny 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
O 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. rs re-
vealed by the yellow flame OF the
lamp. her heart heating faster. This
was to be her home. She had como
here as mistress. 1t mattered not 80
much what II was now. hut what she
should make Of II. Her slender form
Strengthened with new determination.
There wns yet another door, and she
looked out through II into a small
lenn.to. the lamp held high over her
.hcnd. This was evidently the kitchen,
containing. as II did, small cook
steve, sort Of roughly built closet
Uanh sinl,. the latter stacked with UNI
washed Dishes. An armful Of split
wood lar On the floor and hnlf slab
- bacon hung TO n nail.
Olga gave vent to another laugh
but this time there was no hint Of hys-
terra in It. She had found herself.
Dressed stu In the long buster, she
act down the lamp on n small table.
and dropping upon her knees, swiftly
kind,ed a fire In the stove. As the
wood began to crackle cheerfully, she
searched the closet for materials, re-
joicing to discover some dishes yet
unused. together with remnants OF
food sufficient for her purpose. There
WINS sugar. condensed milk. few
knarly potatoes. a small sack Of -four.
nnd huff can Of coffee. She dumped
these out on the table, and began hum
ming a tune. as she added the slab OF
bacon to these treasures. She WINS too
busy by now to give another thought
to the dirt and disorder about her.
Shelby was kept outside consIdern-
bly, longer than he had anticipated.
The buckskin. In spite OF n siXty-mile
Journey. retained viciousness enough
to kick the lantern out Of the Kids
hand and smash II into smithereens.
thus compelling the two to work In
darkness. Mncklin, unncquainted with
the surroundings. was OF little use.
and most Of the work had to he done
BY Shelby In person. When II 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.
memberlng the girl left alone In the
house all this time. lost the last grip
on his temper.
"Shut up" he barked savagely.
"Tve had Just enough OF that. What
UlU NOu cApcCt uuyWuN-d TeVtDtlOU
committee an banquet? Come on
In. now; Wen hustle up some grub.
Here. you might as well tote few Of
those things along with you"
Both men loaded up with packages
from the blackboard. the Kid stlll
swearing under his breath. hut Shelby
Erimiy silent. He was remembering
what that interior looked like, and
wondering how she was taking such q
homecoming. He could not but con.
trast the dirt and disorder to which
he had brought her with the immncu.
late cleanliness Of the shack where
she lived In Ponca. The memory
made him half afraid to go In and
face her eyes. He lifted the la,c.,
hesitstIns!y, he bundles on the other
arm piled to his chin. md stepped
across the threshold. Then he stopped
suddenly. with his mouth wide open.
the Kid pushing In behind him. even
more heavily laden. She stood In the
middle Of the floor, with cheek0
flushed. and eyes smiling.
"Y0u boys can pile that STUFF on the
table" she announced brightly. "Tve
scraped those papers up In one corner.