The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1920-06-11
CHATTER V.
ChivalrouS. and Of Abundant Means

CHATTER V.
ChivalrouS. aud Of Abundant Means
Around the Two Forks Valley the
snow still lay white and clean upon
tho peaks. but the feet Of the noun
taina werc bathcd In a rising flood
OF green on the bottom lands the
enHnes began 20 start, the Willows
renewed their leafery. ON the pools
OF the l.npid stream the trout left
wrinkles aud circles nt midday now.
as they rose 10 feed upon the insecta
swarming IN the warmth OF tho on
coming sun.
ON this particular morning Wild
Gardner turned down the practically
untrod lane along Sims wire fence
Now and again be glanced al fome
thing which he held In his hand.
when he entered sim Cages gate
the ancient mule. his head out Of
tho stable window. welcomed him
braying his discomfort Here lay tn
ruggei wood pile. showing the a.
work OF winter AZ the edge OF
gnawcd hay stack. stood the romnar
% Sims scnnt cattle herd. not hal
OF which had ''wintercd thru"
No smoke was rising from SIN
Cages chimney, "Fciiers hopeless
that's what" complained Wild Gard
nrr to himself 1T EraveA me
plenty"
4 mufncd voice answered his
knock. and be pushed open the door
Sim Gage WAS stan Ia bod. and hi.
bed was atili 90 the floor
Come In" snid be. thrlstinR q
frowny head out from under he
blankets. lie used practically the
same amount OF covering about him
In wtuter and aummgf. and now. a.
usual. he had retired practically
without removing his daily clothing
Tits face. stuhhlci and unshaycn
swollen with sleep and surrnountec
by n tangled fringe Of hair might
not by any flight Of Imagination
have been called admirable or invit
ing. a. he now looked out 70 greet
his caller
"oh. dang ~ CIT up. sim" said
Wild. irfitaiei beyond expression
ITS after 10 O'Clock
Ills words cut thru the somewhat
pnehy sensibiliiios Of Sim
Cage. who frowned trifle az. aftci
due pause. he crawied out and sal
down and reached for his broker
boots
We'll. dunno as rs ANYBODY.
damn business whether Eii uF
tall or not. except my own. said
he I'm rit M when I please. and
not atorc
well. YOU might SIT up this morn
ins. anyhow" said Wild.
"WhyT'
n so, a letter for you"
Il .ook q here" Hail Sim Gage
with sudden preciscncas. what you
bccn dolnR7 letter. what letter.
And how come you by my iritcrsT
well. been talking with Mis
Davidson she run the whole CORE
spondeucc. sim. we-now al
lowed we'd ought 10 take care Of II
fer YOU, And we done 80. that's
all"
HUH sald Sim Cage. Fine buzz
ness. amt it,
Wei. she's a.coming on out. "
said wid Gardner. suddelly and
eomprchcnsively
what's naiP who's a-coming on
outy'
Tho face Of Sim Gage won't pale
even under the cold water TO which
at the moment he waH treating hi,
leathcry skin In the basin on top OF
the stove.
sim" naid Wild Gardner. 80 wa
understood that this thing was q
run In your name. Now. Mia Dav-
idAon when n comes 20 fixing up a
love correspondence. she's tho acc
II all amt my fault a-tall. Sim. We
advertised 49, and We got answer
and We foIlored II up. And this here
letter r. the result allowed we'd
ought 20 tell you too. by now"
What you been doing -- footing
With me. YOU twoy' demanded Sim
That whole thing was joke"
ITS one hell OF a fine joke now.
re- Joined Wild Gardner. shes aeon.
ing on out. Sim. It's up TO you.
amt been advertising fer no wife
This here letter Is vom&"
That's a fno thing you done
amt it, said Sim Gage. turning OF
10 His ncighbor when you fint
the forrl's too deep 20 git hcrost. yot
begin to boiler fer help"
That's neither here nor there
That amt the worst--I've got hcl
picture here. and her letters. too
She's been plumb honest all along
She says she's pretty much broke
and not too well She says whcr
she sees YOU sho hopes you won
think she's deceived you. She say
she knows you're everything yot
said YOU was--a gentle and chiraIor
Gus r5lnchman OF the West. sure {,
be kind 10 a woman. She's scarce
she's that honest. But she's a
coming. She's going TO try house
keeping tho--no more'n that. Rest
all up TO you. not her. She bake,
from the Jump on all marrying
talk"
Mis- Davidson ought TO take carr
OF this thing" said Sim Gage. hi