The Bismarck tribune., 1921-11-25
CHAPTER /.

ef 3s CHAPTER /. X,
The schoolmistress Of Pine Clearing
was taking last. look around her
schoOlrO0m before leaving it fol the
day. -y
Mature, thin, precise--not pretty
enough to have excited Homeric feuds,
nor yet SO plain as to preclude certain
soothing graces7she was the widow
Of a poor Congregational minister, and
had been expressly imported from San
Francisco to squarely mark the issue
between the regenerate and unregen.
crate life; Low voiced, gentlewoman.
ly, with the palEor of ill health perhaps
unduly accented by her mourning,
which was still cut modishly enough
to show off her spare but good figure,
she was supposed to represent the
model Of pious, scholastic refinement.
AS she was stepping from the thresh-
old, she was suddenly confronted by q
brisk business looking man who was
about toFenter. "Just in time to catch
you, Mrs. Martini he said hurriedly;
then, quickly correcting his manifest
familiarity, he added, Il. mean l took
the liberty of running in here on my
way to the stage Office. That matter
you spoke Of is all arranged talked
it over with the other trustees, wrote
to Sam Barstow, and he's agreeable
and has sent somebody up, and he
rapidly consulted his watch, "he ought
to;be here now; and I'm on my way to
meet him with the other trustees"
Mrs. Martin. who at once recognized
her visitQg.asl the Chairman of the
School Board, received the abrupt in
formation with the slight tremulous.
ness, faint increase Of color, and hur.
ried breathing Of a nervous woman.
."Dut." she said, "it was only a sug-
gestion of mine, Mr.. Sperry; really
have no right to ask had no idea
Sits all, right, a'am--neyer you
mind. We put the case square to Bar
stow. we allowed that the school was
getting too large for you to tackle--l
mean, you kn0w,.. to superintend sin.
gie-handed aanl that these Pike coun-
ty,boys they aresrunning inton us are
a little too big and sassy for lady
like you tosilasso and throw down.
mean, to sOrter control--dOn't You
see?9 But, bless you, Sam Barstow
saw it all in mint! He just jump.
ed at sit. Must 60 now-theyll be
waiting: Only thought I'd drop III
a-passin', to keep you posted" anu,
taking off his, hat, he began to back
from the porch. -s ~ ,,4
Arrived sat the stage office. he. found
the two other trustees awaiting him,
and the still more tardy stagecoach.,
One, a; large, smooth-faced, portiy
man, was the, Presbyterian minister;
the other, of thinner and more serious
aspect, was, a large mill-OWner..
q presume. said, the Rev. MI.
Peaseleys slowly, that as our good
brother Barstow, in the urgency ;oi
the occasion, has. to some extent, an
ticipate'l orr. functions in engaging
this assistant, he is-a satisfied
with his capacity" fsss5
s.'Sam knows what he's about" said
the mill-t2wner eheerfully, ."and II az,
he's regularly buckled down to the
work here, and will 60 his bottom dol
lar on it, you can safely leave things
to- him ,:sl. 4
4s.He certainly has exhibited great
zeal,"', said the reverend gentleman
patronizingly.ac S>e. ae:sS
Zeal" echoed sperry enthusiastic
ally, zeal, Why he runs Pine Clear
ing as he runs his bank and his EEK,
press company in Sacramento, and
he's as we'll posted as If he were here
all the time. Why, look here" he
nudged the mill-owner secretly, and,
as the minister's back was mOmen-
tarily turned, pulled out the letter he
had avoided reading to- Mrs. Martini
and pointedpto a paragraph. I'm ,be
d-d," !, said the writer, "but I'll have
peace and 8quietness at Pine Clearing,
if / have to wipe out orlmake@ over the
whole. Pike county gang. Draw OH
me for a piano, if you think Mrs. Mar
tim eau work it. But don't say any
thing to Peaseley first, or he'll want It
changed for AZ harmonium and that
let's us in for pslam singing till YOU
can't rest. Mind! don't object to-
church influence-it's a good hold
but yeu must run it with other things
eqnakl andaudts 1et it run you I've got
the sohgolhOuset insured for thirty
thousand dollars special rates, too. n
The, millrowner' smiled SANS head
is, level. But, he added, s''he; don't
say much about the new assistant he $.
sending, W. s s+3s i
"Oply here, he says, ! reckon the
man send will do all around for
Pike county has its claims as we'll as
Boston '".t !a '..N
What {, hat does that 'meanI" eannI I"a i,aassk asked the
nlll.OWner. i, s'E
Fl 'rreck9h the MEANS he don't want
Pine Clearing to get too high-toned
any more. than he wants, 1T too low }.