The St. Johns herald., 1921-06-09

wondering now Sne was taxing such homecoming. He could not but con- trast the dirt and disorder to which he had brought her with the immacu- 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 latch hesitatingly, the bundles on the CSher arm piled to his chin, and 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 cheeks flushed. and eyes smiling.
 You boys can pile that stuff on the table," she announced brightly. "Pve scraped those papers up in one corner, so there's plenty of room. Never mind about bringing the rest in now; sup per's ready"
 Shelby put his bundles down with out a word, his eyes quick to perceive the chairs cleared of their debris, the floor swept, the ashes back in the stove. He could hardly comprehend the miracle.
 She led the way gayly, leaving her broom in corner, and carrying the lamp. The lean-to kitchen had been transf1gured, and actually presented homelike appearance. The dirty dishes were showed out of sight, the floor swept, the fire In the stove blazed cheerfully, and the table was covered with the essentials of a truly appetiz- ing meal. She set the lamp down in the center, fully rewarded by the ex- pression on the faces of the two.
 'You boys wash up there in the sink" she commanded; use that piece of sacking for a towel; 1t was all could find. Then we'll get busy"
 If Shelby was to live a thousand years he would never lose memory of that meal. The grateful warmth of the stove, the neatness of the table, the good fellowship with which she served, all coupled with the wonder ful surprise, left upon him an im- pressiOn never afterward to be plotted
 
 going 10 do; about what he had pur- chased in town; about anything which came into her mind that she could manufacture conversation from. He told of their adventures outside, and made her laugh heartily over the struggle of getting the Kids pony safely into the corral. The Kid him. self said little, eating heartily but in silence, only occasionally lifting his eyes from the plate. This pretense at mOdesty did not seem like the Kid, and Shelby found himself observing the fellow with some wonderment. His looks were not at all prepossesssng, now that he saw him more plainly re- vealed In the lamplight, and he was some years older than he had sup posed. The fellow had a hard, dlssi- pated face. and his lips were thin, with distinctly cruel twist to them. Shelby had intended putting the man In that bunk in the front room, but now decided the stable was good enough for his use.
 AS soon as they were through he hunted up a second lantern.
 "Take the rest of that stuff of the blackboard, Macklin," he said shortly, "and stow 1t away in the cellar-cave just to the right of the house. I'll be out presently, an we'll fix things up for the night"
 As the fellow disappeared Shelby's eyes encountered those of his wife across the table.
 "And what are you going to dO2" she asked directly.
 "Why, help you with these things, and then clean the shack up bit; 1t Is in worse shape than realized"
 She shook her head positively.
 "Oh, no, mister man. This is my house, and am going to take care of it-all alone. I have seen your style of housekeeping, and I prefer my own. You go on, and finish the work out side; when you come back 1t will look better in here"
 Shelby went out Macklin was seem- ingly busy at the task assigned him, the lantern hung to the broken branch of convenient tree, lighting his path. Without even speaking, the ranchman passed by down the steep path leading toward the stream below. He was some time in completing his task, and, when he finally emerged once more from the stable, the only gleam of light he could perceive above came through the log chinks of the cabin. He wondered what had become of Macklin, yet gave the matter no spe- cial thought as he toiled slowly up the path, his mind more deeply interested in the reception awaiting him within.
 He passed close enough to the buck board to assure himself that hls or ders had been executed, and, believ-