The Washington herald., 1921-04-24

George. what are you goin' 10 do"
George. who had been headed in
my direction. slowly swiveIled
around and faced his employer.
"Bein' a camp cook. I amt overbur-
dened with hosses." George enlight-
ened US. Therefor. I am going TO
try to borrow this felIers here"
For the first time in four DAYS
my soul gave a genuine cheer II
It's for Lochinvsr purposes. 60 as
far as you like, said, grandly.
The cook studied me a moment.
as IL trying to find an insult in my
words. No" he replied. Its for
mine and the young lady's pur-
poses, and we'll 60 only three miles
to Hickville. Now let me tell you
somethin'. Ross" Suddenly I was
! confronted with the cooks chunky
back and i heard 4 low, curt carry
ing voice shoot through the room
at my host. George had wheeled
/ just as Ross started to speak
You're nutty. That's what's the
matter with you. You can't stand
the snow. You're gettin' nervouser
and nUttier every day. That and
/ this DAgO'-he jerked his thumb at
the half-dead FrenchmRn in the
| corner-"hss got you to the poinS
where / thought ] better horn in. I
! got TO revolvin' il around in my
mind and ! seen IL somethin' wasn't
done, and done soon, there'd be muir
| der around here and msybe"-his
head gave an imperceptible list to-
| ward the girls room-'worse."
He stopped. but he held up Al
stubby finger TO keep any one else
| from speaking. Then he plowed
slowly through the drift OF his
ideas. About this here woman. II
| know you, Ross, and / know what
| you RELY think about women. III
i she hadn't happened In here durin
/ this here snow. you'd never have
given two thoughts to the whole
woman question. Likewise, when
the storm clears. and you and the
boys 20 hustlin' out. this here whole
| business II clear out Of your head
and you won't think OF a skirt
| again until Kingdom Come. Just
because O. this snow here. don't for
get you're livin' in the selfssme
! world YOU was in four DAYS aEol
And you're the same man. TOO. Now
| what's the use O gettin' all snsrledI
i UP over AolT Jay oA sl4Nhlh Ah III
house? That there's what beer,
revolVin' in my mind and this here :
the decision I've come to"
He plodded TO :he door and shout
ed to one Of the ranch hands to ssdr
die my horse.
Ross lit stogy and stood
thoughtful in the middle Of the
room. Then he began: I've a durn
good notion. George. to knock your
confounded head OF and throw you
into that snowbank, f
] You're wrong. mister. That amt
burned good notion you've got
i It's burned bad. Look here" He
l pointed steadily out OF doors until
we were both forced 20 follow his
| finger You're IN here for more N
week yet" After allowing this
fact TO sink in. he bsrked out at
Ross: Can you cook?" Then AZ me 4
Can you cook" Then he looked st
the wreck of Etienne and shifted
There was an embarrassing sill |
ence as Ross and ! Ought solemn i
ly OF a foodless we&.
IF you Just use hoss sense" con
lcluded George, and don't go for C
! hurt my.feeHn's, all i want TO do is
to take this young gal down g.
\ Hicksville: and then I'll head back
here and cook for you"
The horse and Miss Adams arrived
simultaneously. both OF them very
serious and quiet. The horse be 4
cause he knew what he had before
him in that weather: the girl be-
cause OF what she had left behind,
u Then all at once ] awoke to Z
realization Of what the cook was DO
I - y
you afraid to go out in that snow.
Behind my back heard Ross
mutter. Not him"
George lifted the girl dsintily u1
behind the saddle, drew on his
gloves. put his foot in the stirrun,
and turned to inspect me leisurely
As I passed slowly in his review,
1 saw in my minds eye the slge
brsic equation of Snow. the equals
sign, and the answer In the man be |
fore me.
Snow is my last name" said
George. He swung into the saddle
and they started cautiously out intd
the darkening swirl Of fresh new
currency just issuing from thd
Snowdrop Mint. The girl. to keel
her place, clung happily TO the sturd \
figure OF the camp cook.
brought three things away froV
Ross Curtis's ranch house-ye5
four. One was the appreciation II
snow, which have so humbly tried
here 20 render: 90 was a collsrbone|
Of which I am extra careful; (5l
was a memory Of what IL is TO ea1
very extremely terribly bad food fof
. week; and C) was the cause Of
(3) little note delivered at the end
OF the week and hand-psinted ID
blue pencil on a sheet of meat paper
Il cannot come back there 70 thai
there job. Mrs. Snow say no
George. been revolvin' a In ms
mind: considerin' circumstsnce<
| she's risht-