Licking Valley courier., 1921-03-10

inside. Don't move, Olga there is a
steep bank just beyond. I'll only he
gone Il minute"
But where is your herder?'
"Out with the cattle. probably: he
doesn't sleep here, and had no idea
when ] would be back. Now hang on
tight to these reins. Kid. and ri help
you presently. Would you rather 10
with me, Olgaf"
YES" she sard, her voice trembling
slightly in spite Of every effort at
control, 81 would rather not be left
out here"
"Al right; this is the path; don't
be afraid, ] won't let you stumble.
Now, one step up; that's lr.H
He flung open the unsecured door.
and stepped into the dense blacline'S
OF the interior. She could see n0lh-
Ing, but heard him rummaging abort,
ana fnHiy caught the tiny g!eam #
match. The next instant this had
become the flame Of an oil lamp, and
tl,e whole interior of the room he.
came t6yenled in the yellow flicker.
In spite of evesy attempt TO steady
herself, her heart gave q suddhn thrO5'
and she clutched at the door for snp-
Dor. This was even worse than size
had pletpred.
"a bit tGugil looking, suppose"
Shelby said with a hasiy glance about.
"Sorter surprise, this brlngln' q wife
! back with me. Never reckOned on any
such thing. or I'd cleaned the shack
up II old However, I'll straightcn
things around IN iiff"J as soon as
show the Kid the corral. Hele'S a
chair TO sit m," and he dumped its
, load on the floor. "Y0u ain't afraid 10
wait here, ata vou;'
I ooh, 10; l viii be ad right, You
need not hurry"
she made herself say these words
calmly, looking him frankly in the
face. vet as he went outside. closing
the door behind him, seemingly quite
satisfied with her readiness 10 abide
the situation, she bowed her head on
the dirty table, and her body shock
with sohs which could no longer he
restrained. So this was whnt she hnd
come to-thls! She had kept herself
I'M all day with dreams; and this was
the realization. She lifted her face
mud looked about, the tears still mist
Ing 10 her eyes; then she suddenly
laughed. ana stood up with cheeks
glowing. and lips firmly spG was
n horrible mess, TO be sure, yet the
plnce itself was not so bad; she had
lived az fJr worse and once put IN
some degree of orlcy end cleanliness
II might prove fairly comfortahIe In
deed. She surveyed the scene, as re-
yenlel by the yellow flame of the
lamp, her heart beating faster THIS
WAS 20 he hcr home. She Ind came
here rs mistress. II mattered nol so
much what II was now, hut what she
should make of II, Her slender form
stralvhtened with new deiermInOl'oh'
There was vet another door, nnd The
lookod out through II into n small
l-nn.to. the lamp held high over her
head. Tbi. was evidently the Kitchen
containing, ~ II Gil. n small COOK
stove. sort of roughly butt cl0'et
and sink, the latter stacked with an
J wnN,sl dishes. An armful of snllt
wood lay on the i.oor and half slab
or bacon hung TO n naii,
Olga gave vent to another laugh,
but his dine there was no hint Of lEs'
tcrla In q. she had fnund herself,
Drc> scd still in the long duster, she
set down The lamp ON small table,
and drnpp'ng upon her knees, swiftly
lIndled u IRE in Tho stove, As the
wood began 10 crackle cneerrully, Size
searched the closet for materials re-.
lolcng 10 discover some dishes yet
unused, together with remnants of
food SinoieEt FOR her purpose. There
was sugar condensed milk, a few
knarly potatoes, small sack Of -four
and n half can Of coffee. She dumped
these out on the table, and began hum