The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-03-23
Eoening Story
Chicken for Dinner.
BY CLARISSA MACKIE.

Chicken for Dinner.
BY CLARISSA MACKIE.-
Nick Rogers. mining engineer, came
riding in from the mountains to his
lonely shack in Peter Valley. All Sing.
his Chinese cook. was grinning in the
doorway, with a pail of hot water in
one hand and clean. towels dangling
from the other.
Nick shifted the air hungrily. what
have we got for dinner tonight? ?" he
wanted to know.
|. "Schicken - chop suey--um-velly
glood-rlice pudding. velly fine"
grinned the cook as he went away with
the horse, for he was hostler some
! times and cook most of the time.
Chicken again?" groaned Nick.
| scrubbing vigorously away in the tent
he had dedicated for use as a BATH
room. miles from civilization, and
while we keep no fowls. that heather
Chinese produces chicken five times a
week. It's worth Investigating"
All Sing came to toss pals of cold
water over him in lieu of a. shower
bath, and so Nick's curiosity found
vent in words. Where do you get
chickens?" he asked.
The cook flicked his taloned fingers
vaguely to the south and stopped fur
| Their inquiry with a cold douche.
''Velly hot day." he smiled pleas
antly.
Get out of here?" commanded
| Nick, Grossly and he completed his
toilet and went into dinner resolving
| to ferret out the chicken farm whence
All Sing drew his supply of poultry.
There was deer over in the blue hills
district. but he had been too busy to
go over there, and his companion.
Billy Ware. had been called to q dis
/ fass s,ft 1xxr - H.; 20,
supply of timed meats had given out.
Tand lately it had been chicken four or
| five times week and bacon on other
| days.
'VelIy glood dinner?" grinned the
| cook as Nick pushed back his chair.
| Fine. How much did you pay for
! chickens, All Sing? ! must owe you
some money"
"Ah-fliend mine-have velly much
chickens"
'.sly old beggar that" muttered Dick
as he lighted his pipe. wonder how
many friends of his happen to be here
| in the wilds among the boot owls and
wild turkeys" He sauntered away
| from the camp, stopping at the spring
| for a drink of cold water. AS he
turned away he noticed a very narrow
| trail leading away thru the long grass
to the left. It was a family defined
| path, as if few people passed that
way. for the ragweed and wild wheat
| were disturbed but not trodden. An
| other path led to the broad trail which
| crossed the base of the mountain and
| third one led to All Sings cabin
hidden among the jumpers.
Nick swung about and went knee
high in the wild growth that fringed
the new trail Back in the cabin All
Sing was on his trembling knees pray
ing to the white mans JOSS" for he
had seen Nick walking thru the for
| hidden path, and he knew that a day
of reckoning was close at hand.
The path led around a spur of the
hills and dipped in and out of Peter
Valley and finally ended in a great
heap of broken boulders. but two of
| the boulders former a gateway to a
| tiny valley, green and fertile, washed
| by the waters of Little Peter creek,
and shaded by giant oaks and chest
nuts. AT the end of the path. between
the boulders. was a roughly construct
girl with shotgun across her knees.
Hands up!" she said crisp1y.
Nick obeyed promptly. Nothing
doing here-poor as a church mouse"
he bantered.
She was a pretty girl, a mighty
pretty girl. he decided. as he gave her
look for hostile look. Her dark hair
was pinned close to her shapeIy head
and the color in her olive cheeks pail
plated. with her swift breathing. Her
firm lips were vivid coral and her
large, melting hazel eyes gave him a
dizzy feeling He had never found
time to bother with girls, but it would
never be a bother to gaze at this girl.
she was so lovely. She wore khaki
riding brooches and shirt and a red
SILK tie made a splash of color
aWell?" she asked insolently.
Howdy, stranger" is what we say
around here" answered Nick mildly.
~ N
ing for chickens" she threw at him.
'Chickens?'
"Chickens!"
Nick looked at his pipe, raped IT
on the rock and smiled oddly.
DO you keep chickens here? ?" he
asked.
Keep thema You ought to know
that We can't do that" she bIazed.
What do I know about it ?" he was
beginning when he remembered.
chicken four days a week and be.
tween times bacon!
! 10 you mean to insinuates that T.
steal your chickens?" he INQUIRED.
Your Chinaman does. We have
missed them for weeks. 1 caught him
red-handed yesterday"
am more sorry than I can saw.
| have been terribly busy for co,,nle
| of months and never questioned abaut
ms srppliesLmerely paid the bills.
honestly didn't know there was
chicken house within fifty miles. but
suddenly tonight questioned nv cook
ana he said they were a present from
| a friend. and / was so suspicious that
I started out to find All Sings friend.
and here 1 ami"
He has no friends here" she said
in milder tone. "You see, my
father is here for his health. and he
by I was really cunning for All Sing
| tonight