Evening star., 1922-07-23

perfectly sweet VI you. ana Wnat
really gorgeous pile of wood you have
there"
He dropped his chin modest and
grinned. That's nothin'.' said he
"At tn home I did this all the time.
I kinda like wood chopin"
Noble youth" says Barry.
Hes good boy. that" chimed in
Uncle Nels.
And you can guess we saw to it
that Dunk was served with as many
fried eggs and cups of coffee and
doughnuts as he could consume
Just think" suggested Barry, "of
the amount of stove wood he could
pile up il we could keep him at 1t for
a few days. Don't you think we
might take a chance, Trilby May?"
We'll" says I, "he didn't do any
burgling last night. I'm game. I'll
| have a talk with him.
Getting Dunk to express himself
on almost any subject. however.
wasn't easy. Speech did not come
readily off his tongue, and he had
, about the most limited vocabulary
Id ever known a human being to
possess. Mainly he got along with
seriess Of throaty grunts, which
might mean almost anything. l
gathered. though, that this job in
Bellows Falls lured him on. Also
| that while he liked most Of US fairly
| well. he was still afraid of Sairy
Jewett.
You wait until she sees all that
wood" says I. I'm not sure she'll
not want to hug you. Dunk. And if
that job has waited all this time for
| you. a few more days will hardly
matter. One day, anyway, eh?"
''Mebby." says Dunk.
Then I'll tell you says I. Just
| fill that kitchen woodbo as full as
it will hold and well see what hap
pens"
GO Dunk started in with a high
~ piled armful of the neatly split
| birch sticks. and l followed to watch
the effects on Mrs. Jewett.
Land sakes"' says she. II never
| knew a tramp to be good for any
thing before. Must have nearly
killed you. didn't it, chopin all
that"
But Dunk had no reply. In fact
don't think he heard half what she
had to say, for at the kitchen sink
stood Millie Jewett wiping dishes.
And Millie. you know. is some husky
and blooming Amazon; especially
with her sleeves rolled up and in that
khaki knicker suit which so frankly
reveals all her generous curves. Mil
lies cheeks were pink and steamy.
her little eyes were bright and spar
and saw the big armful of stove
wood she smiled at Dunk. 1t was a
broad. friendly smile.
Dunk did not smile back. For
moment he stared at her. then his
ears pinked up and he shuffied over to
the woodbox and dumped his load
into it. Next he hurried out for
another armful.
"Well?" I asked him. after he had
made his fourth trip to the kitchen.
I'll stay" says he. Longs you
want me-"
Good" says T. "Of course. you
shall have regular wages; as much
as you could make anywhere. Now
what shall We say"
"Aw. that's all right" says Dunk
II don't need no money. I'll just
stay an work around. IL like to-"
VERY fiattering of you, Dunk"
says I. But we couldn't think of
letting you work for nothing. I shall
save up your money for you until you
set ready to 60"
Huh" says he, meaning nothing
that I could discover.
NOW we had a permanent chore
boy. one who would feed the
hungry mouth of the cook stove. lug
in water, hoe the weeds out of the
Barry learned the good news he
patted me on the shoulder.
How did you ever work it?" says
he. "You-you're a genius, Trilby
May. You must have thrown spell
over him."
"Oh, it's gift" says I.
Now" says Uncle Nels I'VE can
buy a COW. and some pigs maybe. A
farm amt nothin' without a few pigs
Hens, too"
"Say, Uncle Nels." I protested.
How long do you think we're here
for? You know we aren't settling
down for life. Summer doesn't last
all the year round in New Hamp-
shire"
"Oh, WELL" says he. I'VE sell 'em
off when we leave. 1 like to have
such things round il ] don't hafto
take care of 'em. I'll go look for
COW to buy
And the next thing I knew we
were having our own Jersey milk and
cream. and eggs fresh from the nest.
Also there were plenty of raspberries
and blackberries in one corner of the
garden, and Mile would now and
then saunter of to the pasture and
bring in a pailful of blueberries. So
we were living high.
1t was about then that Barry heard
from this young architect friend OF
his, Jarvis Walters, and hinted that
he'd like to ask him up for the week
end.
Hes located in Springfield now.
you know" says Barry Doing well.
/ hear. Rather an odd genius, Jarve.
Always raving about something or
other and getting sudden enthusiasm,
but I'm sure you'd like him. Let's
have him up, eh?"
1T you think he can stand the
simple life for a day or So" says I.
You know we're hardly in shape to
entertain classy company. He'll have