The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1922-05-04

coffee came through finally, and tn
sound Of seething, and with her bril
liant head flung back against the ris
of steam, she pushed the O%ver-boilin
pot to the real of the stove, raised tn
stove-lid and poked at the live Goals
their red flowing all over her.
Then she sat Town In the low rookie
between the range and the indoor els
tern, but not back against it; erect in
stead, with her ears straining through
the steady sound of rain and he
hands, where they closed over the
chair, white at the ~fnger-nails.
At seven o'clock, and in some I'm
certainty, Steven Kineady turned il
at his gate; came his footsteps around
to the side entrance, placed at unever
intervals, and the sound of mud suck
ing as the shoes withdrew.
Within her chair and in a silence
that seemed to shape itself for some
thing shameful, Annie Kineady sat as
to flow.
Yet when Steven Kineady finally
flung open the door, letting In a fine
gust of wind and rain, he was smiling
and rubbing his great rough hands to.
gether and shaking the spray from his
six feet of great bulk. Tiny drops lay
glistening on his sand-colored mus.
tache and the shiny visor of his cap
AT the sink he wen paused to remove
his oilskin jacket, m~ethodically and
out of his habit of folding it, removing
his high. mud-caked boots and padding
toward her in socks of her own knit
ting.
snow, now, Annie, get up like a good
girl. You think I'm a little late and I
amt all right, don't you? You
think"
"Quitr she said, springing back
from his impending kiss. "Quit!"
He sat down Immediately and
held u his hands toward the
range. His blue eyes, edged in long
lashes which curved like a child's,
were murky in the pupils and the
whites of them were in1amed with
through.
"Br-r-r! Cold !" he said, launching
his great shoulders and rubbing his
palms rapidly to generate warmth
between them. "Cold!"
"Ah-h-h-h p He flung out his heavy
legs, slipping down in his chair, chin
in necktie. "Ah-h-h!" The smile grew
on his face as the indoor warmth and
dryness crept on his face, and he
closed his eyes and lay back.
Supper, girl" he said finally.
She leaned to him, her ear tuned to
his breathing, a second of doubt fash
ing over her as he lay quiescent.
"Steve-Stevey, re-ar you tired?
Is that alrs the-the matterw
Tired"
"Or-or have you been taking a
drop?"
"Quit your %gassin'."
Her incertitude went out like a
candle-light.
"Ugh!" she said.
Supper first, girl, and then all the
gassin' you want"
She ran her tongue around the rim
of her dry lips.
There amt going to be no supper"
Supper, there's a good girl. "Tup-
pee he used to call it. 'Tuppee-da-
dec"
"There-there amt going to be no
supper"
He opened his eyes, regarding her
through the blur of their wateriness.
"Eh?"
You heard what / said"
"Eh?'
II told you last night what would
happen tiff you came home this way.
II told you. And God knows I mean
itI"
"Aw, now, Annie, girl, supper first
and then"
II amt here to be your dog! Maybe
you think 1 am, but I amt"
Il don't think-girl, don't"
"There amt money enough on this
earth to make me live through them
two years with you again, with
your supper, girl talk. I'm a woman, If
you want to know 1t, same as you're
man, only being a woman the brunt
Is on me. I've lost my baby just the
as you've lost yours, and if the
truth is known, a little bit more, see
lng's l bore him." ;
At hat he fell to whimpering
against the back Of his hand.
1--we got the same kind of heart
in me that you make SO much
about beating in you, only, being
4 woman, l don't soak it in alcohol ,
trouble comes. I'd sooner stick
4 knife in me right here before you, /,
Steve Kineady, than live through
hem first two years with you again. I !,
old you last night, Steve Kineady, ,
What would happen If you came home !
without having the pledge signed in :
our hands and your eyes clear, and c
,efore God l mean it. / mean i'll" ;
He held up a hand so lax at the 9
wrist that it Topped. =
"Annie," he said, leaning beyond the
arm and with the wateriness
'%verf1owing his eyes, "Il be all right
-of-,+o A--io oirI s+1a csa1r