The Elk Mountain pilot., 1923-08-30

-. outeu' piuuglug INTO
lne iean-to In high excitement. PEN
n,e, m look what l brought you. It's
Ten-Second Lettie."
Mrs. Penfield set down her f,at,ron
ana turned to see what she had un.
expectedly acquired. A mir of
bright black eyes stared back at ber
unwinkingly out of small sun.
Drowned face.
Bless my soul" exclaimed Mrs
Iehneid genially. "Ain't this nice
Come right in, Lettie."
Lettie did not move. Her expres.
sion was noncommittal-the hard
wary expression of over-experienc,
estimating, preparing for possible
combat. Her curly black hair framed
her race In ragged waves. Her pres
entation gown was of the simplest-a
one-piece garment, obviously intended
10 close In the back, but long since
refusing to close at all. Finding this
a hindrance to untrammeled action
Lettie had faced the garment about
and laced 1t down the front with bits
OF twine, making use of the original
buttonholes and accidental perfora-
tions. Her emancipation from shoes
ana stockings was no affair of recent
date With the mere substitution of
a triie Of fringed grass for her scrap
OF shredded cotton. Lettie might ap-
propriately have punctuated the peb-
bly beach Of a sunny island in the
South seas.
Mrs. Penf1eld, feeling her way in a
situation which she was far from un-
derstanding, took refuge In general
hospitality.
"Sit right down here, Lettie." she
invited cordially, showing along a tub
OF soaking clothes and wiping the
bench free Of spatters. II guess
likely you're friend of Crink's. amt
your"
The cautious Lettie was not pre-
pared to say. She took the offered
seat, but Immediately fixed her wary
eyes again upon her hostess.
do you live somewhere 'round
here. LETTER. inquired Mrs. Penfield
gently.
No answerl
Crink, wriggling uneasily by the
door. felt that the time had come to
talk up his exhibit.
"She's awful strong, Penzie. Amt
any bulldog stronger'n she is, by
crackyl"
Lettie visibly expanded, wrapping
this tribute about her as a lady might
her silken robes. For the first time
her gaze vanderbilt a busy sauce
pan on the stove from which issued
savory odors no longer to be ignored:
for the first time she spoke.
"I'll stay to supper" she conceded.
with marked condescension.
Sure you viIl." agreed Mrs. Pen
field warmly. We're going to have
grand parsnip stew"
Crink, vastly encouraged by the re-
ception of the first point. proceeded
with another.
"Say, you oughter see Ten-Second
Lettie fight. i never saw nothing like
it-honest. neverl She spits and
scratches and pulls and"
Lettie. immensely pleased, looked
brightly into Mrs. Penfeld's face.
'Tve got helluva temper" she ac-
knowledged placidly.
Have you, nowr' inquired Mrs.
Penf1eld conversationally. THAT'S
good. Amt nothing can move things
Eastern temper. All you got to do is
to learn when to use 1t, else you're
likely to give the wrong thing
shove"
Lettie was unwilling to allow even
this modification to dim Nthe luster OF
her chief virtue. II don't leave moth
Ing standing when get to going" she
continued; mot nothing, nowhere
nor nobody"
Having swept the earth clean Of all
obstacles, Miss Lettfe devoted her
whole attention to the saucepan,
working her thin nostrils after the
manner of hungry dog. Mrs. Pen
fields keen eyes took in this detail.
as she turned the final fold in a pill
,ow slip and ironed 1t fiat.
where you been living. LETTER
Living? Hain't been living. /
been hanging out with two old women
old devils, both of 'em." Lettie,
totally at ease as the center Of fiatter-
Ing attention, threw off this informa-
ion with great carelessness.
"And your father and mother-do
you remember 'em at all?"
"Never had none" With scornful
grunt, Lettie repudiated all natural
connections.
"Yes, you did. Course you"
"Shut up FLASHED Lettie. turning
On Crink In wrath. "Shut upl Don't
you dare to sass me-"
Never mind, children" said Mrs.
Penfield, setting her iron on the back
of the stove. "'Tain't always a mat
ter that amounts to much. Don't no.
body stay long at the starting-point; !;
question is, what's he doing right this
minute? Land, If 1 aIn't most for
getting that I got cornbread In the
ovenl Amt 1t wonderful we're hav-
ing an extra-special supper just the
night we got companyY'