White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1923-12-21
The Dude
Wrangler
Caroline Lockhart
Copyright. Doubleday. Page & Co.
SIXTH INSTALLMENT

SIXTH INSTALLMENT
With the solemnity which a person
might feel who is planning his own
funeral, Wallie arose and made a
careful toilet. 1t would be the last
In the room that he had occupied
for SO many summers. The hang
ings were handsome, the chairs lux
urtous, and his feet sank deep III
the nap of the velvet carpet. The
equipment of the white, commodious
bathroom was perfection, and no ar
ticie of furniture was missing from
his bedroom that could contribute to
the comfort of modish young man
accustomed to every modern conven-
fence.
AS Wallie took his shower and
busted himself with scented talcum
and applied the various lotions and
skin-foods recommended for the COM
piexion, he wondered what the ho-
tel accommodations would be like
in Prouty, Wyoming. Not up to
much, he imagined. but he decided
that he would duplicate this bath
room In his own residence as soon
as he had his homestead going. Wal
He's knowledge of Wyoming was
gathered chiefly from an atlas he
had borrowed from Mr.. Cone. Tho
atlas stated briefly that it contained
1880 square miles, mostly arid, and
a population Of 1881. 1t gave the
impression that the editors them
selves were hazy on Wyoming, since
II had been published in Mr.. Cones
childhood when the state was ter
ritory.
What the atlas omitted however,
was supplied by Wallie's imagination.
When he closed his eyes he could
see great herds of cattle-his-with
their broad backs glistening in the
sunshine, and vast tracts-his also
planted In clover, oats, barley, or
whatever it was they grew In the
country. For diversion he saw him
self scampering over the country on
horseback on visits to the friendly
neighbors. entertaining frequently
himself and entertained everywhere.
AS for Helene Spencely-she would
soon learn the manner of man she
had beilttled!
This frame of mind was responsi
BILE for the fact that when he had
finished dressing and gone below he
spoke patronizingly to Mr.. Appel,
who paid an income tax on fourteen
million.
aAw-you'll be back when 1t gets
cold weather." said Mr.. Appel.
II shall succeed or leave my bones
in Wyoming!" Wallie declared, dra-
matically
They'll help fertilize the soil,
which I'm told needs it." His early
struggles had made Mr.. Appel cal
lous.
Miss Macpherson, looking straight
ahead, gave no indication that she
saw her nephew coming.
'Wfll you say goodbye to me, Aunt
Mary?"
She appeared not to see the hand
he put out to her.
II trust you will have safe Jour
ney. Wallace" Her voice was a
breath from the Arctic.
He stood before her moment
feeling suddenly friendless. This
makes me very unhappy, Aunt
Mary" he said sorrowfully.
Since she did not answer, he could
only leave her, and her failure -
ask him to write hurt as much AZ
the frigidity of the leave-taking.
The NOTORIOUS had arrived and the
chauffeur was pihng his luggage on
top Of 1t, so with a final handshakc
Waliie said goodbye, perhaps forever,
to his friends of the Colonial.
They we're all standing with their
the bus started, calling goodbye and
good luck, with much waving of
handkerchiefs. Only his aunt sat
grim-visaged and motionless, refus-
ing to concede 80 much as a glance
IN her nephew's direction.
Wallie, in turn, took off his girlish
sailor and swung it through the bus
window and waited kisses at the
dear, amiable folk of the Colonial
until the motor had passed between
the stately pillars Of the entrance.
stIIOW much jack did you say
III you got?" Pinkey, an early
caller at the Prouty House, sitting OH
his heels with his back against the
wall. awaited with evident interest
an answer to this pointed question
He explained further in response tc
Waliie's puzzled look: "Kale-dinere
the long green-money"
"Oh," Wallie replied, enlightened
about $1,000. He was in his blue
silk pajamas, sitting on the iron raj
OF his bed-it had an edge like o
knifebiade.
There was no resemblance DO
tween this room and the one he had
last occupied.
A former occupant who must have
learned his art in the penitentiary
had knotted the lace curtains in such
fashion that no one ever had at
tempted to unite them, while the
prason-like effect of the iron bed
with its dingy pillows and counter
pane and sagging middle, was such
as to throw chill over the spirits
Of the cheeriest traveller.
1t had required all Wallie's viii
f%Ouor whom ha had ayrivod of n, IA