, 1923-09-12
CHAPTER ~
The SIM Buster.

ter meat. Joan was left alone. She
spent her time cleaning and arranging
the two-room cabin n tidying up
outdoors, and in '%grubbing sagebrush,'
a gigantic task, for the one hundred
and fifty acres of Pierre's homestead
were covered for the most part by the
sturdy, spicy growth. and every bush
had to be dug out and burnt to clear
the way for blowing and planting.
Joan worked with the deliberateness
and i~ntentness of n man. She enjoyed
the wholesome drudgery. She was
proud every shutdown Of the little
clearing she had made. and stood.
tired and content. to watch the piled
brush burn, sending up aromatic
smoke and curious. duh flames very
high into the still air.
She was so standing. hands folded
on her rake. when. or the other side
NJ her co%nfagration. she perceived a
uinn. He was steadily regarding her,
and when her eyes fell upon him. he
smiled and stepped forward tall,
broad. very fair young man in a shoot
ing coat, khaki riding-breeches n
p~uttees. He had a wide brow, clear
blue eyes and an eager, sensitive.
clean-shaven mouth n chin. He held
out a big white hand.
Mrs. Landis," he said. in a crisp
voice of an accent and finish strange
to the girl, II wonder II you and your
husband can put me up for the night.
I'm Frank Holliwell. I'm on a round
Of parish visits. and. as my parish Is
about sixty miles square my poor old
pony has gone lame. / know you are
not my parishioners, though, no doubt,
you should be. but I'm going to lay
claim to your hospitality. for all that,
If l may?"
loan had moved her rake into the
grasp of her left hand and had taken
the proffered palm into her other, all
warm n f%ragrantly stained.
You're the new sin-buster, amt
your she asked gravely.
The young man opened his blue and
friendly eyes.
"Oh. that's what / am, Ell? That's
a new one to me. Yes. l suppose I
am. It's rather q fine name to 60
by-sin-buster," and he laughed very
low and very amusedly.
Joan looked him over and slowly
smiled. You look like you could bnst
anything you'd a mind to-" she said.
and led the way toward the house, her
rake across her shoulder.
Pierre" she told him when they
were in the shining. clean log house,
lis of in the hills after his elk, but
] can make you up-n bed in the sittin'-
room an serve o q supper an well
come"
"oh, thanks" he rather doubtfully
accepted.
Evidently he did not know the ways
and proprieties Of this new parish"
or his. But Joan seemed to take the
situation with an enormous, calm I'm
personality. He modelled his manner
upon hers. They sat at the table to-
rether. Joan silent. save when he
forced her to speak. and entirely I'M
trouble by her silence. Frank Holli-
well' eating heartily. helping her serve
and tnlking n great deal. By the end
OF dish-washing he had her history
ana more Of her opinions, probably.
thar any other creature she had met.
"Wha do you do when Lands is
away?"
She told him.
But in the evenings. I mean, after
work. Have you books?,
Mo- said Joan; tits right hard
labor, readln'. Pa learned me my let.
tiers an I can spell out bits from pa
pers an advertisements an what not.
but amt never rend n book straight
out. ! dunno" she ndded presently.
hut ms I'd like IN. pierre can read"
she told him proudly.
I'm spra ,o,,, ~. ... TT. ..,
sldered hoe through the smoke of his
pipe. He was sitting nv the hearth
now, and she ,,s, brough With clear.