The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1924-08-22
CHAPTER XII
Tie sheriff Arrives

Tie sheriff Arrives
WILp, and set wilder were tho
w tales that came from tho In,
dcrvood family concerning the short
and simple incident of borrowed gas,
osne. Even Charley Mcswesn con,
csdsd that the West must be revert.
ing 20 halcyon times Jerome Tn.
derWood STUCK 90 his four bandits
with a tenRcity worthy of The best
possible Imagination. Harriet Under.
wood. a. first disposed 20 DO literal
and report only those things which
she saw, remembered that she was
clever enough 20 slip her rings down
her neck. where they scratched but
we're otherwise safe. sho had held
her ringless fingers out for the IN,
spection OF tho man with tho gun.
and he growled az her
Chester confirmed the four bandits.
because he had wisdom enough 10 SEQ
that his father might appreciate con.
firma,ion There was a note OF rc
pressed hcroism In Chester. Several
times he had been about 10 leap. all
that restrained him. Il appeared. was
a fear that when tho shooting began
others than himself might fall a.
sacrifices IN the horrid fusillAde, lie
told an this 20 sally during the ride
back 90 the house. with n gay non.
ehalanoc that surprised her She had
an idea that resourcefui lying rarely
came before middle age. 70 that she
vas driven 20 believe that Chester
was either precoeiouu or prematurely
advanced In years Chester was a
large, strongly built youth. doubtless
capable OF bandits au well AZ foot
ball. but, knowing him for a lar.
abe found herself filled with an un,
Erfcious undercurrtnt Of doubt con.
corning tho precise status Of his
nerve.
The most surprising development
Involved Timothy. the Underwood
chauffeur Timothy had begun by
being literal lie had been heard 10
say that there was but one bandit
But no multiplied Il by ak. perhaps
inadvertently. perhaps because he
drew inspiration from higher sources.
Al any rate. no did not spoil mat
tors ho magnlfed
Timothy ate his meals IN the
kHchen. lie wa a respectful crrt
turc. altho he oama from New York
lie always said ''alr' and ma am. -
until sally was IN fidgcth over his
dafcrcntial speech Ito had mild
glance that followed her wherever
Hho went. which the Wreck observed
and ot course mistook 80 no formed
dislike for Timothy. who did not
exactly crinEe under Ills obvious dis,
pleasure. but who met Il with a pa,
tient submission that was worno
than defiance. There WIS no harm IN
Timothy; he merely lied thru force
Of higher example.
But most annoying Of all the peo.
pic AZ tho ranch. 20 far an tho Wreck
was concerned. was Chester Under
wood Chester, having discovered
Sally on horseback. was rcdiscovor.
ing her In Tho kitchen lie kept
drifting In and out, on prctoSts. and
sometimes he sat down and wutched
her rs she worked with her sleeves
rolled up on brown arms To Chsa.
ter tho Wreck was merely "A person
who washed dishes. waited on table.
and fell of horscs--duito uninterest
Ing and not n claimant for notice.
The washer OF dishes found himself
growing surly. without knowing why.
The able-bodied heir Of Jerome Tin.
dsrwood was not worth botherinK
about. so long IA he stuck 10 his own
business and did not annoy the
Wreck. He could talk to sally. "
he chose, and II sally chose TO talk
10 him. which Il seemed that she did,
Sally was growing FESTIVE. Tho
labor Of cooking Tor large house.
hold did not dismay her. altho 4,
vas not exactly recreation. She
wanted TO be moving again. altho
the time and the means had not PFC.
scented themselves. But no matter
how necessary Il might be TO remain
in hiding. II was also lrksome. Being
young. she did not have tho patience
that comes with years.
Anything that broke the routine,
however. was welcome. even an inyi.
tation from Chester for ride over
the hills. She went. and there were
just two in tho party. Nobody had
invited the Wreck. and as II was
not sally's party. no could not fairly
expect It.. She did not believe that
he cared to 80. anyhow. for he hated
horses. As she and Chester rode off
he stood leaning against the frame Of
the kitchen door glowering at them.
II would not have been good time
for anybody to offer him pleas
antriea.
He felt unaccountably lonesome as
sally's horse disappeared over rise.
All the way from Plttsburg to the
BARN. no never suffered from lone.
someness, altho there we're days
when he scarcely exchanged n word
with anybody. But now It seemed
that the world consplrcd to ISOLATE
him, and he resented the conspiracy.
lie had an uncomfortable sense Of
being deserted as she rode away.
He went back into the kitchen
after n while. where Timothy sat In
n corner reading IA magazine. There
were some dishes that belonged In
tho pantry. and the Wreck started
thither with them. His foot tripped
agalns a chair leg. and two OF the
dishes slid off the top OF the pile
and splintered on the floor The
Wreck stood scowling at them until
he heard n smoker from tho corrfer.
Timothy was grtnning with good.
natured amusement.
CONTINUED In our next issue.)
MISS SMITH
q. Two friends me who had not seen