White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1924-02-08
The Dude
Wrangler
Caroline Lockhart
Copyright, Doubleday, Page s. Co.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Continued from previous issue)

Continued from previous issue)
He had taken advantage Of the op
portunity which the gift of the cake
presented to send her note OF
thanks and appreciation. In reply he
had received an invitation which had
stung him worse than if she had writ
ten that she never wanted to see him
cross her threshold.
His eyes cleaned every time he
read it, which was so often that 1t
was worn through the creases from
being folded and unfolded:
Dear Gentle Annie:
Won't you stop at the ranch on your
way out and pay us visit? l pre-
sumo the middle of the summer at
latest will see the last of you, as
have no idea that you will be able to
go through the Heterogeneous and
hardships attendant upon proving up
on homestead.
My brother also will enjoy meeting
you, as he has heard so much OF you.
Looking for you soon, l am,
Sincerely,
Helene Spenceley.
P. S. have a new sweater pattern
that | am sure will please you.
Every word had nettle in it, a
taunt that made him Jingle. 1t seemed
to Wallie he had never known such
a "catty" woman, and he meant to
tell her so, some day, when he was
rich and successful and had proved
how wrong she was in her estimate of
him.
He was tempted to send her word,
on a postal, anonymously, of the well
he was digging il he had not feared
she would suspect him. 1t seemed so
long to wait for Pinkey to convey the
tidihgs.
Rufus arrived on Monday morning
and the "crew" to which he had re-
ferred proved to be members of his
own family-John and Will-whales
as to size, and clownish.
1t came to Wallie's mind that If
they did not move any faster than
when they were at leisure, the we'll
digging would be a long process, and
his heart sank when he saw them
feeding their horses so literally from
the hay which had cost 500 a ton, de-
livered.
The first intimation Wallie had of
what he had let himself In for was
when Rufus asked in confidential
tone, as il he were imparting some
thing for Wallie's ear only
II wonder il we could get a bite to
eat before we start in? We eat so
early this morning that don't feel as
If | had had anything"
Wallie had pan of biscuit which
he had intended for dinner, but he
concealed his reluctance and managed
to say with show of hospitality:
Come right in; I'll get you some.
thing"
"First rate!' declared Mr.. Reed
with disheartening enthusiasm as
Wallie placed the biscuit, butter and
molasses before him and his helpers
Wallie hoped never again to see
food-his, at least-disappear with
such rapidity and in such quantities
When they had finished there was not
so Wallie slept finally to dream that
a crumb left in the pan to tell what
had been, and Rufus added to Wal
lies feeling of apprehension by de-
claring gaily as he polished his mouth
on the bandana which he drew from
his hip pocket with flourish:
"Us Reeds are all hearty eaters
We can eat sheep at settin' when
we're all together"
Discriminating was Wallie's special
antipathy, and he now solaced himself
with the thought that since they had
eaten SO many, they would eat less
for dinner and he would have plenty
of the fresh ones left for supper.
But disappointment was again his
portion Any hope that he might have
cherished that once they were we'll
filled up their appetites would di-
minish was dissipated by their per-
Torrance at supper, which surpassed
that of dinner. The manner in which
the biscuits vanished was nothing less
than appalling. In addition to which
he fried ham twice for them when
they limited that they were still hun
CRY after devouring everything before
them.
He thought grimly that If their ca
pacity for work was commensurate
with their apeAtites, the we'll would
be dug in twenty-four hours. But
after observing them in action"
through the window he had notion
that he would have considerable more
than that of their society.
AS they all sprawled on his bunk
in a torpor while he washed their
supper dishes, he felt not only con-
sternation but dislike for the Reed
family growing within him. Long
after they were snoring in their blan-
kets he lay awake calculating how
long his provisions would last at such
a rate of depletion.
If they found water at the depth
indicated by the divining rod, it
right not SO much matter, but there
was the other contingency confronting
him-feeding the Reeds indefinitely!
There was nothing to do in the cir
cumstances but await developments,
he had discarded the table for
trough to which the Reeds came when
he went to the door and called $500