White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1924-05-16
The Dude
Wrangler
Caroline Lockhart
Copyright. Doubleday. Page & Co.
IIIIiIIIIIIIlIIilIIIiIIlIiIllIIlIIIilliIliIi
CONTINUED from Last Week.

The remarkable change in Mr..
Hicks manner continued the next
morning. 1t was so radical that no
one could fail to observe 1t and the
comments were frequent, while Mrs.
Stotts crowed openly.
From naughty independence he had
became so anxious to please that he
was almost servile, and his manner
toward the wife of the rising young
attorney particularly was that of a
humble retainer fawning at the feet
of royalty. During breakfast he stood
at respectful distance, speaking only
when spoken to, and jumping to serve
them.
This attitude quickly dissipated the
fear which he had inspired In The
Happy Family, and by noon they were
not only calling him clicks" but eel
lery." Then, this stage of familiarity
having been passed in safety, Mr..
Stott humorously dubbed him Cook
ie," and the name was adopted by
everyone.
Mrs. Budlong ventured to COM
plain that there was too much short
ening in the biscuit. This was a real
test of the sincerity of his reforma-
ton since, IL such thing were pos
sible, he had been even more "touchy"
upon the subject Of his cooking than
his dignity No one could doubt but
that the change was genuine when he
not only received the criticism meek
ly but actually thanked her for calling
his attention to 1t.
Thus encouraged, Mr.. Appel declar-
ed that he wished he would not fry
the ham to chips and boil the day
lights" out of the coffee. Mr.. Hicks
bowed servilely and replied that he
would try to remember in future Mrs.
Stott took occasion to remark that his
vegetables would be better for less
seasoning and more cooking, and Miss
Gaskett thought his dried fruit would
be improved by soaking over night
and additional sweetening.
Mr.. Hicks received these criticisms
in humility that was pathetic when
compared with his former arrogance.
He looked crushed as he stood with
bowed head and dropping shoulders
as If his proud, untrammeled spirit
Lad been suddenly broken.
Miss Eyester felt sorry for him and
asserted that she could not recall
when she had enjoyed food so much
and eaten so heartily. Indeed, she
had gained pound and six ounces, If
the scales upon which she had been
weighed in Prouty were accurate.
Mr.. Stott, however, who was In one
of his wagglsh moods, undid all that
she might have accomplished in the
way Of soothing Hicks injured feel
ings, by inquiring facetiously If he
would mind rolling him out couple
of pie crusts to be tanned and made
into bedroom slippers.
Mr.. Hicks laughed heartily along
with the others, and only Wallie
caught the murderous glitter through
his downcast lashes.
1t developed that the Yellowstone
Park was place with which Hicks
was thoroughly familiar from having
made several trips around the Circle
He was not only acquainted with
points of interest off the beaten path
passed unseen by the average tour
list, but he suggested many original
and diverting sports-like sliding
down snowbank in frying-pan-
which would not have occurred to any
Of them.
BY the time the party had reached
the Lake Hotel they we're consulting
him like Baedeker, and he answered
every question, however foolish, with
patience and an affability that were
most praiseworthy indeed. Their
manner toward him was kind of
patronizing camaraderie, while Mrs.
Stott treated him with the gracious
tolerance of a great lady unbending.
A disbelief In the ability of the leo
pard to change its spots made Wallie
skeptical regarding Hicks altered dis
position, yet he did his best to con-
vince himself that he was wrong when
Hicks went out and caught a trout
from the Yellowstone Lake for Mrs
Stott's supper.
1t was beautiful fish as it lay on
the platter, brown, crisp and orna-
mented with lemon. Mr.. Hicks offered
1t much as the head OF John the
Baptist might have been brought to
Salome.
Thank you, Hicks" said Mrs.
Stott, kindly.
II hope you'll like 1t, ma'am," he
murmured, humbly.
The mark of favor seemed to bear
out Mrs. Stott's contention that in
feriors should not be treated as equals
in any circumstances. Now, with her
fork in the fish, Mrs. Stott looked
around the table and inquired gra.
ciously If she might not divide 1t with
someone?
Everyone politely declined except
Mrs. Budlong, who looked at 1t so
wistfully that Mrs. Stott lost no time
in transferring 1t to her plate. She
ate with gusto and declared after
tasting it:
1T is delicious, simply delicious! l
never remember eating another with
quite the same delicate flavor. pre-.
sumo" addressng herself to Mr..
Hicks. who was standing with arms