Evening star., 1924-04-27
A Medal, Mortgage and a Jamboree.

You stay over if you want to. You
first" she said, with n smile of under
standing.
And almost Immediately she wished
she hadn't. A look that frightened
her danced like an imp In Sans eyes
Gosh! but I'd like to! To think OF
them fixing up all that just for me-
Tentatively his eyes probed hers
found her fear, and withdrew hastily
mo street" He closed the subject
incisively. Wen have the humding.
edest time ever was up till midnight
and then I'm coming home! Sorry
Charlie, but I've got to keep my en-
gagement with my girl. First I've
made since l got out of bed, and
got to keep it,"
Grierson let in the clutch, and they
left in a swirl of prairie dust, with
Sam leaning out of the car and call
ing back: "Seven-thirty, Ell: I'll be
along with Old Man Gile." Old Man
Gle brought the mail.
The children raced back TO the
windmill. Sturdy and competent. Ella
walked with strong. solid steps to
the headgate in the irrigating ditch
thinking of the imp that had danced
in Sans eyes.
She had forgotten that look for a
time-whle Sam was i'll. But she
knew it bitterly well. 1t came into
the eyes of Sam and Samuella when
things were about to happen.
1t was so vital and persuasive and
irresponsible that it frightened her.
There was a touch of Pan in it, and
though Ella had never heard of Pan,
she felt his influence and feared it, as
all wives and mothers do. She re-
membered q time when she had
caught Samuella with Iackie's kitten
in cigar box bent on sending it off
for a voyage in the irrigatinG ditch
which was four feet wide and run
ming swift and deep with heavy
current of muddy water-and the imp
danced in her eyes. What are prom
ises," il seemed to say, "or wives, or
kittens, or anything else, before the
necessities of this imperious joy Of
lifeI" She felt that she wouldn't have
been able to rescue the kitten II she
hadn't been bigger than Samuella,
And suddenly she was afraid Of what
he was going to do in Denver. She
wished she had gone with him.
She looked over at the chamois-col-
ored horse, out of a half impulse to
hitch up and follow. But she knew
she couldn't treat him like that
He'd never forgive her. No, she had
- ~ SC alone
He'd got his own life to live; she
could not live it for him.
Standing there leaning on her long
handled showed, she looked OF across
the prairie and thought about 1t. and
observed idly Tunck Pearse setting
forth in his car. apparently out OF
a little cave in the horizon.
With q. sigh she let her mind slip
from Sam to Tunck Pearse. He'd be
going to Denver. He went at about
this time every month. Why, nobody
knew; for he wasn't given TO talking
much about anything, or at all of his
own affairs. He lived by himself and
to himself, on a homestead over by
the creek. and not even Sam-who
was more nearly on a footing OF
friendship with him than any one else
in the county-knew much about him.
x x I: :;
come They had neighbored there
now for five years And he had
passed the Pavitt place a great many
times. When Sam was at home he
stopped sometimes for minute or
two to listen and nod, but when she
was alone he had always cut 1t down
to the nod and gone chugging by
with his gaze straight ahead. But
today he eased his car cautiously to
an unaccustomed stop and gave her
friendly good morning.
Going to Denver, Mr.. Pearse?"
"And to the dinner at Beefsteak
Larry's, The one they're giving to
Sam. Mighty nice of the boys to in
clude an old fellow like me-"
Sitting there on top of his diminu-
tive automobile, he looked as in
scrutable as an old hen on nest
But there was something about hin,
that she was sure he meant fol-
friendliness. And he could If he
would! He'd know just how. II
couldn't do any harm. She'd take a
chance on it.
Mr.. Pearse," she said awkward rdly
Tim worried about Sam"
well, now-I thought Sam was
doing fine"
"It's-it's not his health; it's-it's
this dinner tonight. The railroads
paying him the money for his arm to-
day. Five thousand dollars. He's
promised me to put it in the bank
soon's he gets it. It's all we've got
or ever will get. He's promised not
to drink and not to play cards to-
night, whatever happens. But Il
can't help being afraid! He don''
mean anybody any harm, but-yor
know Sam. If anything starts him
if he thinks the boys want him te
play-You're going there, too-Wil
you-if he starts to play, won't yor
please stop him if-if you can
There's such a lot depending on it,.
Tunck Pearse looked at her gravely
His jaws worked in time with the
wheeling engine of his car. With
every chew his tight-fitting hat went
soIemnly up and down. His face wa:
as expressionless as house with thu
shutters closed. Nature and his opti'
clan had combined to hide his sharl
little brown eyes. They lurked away
back behind heavy puffy lids anc
thick-lensed glasses. But suddenly
they looked straight at her, and sh'
felt that their expression was one o.
comprehension and friendliness.
.I'N keep an eye on him, Mis- Paw
itt,' he said kindly; and then. aftel
| a thoughtful moment: It'll keep al
eye on him.; and was gone.
X X
ELLA whistled the next morning
- as she stirred the waffle batte