The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1924-07-02
ZEN OF THE Y. d.

4
she had none. Drazk very deliberately
turned his horse and rode away To-
ward the meadows.
"Oh, won't | fix him !" she sail, as
| she continued her toilet in fury She
had not the faintest idea what re-
venge she would take, but she prom
ised herself that it would leave moth
ing to be desired. Then, because she
was young and healthy and an OPP
timist, and did not know what 1t meant
to be afraid, she dismissed the incl
dent from her mind to consider the
more urgent matter of breakfast.
Tompkins, the cook, had not needed
Transley's suggestion to put his best
foot forward when catering to Y.D. and
his daughter. Tompkins' soul yearned
for cooking berth that could be &C.
cupied the year round. Work in the
railway camps had always left him
high and dry at the freeZe-up-dry,
particularly, and a few nights in Cal
gary or Edmonton saw the end Of his
seasons earnings. Then came a pre-
carious existence for Tompkins until
the scrapers were back on the dump
the following spring. A steady job,
cooking on ranch like the Y.D.; If
Tompkins had written the Apocalypse
that would have been his picture of
heaven. So he had left nothing IN
done, even to despatching a courier
over night to a railway station thirty
miles away for fresh fruit and other
delicdcies. Another of the gang had
been impressed into trip up the river
to a squatter who was suspected of
keeping one or two mich cows and
sundry heD3.
This way, ma'am," Tompkins was
waving as Zen emerged from the grove.
Another of our usual mornings. Hope
you slep' well, am" He stood def
erentially aside while she assembled the
three steps that led into the covered
wagon.
Zen gave a little Shrek of delight,
and Tompkins felt that all his efforts
had been well repaid. One end of the
tablet was with a sore heart Tomp-
kins had realized that he could not
cut down the big table-one end of
the table was set with a clean linen
cloth and granite dishware secured IN
til II shone. Besides Zen's plate were
grapefruit and sliced oranges and
real cream.
However did you manage itY she
gasped.
"Nothing's too good for Y.D's daugh-
ter" was the only explanation Temp
kins would offer, but, as Zen after
wards said, the smile on his face was
as good as another breakfast. After
the fruit came porridge, and more
cream; then fresh boiled eggs with
toast; then fresh ripe Strawberries
with more cream.
"Mr-Mr.-"
''Tompkins, ma'am; Cyrus Temp
kins," he supplied.
well, Mr.. Tompkins, you're a won
der, and when there's new cook to
be engaged for the Y.D. shall think
of you"
Indeed I wish you would. ma'am,~
he said, earnestly. This road works |
all right, and nobody ever cooked for |
a better boss than Mr.. Transley-sav.
in it would be your father, ma'am-- |
but I'm a man of family. an its pref.
ty hard"
Family. did you say, Mr. Tompkinsi
How many of a family have your"
well, it's seven years since l heard |
from them-I haven't correspondent
very regular of late, but they was
six"
The story of Tompkins' family was
cut short by the arrival of a team and
moving machine.
whats up, Fred?" called Temp
zins through a window of his dining
,ar to the driver Breakfast is just
over, an dinner amt begun"
For answer the man addressed as
Fred slowly produced IN iron stake
about eighteen incheg long and some
what less than an zach In diameter
what kind of shrubbery do you
all that, Tompkins?" he demanded.
"Well, 1t amt buffalo grass. an II
int bronze grass, an / don't fgger
is alfalfa" said Tompkins, medita-
lively.
No, and 1t amt grub stake" Fred
eplied. with some sarcasm. ITS a
ron stake, CROWN right in nice
title clump of grass. and l run on to
and bust my cuttin'-bar all to
hat is, all to pieces" he completed
ather lamely, taking Zen into his
lance.
Il think l follow you," she said. with
smile. Can you fix it here?"
Nope. Have to go to town for
ew one. Two days lost time, when
very hour counts. Hello! Here
ONES someone else"
Another of the transfers was draw
lg into camp. Hello, Fredl" he
aid, upon coming up with his fellow
orkman. you in too? 1 had a bit of
nd luck. l run smash on to an iron
AXE right there in the ground and
'umpled my knife like so much soap"
Il did worse" said Fred, with
In. Il bust my cuttin'-bar."
Tho tu-o NOR, axcbonno5 -