Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1925-04-24


prefer to look out for myself. So
won't trouble you"
Renshaw spoke pleasantly, but M
was feeling puzzled. Standing by the
fireplace with his elbow on the man
tel and his detached glance drifting
past the mans face, he wondered
without much interest, why the crea'
ture was so suddenly friendly. An
hour ago he had been furiously resent.
full of the newcomers presence. Now
he seemed all eagerness and defer
ence.
Are you planning to have break
fast up here, sir?" he respectfully in
quired.
'Good Lord, mol"
Renshaw spoke with sudden irrita-
ton. Why the devil was the fellow SO
persistent? Was it merely because he
realized that the open betrayal of his
antagonism had been unwise? Or was
1.-THE thought stood stolidly at the
entrance Of the secretary's mind until
he finally permitted the unwelcome
visitor to enter-was it because jerks
knew that this newcomer was so in
formally dependent on others that even
at this moment every instinct in him
was calling for assistance?
whats your name?"
"Jenks, sir"
well, jerks, there's exactly one
thing you can do"
"Yes, sir" The mans tone was
eager.
Get out please, and be quick about
it,"
jerks got out. His surface dignity
was unimpaired, but the door closed
on his exit with q temperamental snap.
Left alone, Renshaw dropped into
the easy-chair before the exuberantly
blazing fire, and rested his head
against it's padded back with a sigh of
exhaustion. He was tired-tired to the
soul; but from the darkness of that
soul the hermit-thrush of hope sent
out solitary note. He had put
through the Plan. He had won that
little contest of wills with jerks, and
had given no outward sign of the eff
fort it cost him. Now he would rest
OF course he ought to be unpacking
bathing, dressing for dinner. He would
do all those things later. His present
duty was to relax-to let the at.
mosphere of the old house sink into
| him.
| How absurd he had been to imagine
oh lyS m
bell jerks was merely spoiled serv.
ant, impersonally resenting any new.
conner, and already contrite over his
mistake and anxious to make amends
AS to the girl, that lovely girl with
the jet-black hair and the proud and
perfect mouth, she was afraid that he
Renshaw, was going to be nuisance
The human beings in Tawno Ker
thrown together as closely as they
were-the solitude of the place sud
denly impressed him; surely it was
miles from any neighbor Those hui
mans must form a close corporation
1t was not to be wondered at that they
should resent an intrusion like his.
A small log, blazing on the andirons
parted and dropped with a rattle ant
a shower of sparks. Renshaw did moi
hear it. The door opened an inch, anG
some one peered at him through the
crack. He did not hear the sound II
made as it opened and closed. He was
in condition of well-belng, new
found and vastly comforting peace
| relaxed, and at last drifting out or
! the blessed sea of sleep.
He was awakened by the sound OF 6
gong mellow but extremely penetrat
| ing, obviously a dinner or dressing
gong designed to be heard Throughout
the big house. He sat up with spec
| tacular start and glanced at the clecl
on the mantel above him. 1t was half
| past seven. He had slept uninterrupt
| edly for more than an hour, an expert
ence still novel enough to be crafty
ing. He had only thirty minutes II
which to unpack, battle and dress fol
dinner. AS he cast last glance II
the mirror before he went down
stairs he was mildly surprised by thu
agreeable normality Of the being wht
looked back at him. The fellow
seemed at least reconciled to life.