Evening star., 1928-04-01

! rs somethin' wrong?" she faltered,
Big Stickney laughed to cover his
confusion. II mean-slip of the tongue.
Excuse me"
But the woman wasn't convinced Her
care-lined features showed growing con-
sternation. Are you really here to look
over our stock?" she cried.
II might look over your stock
before I leave"
Suddenly Stickncy thought of Bill
SeaverS out in the roadster with the
Vermont license. Suppose Mart Benson,
alias Asheley, rode up and saw those
plates Panic might seize him. He
might bolt blindly while he thought the
boiling good-in which case, all Big
Stickney's effort to date would go for
nothing.
Your husband will know all about
me-" he assured her. "Er-by the
way--I motored out here with a friend.
left him out in the car and I'm afraid
the suns pretty hot Is there a place
in your barn l could run our machine,
If we've got to wait long for your hus-
band?"
I'VE got our car in the barn. But
guess, if we pushed 1t forward piece,
therc'd be room for your car, too
* X
CTICKNEY went out to the roadster.
He isn't here, Bill, Gone off to fix
fence. We've got to wait until he
comes back"
rs his wife wise?"
mo"
You haven't told her?"
mo, and I'm not going to tell her,
If can help it, Let her husband set
tie it with her when the time comes. "
"CripeS, man. I'm starved"
Maybe she'll give us some lunch y
Its cinch she mightnt, If she
knew who you are
Nix on that stuff E. Here
she comes. I've asked her to let us
run the bus in the barn. Let me do
the talking"
They were joined by the woman.
why, your cars got Vermont
license"
1T belongs to a friend of mine who
picked me up in Chicago. He said
he was touring the West and asked
me to come along. Mr.. Seavers, meet
Mrs Asheley"
"Howja do!" said Bill Seavers wryly.
The wife glanced from face to lace
in bewilderment not unmixed with
dread. Il could show you the lambs,
If you want" she offered.
mo. no! I must do business with
your husband, Mrs. Asheley."
She led the way across to the barns.
The driver whispered hoarsely. She S
wise, Stick"
mo, she's not. / made q slip back
in the house-called her man by his
real name But she isn't wise, yet.
Let's get this car out of sight.
Stick This is a rotten piece OF
work, takin' advantage of a woman
with face like hers"
Shut up, and get this car in the
barn. Benson bolted once for rea-
son not much stronger than the sight
of this bus would be, and / haven
come 1000 miles to have him do 1t
again"
"All the same, it's rotten piece OF
work''
They pushed a very new and polished
fiivver TO the back of the barn. SeaV-
ers drove the roadster In.
Don't hit it," cried the woman
shrilly. Were awful proud Of it.
she added moment later, as the
Vermont cars motor died 10 silence
For three years we wanted an auto
mobile, but didn't think we could afford
one till the flock was bigger. We've
ONLY had 1t three weeks"
They came from the barn, and she
closed the doors carefully, AS they
crossed the road once more, the mar
shall asked:
Would you sell us some food Mrs
Asheley? My friend and haven't
eaten since breaking camp this morn
ing. We should have stopped for lunch
at PiSgah or Laramie"
Sell you some foodl Lands Sakes
alive! Out in this country people don't
sell their food-not when other folks
are hungry. How would you like q
big piece of fresh loganberry pie. With
a quart of cold milk?"
Bill Seavers' assent was nearly q
groan.
IAN right. You two come back tc
the kitchen. You don't mind eatin
in the kitchen. do you? Mart and
always have. We decided we'd rather
have the car than new dining room
set. And besides--our house amt quite
big enough for regular dining room
anyhow"
They reached the porch, and tht
woman went in ahead. She cleared
the table and wiped clean the cover
of white oilcloth. Pushing up wooden
chairs, she brought in pie.
you start right in," she invited