Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1936-01-16
VI-Continued

fought to be in my breast pocket"
thrusting his hand inside his pea-coat.
my eye! If l amt forgot that tele-
grant," he abruptly exclaimed. "The
statlon-master at Sawyer Falls gave
1t to me when he handed out the mail.
1t clean went out of my mind. It's for
that chap Heath who's stayin' over at
The Widder's.'"
Hadn't you been wool-gatherin' you
might "a given 1t to Sylvia to take
back with her. She was here only II
little while ago." Silas Nickerson said.
Il know It,"
"S'pose l was to take 1t over" Elisha
Winslow suggested eagerly. I'm willin'
to-"
"Fur's that goes, l can carry It,"
Capt. Phineas Taylor plped.
"Now, there's no use In all you fell
lers volunteerin'," Eleazer Crocker as
serted. I'm goin' straight over to Mar
cia's, as 1t happens, soon's I've ct my
dinner, an I'll take the telegram"
With an air Of authority, he held
out his hand.
The crowd fell back.
Early afternoon found Marcia alone
In the Homestead sitting room. Sylvia
had gone up the beach. Stanley Heath
was asleep; and at last the delicious
interval of solitude which the woman
coveted was here.
The basket at her elbow overflOwed
with mending, but she had not yeI
taken up her needle.
She could not work. Try as she
would, her mind wandered Off into
byways too fascinating to be resisted
-byways which no matter how re-
mote their windings, invariably led hel
back to Stanley Heath.
In retrospect she lived over agar
every Incident, every word, every lool
that had passed between them, until
she came to the barrier Of the I'm
known which her fancy bridged with
intricate rainbow-hued imaginings
She twisted possible explanations this
way and that and would %contentediy
have continued the pastime had moi
Eleazer Croker knocked at the door.
Eleazer could not have chosen 8
more inopportune moment to drag hel
back to earth.
With a frown and a deep sigh, Mar
ella went reluctantly to let him in.
"Wal, now amt it nice to find yor
by yourself !" was his greeting. 1.-THE
kitchen looks coy as can be. Wher,
was you settln'?"
II was in the front room, but per
haps we better drop down here so
can listen In case Mr.. Heath shoult
call"
Anywhere you say. Wherever yor
are suits me-"
IN just run In and put the screer
round the fire and get my mending.
Marcia replied a tritie uneasily. "Tl
be right back"
Left to himself, Eleazer smiled {
smile of satisfaction.
The kitchen was warm, Marcia wa,
alone and apparently not busy. Coult
circumstances be more propitious? For
tune certainly was with him. Today
this very afternoon. he would take hi!
future in his hands and put to he
the question he had so often deter
mined to put.
When Marcia came back, he wa
primed and ready to begin his declara
ton.
"Weather's been fine, amt it," h,
started out.
Marcia took up her sewing.
do You think SOP" questioned she
raising her brows. Seems to me view
had lots of rain and fog"
"Wal, yes, now you mention 1t | d.
recall a few thick days. Still, sprin,
Is COMM"
"Td like to shingle the south ell thi
spring." announced Marcia, giving
disconcertingly practical twist to tn
conversation. "How many shingles d.
you suppose It would take?"
Eleazer frowned. The dialogue wa
not proceeding along the lines he ha'
mapped out.
"Td have to reckon that out. It's
good notion, though, to make the ell
tight. That's what the birds are dom
They're gettin' their nests built al
kinder pickin' out their mates"
IL did not realize you were so muc
interested in birds, Eleazer," Marci
exclaimed. 81 have a fine bird boo
| must lend you. It's In the othe
room. I'll fetch IT."
Springing up, she disappeared.
"Drat it," murmured Eleazer. "Coul
anything be more exasperatin'f Al