The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1937-08-06
By ETHEL LIMA WHITE
IN TWO PARTS-PART TWO

It came almost instantly-the pro-
testing squeal Of q young autocrat dis
turbed in mischief. The next minute,
the door was burst open and Puck
rushed into the Don and hurled him
self on her bed.
To an unenlightened eye, he might
appear an ordinary small boy in q thin
vest and panties;, but when he hooked
his arms around her neck, Merle knew
that she held the worlds wonder.
He was followed by Mrs. Thomas, with
the tea tray.
What did you have for breakfast"
Merle asked him, knowing his passion
for important words.
"Partr1dges," he replied promptly.
"Porridge," explained Mrs. Thomas.
You don't eat partridge in summer,
But it's winter, today" he assured
them, glancing out Of the corners Of
nls aimond-shaped blue eyes. II made
it fair and frosty"
Hes been playing with the barom-
she need not have worried about angel
visitations. Have you broken it again,
Puck?"
Not much" he replied virtuously.
Not nearly so much as I did last time"
Mrs. Thomas and Merle smiled at
SoSA! O1!!e1 WHICH, I11eT young 4OIQ anu
master had scampered from the room
adored.
Fancy sending him out to Borneo,"
said Merle. IT had a ghastly dream
about his father yesterday"
Mrs. Thomas listened to Merle's
dream with a creditable show Of in
terest; but at its end, she shifted with
PITY you only dreamed it Why,
what's the matter now?"
To her CONSERVATION Merle had
grown suddenly pale, while her eyes
were dark with horror.
"Oh, Megan," she cried. 1--WE just
thought of something terrible. Suppose
it wasn't a dream? Suppose I really
"Oh, don't be daft" snapped Mrs:
THOMAS s%9 Did you give him rat poison9"
"Then he's still crawling round in
your dream. Only vermin killer would
make his sort curl up properly"
But Merle refused to be comfoTted.
Thomas had to take her cup from her,
as she went On speaking.
you see, when I woke up in the
diSpensary, I was so confused that I
took it for granted I'd been asleep. I
never looked around -. But I remem-
Der now, that I must have tainted when
I found out what I'd done. Suppose
instead of waking up?"
Mrs. Thomas tried to scold, OF laugh
her out Of her morbid fancy, without
success; in the end, she decided to
humor her.
IF you bumped off Puck's pa" she
reasoned, you must have left the
corpse lying about. We know that
housekeeper is a slummock, but even
she wouldn't overlook q nasty trifle
and is ask 1, her # she found anything out
Merle held her breath with suspense,
while she listened to Mrs. Thomas
voice in the hall, where the telephone
was installed. Her heart pounded when
the woman returned to The bedroom.
1.-The ~housekeeper says you left your
's 5oh, the blessed relief" cried Merle,
laughing to keep back her tears. "Wnat
a fool I've been"
She left the bungalow in a gay mood
that matched the sunshine. AS sne
walked down the avenues, every garden
was fragrant with roses. The river
sparkled In the light as she h ieaneo e and
looked down at the slow current.
She was swinging away with it, when
a voice brought her back to earth:
"Morning, Merle, Day-dreaming?"
She looked up into the ruddy cheerful
face Of Capt. Cliff. He was h clup
gossip, and, as usual, he had plenty OF
amusing tales for her entertainment:
erayer and he lowered his voice.
9 "By the way" he said. II heard that
precious scoundrel-your brother-1n-
law, Gore-was back in town. I nope,
for your sake, it's not true"
AS Merle listened, she felt in the grip
of a nightmare.
mo-" she protested vehemently. It's
Good. Some chap fancied he recog.
nized him. I'm glad. It's not secret
that you hate him like rat poison Is
The Captain strolled away, chuckling,
while Merle gazed at his receding back.
as though she beheld the Angel OF
Its no secret that you hate him."
The words echoed in her brain as sne
began to III toward the doctors house
It was like the Voice OF n I Ss1Is
condemning her with corroboratlve
evidence. Only-she had not murdered
him. It was q dream, from which sne
was not yet fully awakened.
When she reached the familiar door,
it took an effort to ring the bell. Wh1le
she waited for the housekeeper to come,
she reminded herself Of the reassur1ng
telephone call. All the same, she NOISY
ened her lips nervously when az last'
the door was opened.
No policeman stood in the ntranc
only the slatternly figure OF Mrs.
Stock.
morning." she said in a surly VOICE;
He says put off all appointments Ilu
the afternoon, And he wasn't back IN
HEAVY RAINS SOAK
MONTANA DRY AREA
Improved range grass as the result
Of recent soaking rains encouraged
..-elaono In 4hn Nhin0ol, area as the