Glacier County chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1931-1940, 1940-07-12
CHAPTER XVI


rang at once and Hilda appeared
with promptness almost miracu-
lous. Adele and Limpy were still
together in one bed, propped up On
pillows, looking no longer wan, but
cheerful and bright-eyed, even ex-
cited. Hilda, who had brought cof-
fee for three, made no comment on
Helen's absence. She seemed al
most cheerful that morning, q dour
cheerfulness under close control.
"She thought Helen was in the
BATH" Adele said when she had
gone. ''That's a good thing. We
don't want her spilling the beans
till the time comes"
Regularly at thirty-minute inter-
walls after that, Hilda appeared to
ask if they wanted anything or felt
a chill. Usually she brought some
thing for them on a small tray,
fruit, hot biscuits, or cold milk. Oc-
casionally she brought a message.
Mr.. Hardesty says tell you he
feels the same and more So" she
told Adele.
Tears came to Adele's eyes and
she tried in vain to harden her
heart. ..m
"Mr. Dodd is awake from a sleep
on the davenport and they're at
work again and two boys answer
ing the telephone and he says il you
feel nervous he'll challenge some
body"
81 don't feel at all nervous" said
Limpy. But If see anybody I'm
going to be very nervous, so keep
everybody off,"
Another time: There's a lot of
more cameramen would like your
pictures. ..
"You tell them to mosey right
along and mind their own business"
! said Limpy.
"You tell them the campaigns
over and we're never going to have
any more pictures taken as long
as we live, so help u.s." said Adele.
"They got reporters down there I
amt never even seen BEFORE" con-
tinued Hilda. "They say will you
please answer few questions?"
"Tell them no, we will not an
swer anybody anything!"
1--WE don't have to see any more
reporters" said Adele. Aunt Olym-
pia said so! You tell them we're in
bed and we're going to stay in bed
and we've got campaign cramps"
"You just let US know when Uncle
Lancy and Aunt Olympia have had
their coffee and got Gained down
and leave it to US! This is the holy
Sabbath and we're spending it in
bed"
Aunt Olympia too had slept, but
brokenly. Whenever she Weakened
she depressed the wish to look in
on the girls-repressed it for the
Senator's sake, for Lord knew he
needed rest. After all, the girls
were young; their very youth would
bring them back on the rebound
from this frightful catastrophe. But
it was bitter pill for the Senator
and would require not only plenty Of
aspirin, whisky and quinine, but rest
as well. So Aunt Olympia lay rigid
ly in her bed and waited for him
to awaken.
Olympia was sick at heart. The
Senator would be good sport about
the mess, she knew that. But it
would cut! It would cut like the
very Old Nick! A man like Senator
Slopshire eating humble pie at
the hand of a louise like Brother
Wilkie.
You'd think we'd done enough
for him." she unused wretchedly,
listening to all those poor sermons
SO many years and making a gov
ernor out of him! And contributing,
too! Always contributing! First to
the collection plate and then to the
campaign fund! There's no justice!
If only I hadn't ordered that Vic
tory Cake!"
She started to vent her feelings
in an impatient flounce but, remem-
bering how lightly the Senator slept,
restrained herself.
The girls would leave after this,
of course. She couldn't blame them.
, They wouldn't hold her and the SEN
ator responsible for the outrage, but
still, they couldn't help feeling they
had had enough. Aunt Olympia had
had enough, too. She told herself
that she would be tickled pink to
have it over and done with-except
that it griped her to see Del play
second fiddle to louise.
When she felt that she would blow
up in spontaneous combustion if she
lay still another minute, she turned
over on her side, very carefully,
making no sound, and took look
at the Senator. To her unbounded
indignation he was lying awake, his
eyes wide open, looking at her.
"Well, for PHYS sake, if you're
awake why don't you say so?" she
demanded, flouncing vigorously q
half-dozen times or more.
81 was keeping quiet not to waken
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