Montana oil and mining journal., 1941-07-26

here, Evidently Eileen made free use
Of this room. A pair OF muddy shoes
rIn over at the heels, we're In the
middle OF the rug which was gray with
dust and bore a large stain from an
overturned coffee pot. The beautiful
mahogany table was strewn with dirty
dishes above which cloud Of flies
buzzed. On the sideboard stood the
silver, tarnished beyond recognition.
Among it was a bundle wrapped in 8
soiled towel. She opened 1t and dis
covered the best silver teapot, shining
and bright, ready to be taken upstairs
for her inspection.
She was quite calm now. Her legs
were not trembling anymore and the
pain In her hip was gone. But new
rage, icy and fierce. rose in her when
she saw a pair Of coarse socks, a mans
socks, lying among the silver, ball
of yarn beside them waiting to be
darned She was about to hurl them
TO the floor when she heard voices IN
the kitchen.
She left the socks where they we're
and hurriedly drew down the blinds.
She opened the door Of the pantry and
stepped inside closing it softly behind
her. She all but screamed when q
mouse, nibbling a piece Of cheese,
squeaked IN fright and darted out Of
her way. She sank onto a stool and
bent forward to listen.
A mans voice. in heavy Swedish
accent, was saying Eileen, Eileen,
vich iss de cream?"
There, ON the table, you big baby"
The swing door between the dining
room and kitchen was thrown open
and Miss Peel heard the two enter.
She smelt sausages and heard dishes
being set on the table. No heat-proof
mats under them eitherl She heard
coffee gurgling from the pot into their
cups. She heard the man gulping his, |
animal noises over the sau-
sages. With his mouth full he said:
$50, de old girls gettin' better"
Gee, you never saw the like how
she's gaining. She'll be able to come
down here In two weeks"
The man chuckled. 'Whereu you be
den, eh?"
mot here, you bet. She can get
someone else to clean up. What'd she
take me for, powerful Katrinka7 Ex-
pecting me to cook and clean and wait
on her, hand and footl Say, she's one
Of the sort would make slave Of you,
Il you'd let her. She near drove me
crazy at first with her flIssing, but I
found out how to manage herI"
"You bet you didl And you've given
me a good time, baby"
Hugs and kisses, revolving In their
energy, sickened Miss Peel In her hid
ing place. Yet she was able to control
herself. She even opened the door q
hairs breadth and had glimpse Of
The pair locked In a heavy-breathing
embrace.
When they were gone Miss Peel crept
softly up the stairs, helping herself by
he bannister. When she reached the
,op she was almost exhausted. She was
blst able to totter to her chair, and
lan into it,
Her one thought now was that she
must conceal her agitation from Eileen.
She pretended to be dozing the first
ime she came into the room. The next
ime she told Eileen that she thought
he had overdone it that morning. She
vas very tired and feared that 1t would
'e necessary to go more slowly. She
onfessed that she had walked twice
round the room alone.
How solicitous Eileen wasl She
colded Miss Peel in that motherly way
I hers. She put her back In bed. She
rought her a hot water bottle. She
lade her sip little brandy. Miss Peel
'ould as soon serpent had touched
er but she set her teeth and smiled
ranly. She looked up at the girls round
lilk-white throat and had 8 sudden
erce desire to throttle her.
Indeed her feelings during the fol-
wing week often surprised herself by
leir savagery. She imagined all sorts
| things she would like to do to
ileen. She grtmly remembered her
reat-grandfather the sea captain, and
ondered II after all she might not
ave inherited some traits from him
ut she concealed her feelings under
timid, docile mask. She took little
alks about the room, leaning heavily