Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-12-21
THIS WEEK MAGAZINE

up, please, and put it in little box.
III be back" He went over to the
stable. 1--WE changed my mind, Sam"
Thought you had" Sam answered.
''Margie'll look fetchin' in it,"
Chad picked up the box with the
hat and placed it inside the oven; then
he slipped the pack straps around his
shoulders. 81 think I'll pull my freight.
Wilson, before | weaken" he said.
Wilson held the door wide open and
Chad walked out He saw Eli Fleming
sitting in his chair, finishing the cigar.
His wife had stopped her fussing with
papers and was looking over his shoul-
der. Look and be damned" Chad
muttered. 81 bought that hat and it's
no skin off of your nose
He hadn't gone quarter mile before
the sweat was running down into his
eyes, but he didn't want to rest until
he was behind little rise in the prairie.
Too many people were busy watching
him.
When he did rest it was hard to get
up again, but near the end of the first
half mile he got his second wind and
that carried him along two miles The
stove was dead weight, and the pack
straps cut deeply into his shoulders.
But when the pain was almost unen-
durable, he thought of the hat and
Margie's surprise and felt better.
A mile and half from the shack he
saw Margie coming to meet him.
Chad" she cried. "A stove! Oh,
Chad, you shouldn't have bought it.
You needed deep we'll and pump"
She ran around behind and took part
of the weight from his shoulders.
He painted, "Margie, you crying?"
yes"
Gosh - don't 1t is almost Christ
mas" he said.
When they reached the shack she
helped him shed the pack, then built
fire and put on water from the buff
falo wallow to heat. You're going to
take a bath and rest" she insisted.
AFTER awhile he got into the wash
tub and bathed, then turned in, but in
a couple of hours he was up again,
putting the new stove in position, cut
ting a hole through the roof and guy
wiring the tall pipe. you should be
tired" he said.
But I'm not" she insisted. THE
excitement is buoying me up, guess"
She started a fire in the new stove.
Waltz he said. ut isn't ready. Go
outside and see - and see - if the
stove pipe is straight"
She went outside and he opened the
oven, pulled out the hat and thrust it
under the bunk.
"It's straight" she said.
They built a fire and the smell of
stove polish filled the shack When the
fire died down she said, you couldn't
make deal for the Riddel placer"
Huh? How did you know"
by the expression in your eyes and
the beat of your heart when you held
me Close" she answered. "I'm sorry,
so sorry, Chad. And hate Eli Fleming
and his horse-faced wife" She was
silent, then said, mo, that is wrong.
I'm the happiest girl in the world and
| should hate no one. Nor do l. Well
be patient, and the big house, gravity
water. horses, cows and wagons will
come our way"
Sure" he answered. "Well, let's
hang up our stockings and turn in"
After she had turned out the light
he heard her fussing around his sock,
and when she was asleep he climbed
down and put the hat near her stock
ing. Into the stocking itself, he
dropped silver dollar.
He woke UP first, but he didn't stir
until she got up and ran to her stock
ing. She opened the box first, then sat
there in the cold, speechless.
Don't cry" he warned sharply.
IL l.