The Sagebrusher

it lay in its long vistas before them; but neither of these two saw the mountains or the trees, or the green levels

eath, as though summoning her resolution. "You're an

just told you I ain't been honest with you. I never wrot

to meet me-y

them letters. That was al

tell you that I hadn't been honest-I never wrote the le

s has funny idees of jokes. I reckon t

now," she broke in. "It seems to me

d Sim Gage; a

s,

in my life! I ain't been much. If I c

you and me was one just as honest as the other, and both meaning fai

between this man's life and hers. But his word

ving man, Mr. G

you learn more about me you'll thi

arren could think to say. But after a tim

d she, "I think yo

e, his eyes going every whi

en't touched me-or laughed-or-or hinted-not once. That's being a gentl

an! But I couldn't have d

men in this valley, Mr. Gage?" she asked aft

," he answered, "when they're home. The nearedest one to us

e? What is

a automobile. Most of them crosses up above on the bridge and comes down the other side of the creek from us. Seems to me sometimes women has always been just acrosst th

s all painted and

d, no! You don't pai

" said she contritely; then,

place very much, then

e sometimes

who i

t ranch to mine. He's maybe a

hing to do with-t

guess thing

t you were

am-if I had ever thought onct that we'd a-brung a woman like

why you're a gentleman!

me again before long?" It was th

n't any

folks

that I could go back to, Mr. Gage

. "How old are you?" He flushed suddenly at th

wenty-

I'm thirty-seven. I'm too ol

an?" As she spoke she felt the tears come ag

ing else, and all that, and one thing with another-I won't say what might have happened. Strange things has happened that way-right out of them damn Hearts

housek

at we advertised fer

pondered for

ne here. What sort of housekeeper would I make-and what sort of-of-wife? I

appoint you? Of course I couldn't marry a woman like you

that! I don't know

t you worry, ma'am. Don't you git troubled none a-tall. I'm a-g

a beggar!" was a

we're in the same boat, and we got to go the best way we can till things shapes ou

h. I'm of the discard-I can't earn my livin

aid Sim Gage; and perhaps made t

e left hand side. I don't reckon he's at home. I told you the school ma'am had maybe went off to her homestead, didn't I? Maybe Nels Jensen, he's maybe driving her to the Big Springs statio

-to her home-to his home. She did not speak. To her ears the sound of the hor

willers and the rail fence," explained Sim Gage. "It'

lows came close on the one side and the wide hay meadows reached ou

ses, ma'am, fer a minute?

ere was any one in the world who had never driven horses.

d the wire gate shut. He pulled it back, and clucke

them a little. The half wild horses, with their uncanny brute sense, knew the absence of a master, and took instant adv

voice call out imperatively. Th

reared and struck out wildly. She heard an exclamation, as though of pain, but could not see him as he swung across to t

rd his voice speaking brokenly. "Set st

he called out. "

ht. Just you

ome to the end of the seat, knew that he was reaching up his arms to help

the knee," he admitted. "

s face, gray with pa

-I don't know anything about horses. I do

confession. "We'll walk on into the yard. Keep hold of me, a

fractious. He limped along the road, his hand at t

did jump on you!

nd. Anyhow, we're here. Now, you go off, a little ways

ands and the willers along the creek. There's a sort of spring thataway"-again he pointed, invisibly to her-"and along it runs a band of willers-say a hundred yar

rned and made off at a run down the road, t

hands at his cut knee-cap. "Wid can come ove

go easy now," he added, turning to Mar

bin. She reached out a hand to touch th

one bunk in it. I've got some new blankets and I'll fix it all

stove and the bunk is the table, where we eat-I mean where I used to eat. It all ain't so big. Pretty so

" she asked suddenly.

four o'clock. You see, I ain't got a clock. I ain't got

ake it right easy. Lay off your wraps, and I'll put 'em on

elt his hand to

in a while to kind of feel around with. Well, it's the same with me-I'm going to need

en came to her as she turned toward him. A strange, swift feeling

at can I do? Can't you put s

got non

alcohol, or anythi

y is good fer most anything. I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll just

. Absolutely she welcomed the sound of his foot a

l get well in a few days or weeks. I don't think she's busted much, though at first I thought he'd k

ace was her answer.

y," said he, "but I ain't drunk non

drinking man

nks more or less when they can git it-this is a dry stat

am?" he added. "We didn't

how can I help cook

re alone all this time, and lived alone everywhere else f

eper!" she said,

rought out some oranges from town-fer you." She did not see him color shyly. Oranges were something Si

anyways, and you know spuds is always good. I didn't bring no more flour, because I had plenty. I can make all sorts of bread, ma'am-fla

ow I can do that!" she sai

ust cook you one meal-as bad as I can, ma'am-so as t

agious, so that she almost laughe

and there, rattling pans, stumbli

any chicken

t around to it. I was

e some chickens. Those little

le ways, about forty miles, to where the Mormons is at

dog? Haven't y

st winter, and I ain't got round to getting

lie-aren't

hing is, they might take me f

en a lit

g is a heap of comfort. I'm about the only homesteader in

till endeavoring to be of use. But she was ski

rong enough. Don't you

y, "couldn't afford to make it very s

ght out there in them medders this summer. We're going to have plenty of money. Hay is mighty high. I can get eight dollars

id she. "I'm so glad." She knew not

in the same place she originally had taken. "Draw up," said Sim Gage. But it was clumsy work fo

. I wouldn't worry any more'n I could help, anyways. I'll put thin

t I can wash

t hard." And indeed in due course he made arrangements for that on th

n't the dish

hed with grea

as been in this place since I been away, and they stole my dish p

shes carefully and placing them before her on the table. Then she laughed. "It was the same with Anni

s the part of keeping house I always hated

y Warren, feeling out with her hands gently and tryin

and make up that bed. Come along, ma'am, and I'll show you." And in

ou know, I'm awfully scared out

. There's willer branches and pine underneath, and hay on top. Over that is the tarp, and now I'm spreading down the blankets.

a hand and felt across the su

are the shee

must of took all my sheets too! Fact is, I just made it up with blankets, like you see. But you needn't mind-they're plumb new

as she heard his

d things. Now, you feel around with your stick, sort of. I reckon I better go

etter than a pile of willow boughs. He had given her the last of the new blanket

t throbbing, hesitant, at

herself, half aloud, after a

ng told her that the darkness of night was coming on. She turned, felt her way back

very way. Yes, she was sure it was dark. And above all things she was sure that she was wea

ad forgotten to tell his new housekeeper how to make safe the door! He wondered whether she had gone to bed or whether she was sitti

ong the path through the willows, across the yard, and knocked timidly at the door. He heard no answer. A sudden fear came to him. Had she in terror fled the place-

own out, her eyes closed, her face turned upon her other arm, deep

wakened her. She started up, called out, "Who's there?" Her

m," said Sim Gage,

u wouldn't c

d to tel

aw

but continued s

at that drops into the latch. Now, there's a nail on a string, fastened to that latch. You can find that nail, and if you'll

e button of the flash light. By

her dark hair framing a face which showed white against the background. Her eyes, unseeing, were wide open, dark, beaut