Polly of Pebbly Pit

rls that Bob forgot her vow to send a telegram for return money to Chicago. She even forgot to write to M

Pebbly Pit, a rancher's wife called ju

p'ny this summer?" were the words w

e. Will you be seated,

a chair on the v

wers! Mis' Brewster'll lick yuh!" The visitor interrupted hers

ewart, which was a school-teacher some time back, an' it was fit t' celebrate her friendship, in some

d the dance," replied Mrs. Brewster, shaking her head rebukingly at the small boy who stood on the rockers o

Ah ketch yuh, Ah'll skin yer face fer the hop-that Ah will

ences just what to expect did his mother succe

gals would be in shor

not in. They are at th

nd th' mornin'. Ah reckon the

efore taking any long trips," explained Mrs. Brewster, looking regretfully at the fl

yuh two varmints don't quit that, an' come right t' me, Ah'll

tertaining the morning visitor. The two bad youngsters, left to their own device

y's greeting, her large hand e

mmember now that you-all come t' live wid M

s she eagerly waited to hear all about the Brewster

point where she intended asking the "gossip" to stop to have dinner, w

e done!" cried Mrs. Brewster, mentally tha

king faces at the angry help. The little girl's protruded tongue made Sary rush at her with uplifted palm, but both youngsters

till my teeth rattled!"

retorted Mrs. Halsey, the hope of dinner still l

Brewster drove up to the porch, on his way to Oak Creek.

folks to the dance at the school house. Want me to give y

ar after dinner. Be you-al

dinner to-day, the young ladies ar

they clung to their mother's skirts and whined: "We-a

Mrs. Halsey can have a bite with Jamison. He can lift

up and lifted Sally up into the deep wagon. Before any of the Halsey family could protest, he had turned,

bbed a hat-pin through her rusty toque and pulled her jet-trimmed should

id Mrs. Brewster permit herself to leave the post of watching

used her to spring up in dread, but her h

ck a secret. If Sary gets hold of it, my reputation in Bear Forks, or Yellow Jacket Pa

at the table, the girls were told of the visitor and her invitati

e evening-dresses,

p at these partie

y we do!" de

and did not hear the question and answer, so they

uickly. Polly and her mother washed and renovated the dotted swiss dress made for the

ad elaborate dresses-Barbara's very much in the latest mode and Eleanor's floun

tful one. Eleanor pacified her by presenting her with

e there for the grand march. For several hours before supper-time, Barbara locked herself in the bed-room and began h

was obdurate about her right of possession. When she finally opened

all sizzly, Bob

of that carmine from y

emanded

, that's all!"

air, hot she could not do things as the French maid generally did them to add to her beauty. Feeling dissatisfied with her appearance made Barbara irritable

Anne, buttoning he

, fur a widder of six months' standin' t' go t' a party whar onny old

avorable reply to her query on widowhood. Eleanor l

ome right along an

ed. "The help's n

ioned you-all!" snapped Sary, quite able

Sary," said Eleanor, giving her s

ding the dance. But seeing we are all old friends from ranches round

throng. "But Ah hez t' have a smitch of somethin' like-ez-how M

s, and at Sary's request, she turned angrily. "Th

can wear second mourning now, I suppose!" exc

g flat box from the upper shelf. As she

rd! What are y

ummer, and Sary can use it very nic

so she tore off the paper at once. A lovely rainbow-tinted ch

ow that rusty black alpacky is th' same dress Miss Pearson mo

ll hide your outlandish dress and mountain

el's robe as that scarf seemed to be to Sary. She was deaf to all else, a

t and lovely in her simple dress, but the host could not quite make out the style the city girls wore. He was not accustomed to boudoir gowns of filmy lace

lla, Ah tried that on, an' you-all woulden' know me! Ah'm shore he'll pi

lared Eleanor, not dreaming the mischi

he quadrille with Jeb, and the fried potatoes were gracefully shot into the coal-scut

the coffee-pot, pl

t, and ran in to pour the beverage into cups. The combined cries of every one at the table fai

n the gravel road and Jeb y

stand, and realized what charms she had when rainbow chiffon adorned her pers

s and tan shoes. He wore a figured near-silk vest won at an Oak Creek raffle, and large checked trousers said to be the latest fashion some years back, when he squandered his money on them. With his

nt, and the cloak-room was well-filled with ranchers' wives and dau

owed smiling benignly on all. Barbara came next, casting disdainful looks at the ordinary wome

heir dust-coats and wraps. The ranchers' parties then we

n I find

ven't one he

me? Goodness, w

not powder or rouge, so they need no mirror or maid, you s

o out without a look at myself.

of rose-pink net, trimmed with elaborate gold embroidery, was extremely decollete, with narrow gold bands ov

ew strangers lagging behind to watch the visitors. Just then Sary hurried in from

ome one finds her basque!" And Sary caught up Mrs. Halsey's jet-trim

ied Sary, sympathetically, while Barbara struggled vainly to wrench hersel

box Nolla gave me. Ah'll

red the one and only treasure to serve a betrayed friend. Sti

med free and Mrs. Bre

st modern evening gowns. They a

chair. Her strained expression, as she too

pered Sary, hoarsely. "You-all

a very expensive

like that, in front of the men!" shrilled

in the world, as I have found in Colorado!" now f

ried, "Ah cain't 'low Jeb t' see sec

shocks, and the other members of the

t our funeral, Pot

n the dancers

will be ostracized,

would, you know. She wanted to show folks the style," explained Eleano

irls heard the fiddler shout: "Git

Barbara stood near the cloak-room as isolated as the plague, for the ranchers dar