The Poetry Of Robert Browning

ver Spu

lly, "I have done something too awfu

ically. "I knew it as soon as you came back this morning. Mother thought you w

or bed, tiptoeing and whispering to avoid waking

s--diamond--ring: And I've promised to pay her for it by Thanksgiving! Elizabeth, it co

mb from astonishment, she we

ill I ever get the money?

orries enough already with father away, and everybody afraid it's going to be a dry year. I can't think just now of any way to earn a hundred

ut it, Elizabeth. What on earth would we

er pillows and went peacefully to sleep. And indeed she needed it sor

rn a hundred dollars, that when she did fall asleep her slumber was entirely too deep for dreams to enter--so deep indeed t

, as she, too, sprang out of bed at the alarm-clock's warnin

nk of a way. Let's ask Roy, as soon as we get

t the milk-pen. Milking had been one of the girls' recognized duties before he came, sinc

tle bunch of milk-pen calves kept to lure home the cows fr

ms that 'most anything's possible if you work hard enough for it. How about cooking, Ruth? You're a

t the road gate: 'Bread, Doughnuts and Pies for Sale.' Every cowboy that passes will

ly, "that's the ticket, Ruth. I'll paint the sign-b

ough, Roy," she declared gratefully. "I'll bake day and ni

ks--the Babe excepted, begged earnestly for permissio

xplained Ruth. "Only that it's for something importan

oner. "But as Ruth's heart seems to be set upon this extra labor, I promise not to interfer

is conversation, beamed hopefully upon the

ake a whole heap of money, you might have enough left over to buy a new I

l have a new Ivanhoe if you help. The bargain's betwe

you earn your book

Ruth's "long suit," but as cowboys would scarcely like dry bread, it was cut out of the list. Pies, however, were always acceptable. Custard being objected to as too "squshy," they decided on

ADE DOU

LE

CE

SA

SPUR

ags to hold 'em, by noon. The McGregor ranch is shipping cattle--they'll pass here Thursday, one of their punchers told me; that'll be day after to-morrow. You can spend the afternoon b

es charged to you, mother," apologized Ruth

ed Mrs. Spooner, who was doubtful of the success of

asserted Roy, with cheerful confidence. "I'll drum

brought home the next day a load of coke along with the other supplies

d the report of the cattle passing next day, but told him that the ranch cook had quit out there, as well as the man hired

s to bring along the order in the morning. How's

d to mix the magic potions, while the Babe kindles the fire on the Altar of Cookery known to mere mortals as the kitchen range, and I complete the rites by

ief cook doffed her floury apron with a sigh of weary content, there were shelves full of pies and pans full of doughnuts as a result of

ly. "We'll just make a big pot of coffee and have doughnuts and pie for suppe

price, too," suggested Elizabeth. "Men alw

or the apple, and--mincemeat costing so much more than dried apples--fifty cents for the mince pies.

e to watch for the McGregor outfit. Soon, like Bluebeard's sister-in

McGregor was delivered. She had sent a tin bread-box of ample size, and she wanted it filled with so much bread, cake and pie, that the Silver Spur Bakery was rather startled. She thought the amount she spe

sample orders, and hurried into the kitchen with the Babe and Mrs. Spooner, eager to buy s

e back from Emerald on his return trip next morning for the box, if they would have it

'm from the old country, myself, and I'm fairly longing for a taste of plum-puddin

beyond her powers. Elizabeth, seeing her hesitation, spoke promptly. "Certainly, we'll be pleased to fill your order,"

" politely assured the cowboy, and, with a sweeping bow, he mo

other of the attending punchers turned in at the Spooner'

the Babe filling the bags in the kitchen while Ruth an

t night, they found that, deducting all ex

or!" crowed Elizabeth, joyously.

h, "But Elizabeth, are you su

urse I can bake--or boil--or steam a pudding as well as a born Britisher! In fact, being an American citi

beth declared she wanted him to try it before he paid for it, but after one glance and a hearty sniff, he

oven when he returned for the next ba

e said. "And every bloomin' puncher that tasted it is wild for more! T

id not make a "Perishin' Martyr Pie"--a name that tickled them immensely. Even the Bab

onely thirty-five cents it had originally contained, when Ruth rashly decided she would pay Maudie P

ngs we could buy: If we could only give it to mother to help with the living I should be perfec

k. I think the whole family is finding that it is really play to earn money. Maybe we'll get into the habit and keep it up after Ma

full of the 'pies 'n things' which found a good market at the round-ups. This was not the season for them, but there is always something of the sort taking place in the cattle country, and Juan was willing to drive

orders declined and finally fell off altogether on that commodity. The grocer was paid, there was nearly a barrel of flour on hand, and part of a large tin of lard, but there was

ened, when Mrs. McGregor rode over, bright and early, from her

join forces with a neighboring ranch and have a big barbecue and picnic-dinner in the open, to which all the neighbors were invited. The other ranch was to furnish all the

n manage the bread and vegetables, and you, my dears, must furnish the pumpkin-pies or I'm a forsworn woman: I've calculated and re-calculated, and I find that, allowing five p

y of pumpkins--Jonah raised a big patch of them for cow-feed, and there's

ilingly. "We'll fill your order, and thank you very muc

pretty silver wrist-bag. "Twenty-six dollars and fifty cents, I believe. Here's your money--and thank you very,

th?" wondered Ruth, when their guest

ive. Five dollars is a great plenty for expenses, seeing that we have the pumpkins already. The odd fifty cents will buy a little present for t

d, the apron she waved aloft was throw

. I'm a wretch--and you're a genius--but--but--I can't help thinking

tandingly, "if I stop to think I feel t

thed her eyes and turned a res

e said in a determi

e bedroom door and ran

cy that Roy and Jonah are off the range to-day and can stay. Ev

both kept filled. The baked pies were lifted out of their tins as soon as cool enough and dropped into paper plates. But even so they could not get eno

ingle tin left.

lot of new ones, you know, nice and clean. And plenty of lard-cans. Roy can cut rings from the can

a little care in handling the bulky "tins," so that th

making, to keep the workers awake at their tasks. He regaled them with thrilling stories of the war, and Munchausen deeds of b

as the ranch lay only a little way beyond Emerald. But they, with Roy and Jonah as able assistants, kept on baking till the last pie o

ng, with the pies safely packed in the wagon, which Jonah wa

The thought of Maudie's exultation over its receipt pinched Elizabeth almost as much as giving up the money. She lagged behind a little and talked of it with Roy. They agreed that the m

one street, suddenly felt her pony go lame, and quickly dismo

cry, she sprang into the saddle and race

es. Evidently Ruth was overcome because she

" whispered Elizabeth. "I feel p

remarked her mother, placidly. "I hope it'll be so that they can a

mpatiently for her family to catch up, and hasten

out, Maudie, very much dre

h, shrill voice. "I bet anything you haven't--and I

that ring. I want to keep the money for myself, and mother and Elizabeth, an

pooner was so little informed that she supposed there was a joke on hand, and laughed with mothe

leeve. Hold on, don't make up

o pay you a hundred dollars for?

ly diamond ring that Grandma gave me, and tha

"Ruthie's just right not to pay you more'n that--or half

ng eyes. "I've got the money--a hundred dollars--see here,"

tormed Maudie, "you promised, a

know. Ain't you goin' to replace it, Ruth?

" cautioned Mrs. Spooner, taking a part

ward Maudie Pratt with the sheaf of greenbacks in one hand, an