Page 44 (1/2)

"My hat's blowin' off There ain't any answer and the charges is paid"

"Will you wait?" exclai

on the note annoyed her While unfamiliar, her instinct connected it

with one person from whom she was determined to receive no

communication She hesitated as she looked at her carefully written

name She wanted to return the communication unopened; but how could

she be sure who had sent it? With the impatience of uncertainty she

ripped open the envelope

The note was neither addressed nor signed

"I have no right to keep this after you leave; perhaps I had no right

to keep it at all But in returning it to you I surely may thank you

for the i I lay asleep

behind the Spider dike"

She tore the package partly open--it was her Newain she walked hastily to her compartment For some er boy, his hat now

low over his ears, was sitting in her chair looking at the illustrated

paper she had laid down Gertrude suppressed her astonishment; she

felt somehow overawed by the unconventionalities of the West

"Boy, what are you doing here?"

"You said, wait," answered the boy, taking off his hat and rising

"Oh, yes Very well; no matter"

"Ma'am?"

"No matter"

"Does that o"

He started reluctantly "Gee," he exclai

around, "this is swell in here, ain't it?"

"See here, what is your name?"

"Solomon Battershawl, but et that name?"