Show t I I I f I i it iI 1 t T J JI I I I j jI q r I a I 1 1 I I i iI I l y PHILIP I I 10 HEY sat in in the warm w rm June sunlight on o i the I doorstep of the small wooden shanty shant big Dan V White miner and Tom Tort Deoc i and for fully two minutes neither spoke Big BigI Dan had taken off his hat which wh ch he Ire turned I and turned in his hands At length he lie dropped it ft and summed up the tine whole situation As I understand und it Tom said he you and Nancy N land kind of half way reckon you ou want to buy that restaurant I I rant over ov r to and go into the busi business ness and nd your our idee idec is to leave cave little litte Miss ss Devoe here litre herewith I with me fer two or three days while you ou both traipse over oer there and circumnavigate gate the proposition Devoe said Yep the notion From his f pocket he h drew a a soiled and folded sheet of paper which he straightened out deliberately This here herer i r he added is the restaurants regular waybill It sounds like good kitchen itchen sense said Dan but hut this here soup this me What in blazes is v soup I soup said Devoe gravely is ghost feed Its just yeller water a little bit Lit diluted Dan returned r the folded menu to its owner I think you ou knowe how to run a restaurant restaurant Tom Toni said he but I guess there aint no doubt about it Suppose you OU make up your mind to buy bu it and go it ita ita ita a mess then what about little Miss nl ni fil M til r ri r I i d b I Ir r a 1 r ty I I ISUE ti t I Ix r P x 1 I l a r I SUE silt WENT vET ACROSS TUX TIlE ROO TO TILE THE BUNK AND AD LAVING HOLD OF Or A BOOTJACK SIrE Silt PROMPTLY PRO CONVEYED CON IT I TO TIlE THE FIREPLACE Ill Til come come I back here and git it her of course Tom assured him with alacrity Me e and Nancy dont hanker torun to run without her the rest of our lives Big Dan glanced about his shanty somewhat de deliberately deliberately It dont look as if theres much she could bust while youre gone he observed reflectively reflective and andI I ain aint t none on that point Tom Toni for Im awful fond of the little gal as you know but I was more about He checked himself at nt the verge of certain sentimental confessions and added presently When was you ou figurin to start fer Rileys anyhow Wai we did want to git away today loday Tom ad admitted admitted admitted If you 01 aint willin Dan why wiry Today interrupted the miner Today To ay and me all ready to go up to Threemile Station and Bet Betsey Betser C sty ser j t i His sentence was never neer concluded for a alight light quick Di i footstep almost almos at huts his s elbow m startled and II interrupted s him suddenly He turned as a pretty vision made its appearance from irom around the sunny corner of his cabin It was Nancy Toms wife i Nancy Devoe with a bag in one hand hend while on her fler strong young arm sat little Miss Prairie Devoe herself roguish winning dimpling with smiles and instantly squirming to be placed on the ground and md extending both her baby hands to big Dan seated on the step His I hesitation vanished immediately immediate Well well well he exclaimed as lS he rose and took the lire young youngster youngster youngster ster in his arms Good morning morn Miss Did Didou you ou come to visit Uncle Dan Baby Bab corned to Uncle Dan said the th tiny coquette and she site threw both bOlh her plump little arms about aboul his neck and gave him a wonderful hug Nancy winked at her husband surreptitiously I just said that Uncle Dan would only be too glad to take care of her while we was gone she said I told Tom there another man in Poco del Oro camp which Id leave cave little Prairie with but you ou Uncle Dan not even een Uncle Billy B ll Partridge and the th Lord knows hes as fond of Prairie as he can be and Im Pm awful glad you ou want her herand and were sure to be back in a week and Tom the stage is most ready read so well have to hurry got the trunk and I fetched this bag with Prairies things some stockings and dresses she gits g ts cm dirty so fast and wears em out out hut but Uncle Dan can mend them if they git too holey so well just kiss her goodby and git started She descended on the speechless Dan who was once more seated on the step with little Prairie on his knee and giving the tot a warm embrace she site kissed her seventeen times in one second tossed the time bag o of things inside the house straightened out her hat upon her head and was ready Teady to depart You dont mean youre goin gain right now on this mornings stage said Dan at al last and maybe goin gain to stay away aw y a week Why Tom been tellin lellin you them was w s our program answered Nancy in surprise Then what in the time world orld have hae you ou been doing all aU this morning Of course what were goin gain to do d Uncle Dan Danso so goodby weve got to hurry Tom come on All right said Tom Toni You go ahead I want to speak to Dan for half a minute Dan said I guess Im elected t e Tom felt not a little litte abashed at the manner in which a the charge had been thrust upon his friend I only stayed behind Dan said he to suggest that if Bet on your mind Betsey Dodd up to the Three Threemile Threemile Threemile mile Station why maybe ma you could tote Prairie up there to help you do your courtin You know what the little gal done for me Dan shook his head dubiously Theres two things thin sure cure that amt aint a nt no help when a mans fool in around aroun he answered ones giant powder and nd the theother theother theother other is a little gal kid like Miss liss Devoe Ill fix it up some way Tom Toni You git a oin and good goodluck luck with the Guess Id better beUer said sai Tom I know take good care of little Prairie and enjoy her visit So t I So long said Dan Dm If lIf you sec see Billy Partridge send him up here to the shack Well Miss Devoe said Dan to the enterprising little tot left thus abruptly abrupt to his guardianship youre oure doin pretty fancy ancy so far br with my goods and chattels and the shack comes tonnes next I reckon fer it cant git cit away and not a cent of insurance on the time place The youngster had discovered nothing novel noe in in his I pockets all of which she had rifled many times before She therefore stood up on his knee and patted his face with extravagant a t affection this inquired Dan Payin P yin the damage down in advance fer something you want vast to git at Baby do Uncle Dan was all the young youngster youngster g ster answered and scrambling out of his arms she started inside the cabin without delay dela Dan hastened to follow with commendable alacrity and snatching various household utensils right and left began to hang them and stow them away m in lofty positions with wilt witha wilta a zeal that was ws almost fanatic The Thc baby was undismayed She tried to help She went across the tine room to the bunk and laying hold of ofa a bootjack that certainly resembled in an an ordinary piece of kitchen fuel fue she promptly conveyed it to the fire fireplace fireplace fireplace place and acid 1 dropped it in upon the lazily blazing logs 1011 Dan was storing a loaded oade revolver on the topmost beam bem of the dwelling Descending he caught up his extra AI b boots a a coffee coTee pot and his pipe ppe pipe all of which he wisely bestowed in places too high for little litte Prairies reach The energetic youngster entering fully into the time spirit of shifting things timings about trotted quickly to an inviting little cupboard and amid laying hold of an opened can of condensed milk rolled two precious eggs worth woith a quarter apiece right out where they fell fe upon the time floor after which she inverted the milk can with wilh equal adroit adroitness adroitness ness and completed a rich raw rave custard at her feet in inthe inthe inthe the briefest time imaginable Big Dan looked down from irom his high l h position on a stool Oh pshaw I 1 said he Miss Devoe with the dripping can still clasped by bythe bythe the tine lid in one of her tenacious little hands promptly made the time amende feminine She Sire hastened to the stool whereon the man roan was standing and md threw her arms can and all about his leges Baby do Uncle Dan she assured him fondly Yes well I r reckon a little lovin is a dangerous thing said Dan He lie descended to the time floor took the can from his tiny guest threw it into the fire and nd for forthe forthe fortine the tine first time observed the cheerful blazing of his Isis bootjack ack With one wild dive he lie snatched it forth then ener energetically kicked it still blazing across the room and flipping it bodily bodil into a basin of wafer waC r succeeded in its n preserving its charred remains In the meantime mean lime little ittle Prairie eager to imitate his example and nd to be of assistance as assistance assistance was doing her utmost to kick the time broken eggs and amid the viscid milk toward the same supply of water but with only a partial success Unfortunately the egg stuff was slippery sl Dan Dai turned about in time to sec see two tiny feet fling treacherously out and amid upward and the baby bab sit down upon the custard with emphatic directness He Ire stood perfectly still and gazed at her helplessly He said nothing since nothing adequate arose to his mind Little Litte Prairie remained but a moment in the cream and golden setting then extricated her gar garments garments garments ments and her plump little person p from front the time mess which she turned about to view Baby made floor all and clean she mm im imparted n parted cheerfully Then coming forward both bout sticky hands hand held before her with fingers extended till they resembled two small star fishes in in distress she added Uncle Dan it off Wait I said the miner Wait Vait till I kin wet a good big rag I Ilie lie He wet three empty flour sacks enticed the baby bab bablO to lO the steps outside the time door fetched out the tine bag ba con containing containing containing her extra clothing locked his cabin for better security against her further adventures and labored earnestly earnesty for one long hour before he lie could make the thc child even partially presentable He was rolling up lip the discarded dress dr s in a tight hard wad and Prairie was making futile attempts to escape his vigilance and amid explore the lie world outside his cabin when Billy Partridge came toiling up the time trail traill a l newspaper clutched in his fist list Big Dan had never been heen more honestly glad to be behold behold hold a friend in all 11 his life liCe Little Prairie Pr irie was as equally enthusiastic Partridge was her adapted Uncle Billy Bill He promptly took her on his knee and she as promptly announced that she loved oved him and amid proceeded to empty empt his Ins pockets Dan concealed the wad of little clothing and in in glowing optimism related the facts concerning little Prairies temporary sojourn in his cabin Ill III have her liner all to myself for you ou Billy Dilly he Inc said id ecstatically lly Im 1111 goin gain to let el you ou stay sta with me ne and share Miss Devoe regular Fact is Billy Ive got to go and see a friend for half an hour right away I guess Ill leave leae c e you and Miss Devoe here lucre together while chile Im gone t L But I J wanted to lo read this here liere paper objected Billy Bill HI I only just got it in the mail had one for a month all right just set here and read it you and md Miss riss Devoe Deo said Dan whose anxiety to hasten oft olf to his belated appointment with Miss liss Betsey Bet ey Dodd at Threemile Station had increased upon him tremendously tremendous tremendously dous Miss Devoe loves you ou Billy Bill and she wont mind you the news Shell amuse herself a afew afew afew few just round So long Ill be back bad before youre oure through He did not wait to argue the time matter malter but bul went at once leaving Billy Dill feebly protesting while little Miss liss Devoe already had one smal sma foot fooL through the time paper There was no escape He lie therefore placed her gently on the ground and an picking up a tiny sliver of wood held it in his hand for the child to sec see Tick he said instructively instruct ey Baby go co find fund tick and bring it to Uncle Billy Bill Uncle Billy Dilly likes lots of ticks Little Prairie was a willing child She started at once on her Iter mission searching about in the time sand near the cabin and Billy settled selled down to his reading Pres Presently Presently his luf g small companion returned holding some tiny black object between her baby 1 ab thumb and finger Tick Uncle Billy she said saI l Tick All right he lie answered without looking put p t it itin itin itin in Uncle Billys Dillys pocket and git flit him hint some sonic more Wore Miss Devoe was delighted She placed her tick in a handy pocket of his coat and trudged off at once for another with which she returned very promptly Tick she informed him as before Uncle Billy Hilly tick He I Ic indicated the pocket again and kept on reading Back and forth and forth and back the youngster trotted rotted t bringing ticks by the scores and dozens all for the pocket of her friend Uncle Billy Bill had apparently apparently apparently solved the problem of supplying a child chi with in innocent innocent engaging enga ing entertainment In the thc meantime Big Dig Dan had come com to the time much belated tryst at Threemile Station and Mistress Bet Bel Betsey Belsey Betsey sey Dodd was exceedingly exceeding displeased at his delay She was a young person on whom Dans explanation acted peculiarly Do you ou mean to tell me mc Dan White she said that you ou goin gain to be an asylum for that hat kid for maybe a week What about you me to Crystal Springs on Sunday SUnd l which is day da after to tomorrow tomorrow tomorrow morrow Well I was going to ask if maybe the weather be pleasanter a week from Sunday said the time miner what I come up tip here to ask Oh you did did you ou all you come up for was it and md me two solid hours fer demanded Miss hiss liss Dodd with ready read warmth Well I r Ican Ican can just break the news to you right now that I aint the kind you can git to play no second fiddle do you understand my conversation on and you OU cant have me and no Miss liss Devoe at the thc same time savvy Now which do you decide to give up once nd ud fer all Give G e up echoed Dan deeply perturbed Why Betsey I think with little Prairie just a baby and you the he only on gal I ever enough Dont DO go no further interrupted Miss Dodd imperiously Baby or not it aint my mya way a of doin If you dont propose to give ghe her up upright upright upright right off prompt why that thit settles it all between bet you and I Now ow which of us two is goin to be bc But I marry marr Miss Devoe protested Dan DanY Y You ott savvy sa y that I Marry Marr said Betsey crimsoning to her crown and tingling to the soles of her shoes You never said marry marr to me before though I supposed you might git gitoff gitoff off of the sort in in time you bein a man and mea me a girl but I dont expect to git flattered to death by b I hat and if you want to marry me why wh prove it ith bv ht h lettin Iett n your little litte Prairie go and mc me next Sunday Do you mean Ive got to send her away or never neer be my m wife said Dan very ver white about the lips Is that what you mean If Ii she slays stays in in your house 7 over ver Sunday you bet you and me wont sit git married l I Miss Dodd replied with wilh emphasis And all for this mornin momin Goodby Dan stood looking at her oddly odd I for a moment en cn entreaty entreaty treaty treat in his honest eyes then a light of of cold c d deter determination determination determination I cant throw her out like ike that he said hI I guess Ill say goodby He turned and walked away awa Miss iss Betsey Belsey watching at first indignantly then more forgivingly and at al last when he failed to turn and look back baek with belated regret in her two brown |