Part 15 (1/2)

Mrs Gaun, Mr Barron, but to ax yer advice”

Mrs Gammit's rare appearances were always abrupt, like her speech; and it ithout surprise--though he had not seen her for a reet her

”It's at yer sarvice, jest as the gun would be ef ye wanted it, Mrs

Gait cooled off a mite 'Tain't no place to talk, out here in the bilin' sun”

Mrs Gammit seated herself on the end of the bench, just inside the kitchen door, twitched off her limp, pink cotton sunbonnet, and wiped her flushed face with the sleeve of her calico waist Quite unsubdued by the heat and moisture of the noonday sun, under which she had trarey hair stood up in irregular tufts above her weather-beaten forehead Her host, sitting sidewise on the edge of the table so that he could swing one leg freely and spit cleanly through the open , bit off a contemplative quid of ”blackjack” tobacco, and waited for her to unfold the probleed features were erent, self-confidence She knew her capabilities, well-tried in some sixty odd years of unprotected spinsterhood Merit alone, not matrimony, it was, that had crowned this unsullied spinsterhood with the honorary title of ”Mrs” Her h, in a not unjustifiable scorn of such foolish circuht seek to thwart her will

But to-day these strenuous features found themselves surprised by an expression of doubt, of bewilder in the heart of the great wilderness things had been happening which, to her amazement, she could not understand Hitherto she had found an explanation, clear at least to herself, for everything that befell her in these silent backwoods which other folks seemed to find so absurdly mysterious Armed with her self-confidence she had been able, hitherto, to deal with every situation that had challenged her, and in a manner quite satisfactory to herself, however the eternal veritiesherself baffled

Joe Barron waited with the patience of the backwoodsman and the Indian, to whoh they always soe to be on time Mrs Gammit continued to fan her hot face with her sunbonnet, and to ponder her proble black and yelloasp buzzed angrily against the -pane, bewildered because it could not get through the transparent barrier A little grey hen, with large, drooping comb vividly scarlet, hopped on to the doorsill, eyed Mrs

Gammit with surprise and disapprobation, and ran away to warn the rest of the flock that there was a woman round the place That, as they all knew by inheritance fros” which their forefathers had suffered, er be allowed in the kitchen to pick up crumbs

At last Mrs Gammit spoke--but with difficulty, for it came hard to her to ask advice of any one

”I sp'ose now, mebbe, Mr Barron, you know more about the woods critters'n what I do?” she inquired, hopefully but doubtfully

The woodsman lifted his eyebrows in some surprise at the question

”Well, now, if I don't I'd _oughter_,” said he, ”seein' as how I've kinder lived round a_, it's the backwoods an' all what pertains to that sahter_ know more about them than I do!” assented Mrs

Gammit, with a touch of severity which seemed to add ”and see that you do!” Then she shut her hts apparently far away

”I hope 'tain't no _serious_ trouble ye're in!” ventured her host presently, with the a her to deliver her soul of its burden

But,note

”Do you suppose,” snapped Mrs Gammit, ”I'd be traipsin' over here nine mile thro' the hot woods to ax yer advice, Mr Barron, if _'twarn't_ serious?” And she began to regret that she had co, anyway

At this sudden acerbity the woodshost of a smile which flickered over his lean it riled over nawthin'!” he thought ”Sounds kinder nice an' ho always patient with the sex, he said coaxingly--

”Then it's right proud I am that ye should come to me about it, Mrs

Ga?”

With a burst of relief Mrs Gas,” said she, passionately ”Fer nigh on to a it 'em laid

An' all I kin do, I cain't find out what's atakin' 'e advice, an expression of pathetic hopefulness came into her weather-beaten face Under quite other conditions it ht almost have been possible for Mrs Gamree with her