Adventure Magazine, March 1916 — page 163: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Paradise Bend ‘Heavens, ma!” laughed the girl, before Loudon could make any reply. “Give the poor man a chance to breathe.” “You got to excuse me, stranger,” said Mrs. Burr. ‘But ?’m always so worried about Benjamin when he’s travelin’. He’s so venturesome. But come in, stranger. Come in an’ rest yore hat. Dinner’s ’most ready.” “Why, thank ye, ma’am,” stuttered the embarrassed Loudon. “But I guess I'll go to the hotel.”’ “T guess ye won’t!” snapped Mrs. Burr. “T never let one o’ my husband’s friends ’*cept Scotty Mackenzie eat at the hotel yet, an’ I ain’t goin’ to begin now. You'll just >) come right inside an’ tell me all about Ben- . jamin while yo’re eatin’, That your hoss? Well, the corral’s behind the house. Doro- thy, you go with the gentleman an’ see that he don’t stampede.” Loudon, brick-red beneath his tan, seized Ranger’s bridle and followed Miss. Burr to the corral. While he was unsaddling he looked up and caught her eying him amus- edly. He grinned and she laughed outright. “I’m glad you didn’t stampede,” she said, her brown eyes twinkling. “Mother would have been heart-broken if you had. When- ever any of Dad’s friends are in town they never think of eating at the hotel—except Scotty Mackenzie. Scotty stubbornly re- fuses to dine with us. He says mother’s cooking takes away his appetite for what he calls ranch grub. Mother is really a wonderful cook. You'll see.” In this manner was the ice broken, and Loudon’s sullen gloom had gone from him by the time he entered the Burr kitchen. On the Turkey-red table-cloth a broiled steak, surrounded by roasted potatoes, re- posed on a platter. Flanking the platter were a bowl of peas and a large dish of sliced beets adrip with butter sauce. Lou- don’s eyes opened wide in amazement. Never in all his life had he beheld such an appetizing array of edibles. “Looks good, don’t it?’ beamed Mrs. Burr. It was wonderful how her smile trans- formed her forbidding features. To Lou- don she appeared as a benevolent angel. He could only nod dumbly. “Set now, an’ don’t be afraid o’ the victuals,’ continued Mrs. Burr, filling the coffee-cups. ‘‘It all has to be et, an’ I sure do hate to chuck out good grub. Lord, it ‘of coffee. 161 makes me feel fine to cook for a man again! What did you say yore name is, Mister? Loudon, o’ course! I never can catch a name the first time. I always got to hear it twice. Dorothy, you reach over an’ dish out them peas an’ beets. Take that piece of steak next the bone, Mister Loudon. Like gravyon yore ’taters? Most do. My man does, special. Here’s a spoon. Doro- thy, pass the bread.” Everything tasted even better than it looked. Loudon ate a second piece of dried- apple pie, and had a fourth cup of coffee to top off with. To the puncher it had been a marvelous dinner. No wonder Scotty Mackenzie demurred at dining with the Burrs. After one such meal sowbelly and Miner’s Delights would be as bootsole and buckshot. “You can smoke right here,” said Mrs. Burr, after Loudon had refused a fifth cup ‘Shove yore chair back agin’ the wall, hook up yore feet an’ be happy while Connie an’ I wash the dishes. I like to see a man comfortable, I do. So you know my brother. Well, well, ain’t the world a small place? How’re Jack an’ the Cross-in-a-box makin’ out? He never thinks to write, Jack Richie don’t, the lazy rapscallion. Wait till I set eyes on him, [ll tell him a thing or two.” Loudon, in no haste to find Scotty Mac- kenzie, was smoking his fifth cigarette, when the dilapidated ancient of the cracker-box stuck his head in the door. “Howdy, Mis’ Burr?” said the ancient. “Howdy, Dorothy?” °TLo, Scotty,” chorused the two women. “Let me make ye acquainted with Mr. Loudon, Scotty,” continued Mrs. Burr. “Mr. Loudon, shake hands with Mr. Mac- kenzie.”’ Loudon gripped hands with the ragged ancient. In the latter’s bright blue eyes was no friendliness. He acknowledged the introduction with careful politeness, and sat down on a chair in a corner. Having deftly rolled a cigar- ette, he flipped the match through the door- way, tilted back his chair, remarked that the weather was powerful dry, and relapsed into silence. He took no further part in the - conversation. At the end of the kitchen, between the windows, hung a small mirror. Loudon, idly watching the two women as they moved about resetting the table, happened GORE IOOL<S con i he 1A Oe. we rE By ated Pk