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corner　of　the　lunch　box　with　chocolates　and　nougat。　

Then　it　was　closed　and　formally　presented　to　Elnora。　

The　girls　each　helped　themselves　to　candy　and　olives；

and　gave　Billy　the　remainder　of　the　food。　　Billy　took

one　bite　of　ham；　and　approved。　　Belle　and　Jimmy　had

given　up　chasing　the　dog；　and　angry　and　ashamed；　stood

waiting　half　a　block　away。



〃Come　back！〃　cried　Billy。　　〃You　great　big　dunces；

come　back！　　They's　a　new　kind　of　meat；　and　cake　and　candy。〃



The　boy　delayed；　but　the　girl　joined　Billy。　　Ellen　wiped

her　fingers；　stepped　to　the　cement　abutment　and　began

reciting　〃Horatio　at　the　Bridge！〃　substituting　Elnora

wherever　the　hero　appeared　in　the　lines。



Elnora　gathered　up　the　sacks；　and　gave　them　to　Belle；

telling　her　to　take　the　food　home；　cut　and　spread　the

bread；　set　things　on　the　table；　and　eat　nicely。



Then　Elnora　was　taken　into　the　wagon　with　the　girls；

and　driven　on　the　run　to　the　high　school。　　They　sang　a

song　beginning



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Elnora；　please　give　me　a　sandwich。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　I'm　ashamed　to　ask　for　cake〃



as　they　went。　　Elnora　did　not　know　it；　but　that　was

her　initiation。　　She　belonged　to　〃the　crowd。〃　　She　only

knew　that　she　was　happy；　and　vaguely　wondered　what

her　mother　and　Aunt　Margaret　would　have　said　about

the　proceedings。









CHAPTER　VII





WHEREIN　MRS。　COMSTOCK　MANIPULATES　MARGARET

AND　BILLY　ACQUIRES　A　RESIDENCE





Saturday　morning　Elnora　helped　her　mother　with　the　work。　

When　she　had　finished　Mrs。　Comstock　told　her　to　go　to

Sintons'　and　wash　her　Indian　relics；　so　that　she　would

be　ready　to　accompany　Wesley　to　town　in　the　afternoon。　

Elnora　hurried　down　the　road　and　was　soon　at　the　cistern

with　a　tub　busily　washing　arrow　points；　stone　axes；　tubes；

pipes；　and　skin…cleaning　implements。



Then　she　went　home；　dressed　and　was　waiting　when　the

carriage　reached　the　gate。　　She　stopped　at　the　bank　with

the　box；　and　Sinton　went　to　do　his　marketing　and　some

shopping　for　his　wife。



At　the　dry　goods　store　Mr。　Brownlee　called　to　him；　

〃Hello；　Sinton！　　How　do　you　like　the　fate　of　your　lunch

box？〃　Then　he　began　to　laugh



〃I　always　hate　to　see　a　man　laughing　alone；〃　said　Sinton。　

It　looks　so　selfish！　　Tell　me　the　fun；　and　let　me

help　you。〃



Mr。　Brownlee　wiped　his　eyes。



〃I　supposed　you　knew；　but　I　see　she　hasn't　told。〃



Then　the　three　days'　history　of　the　lunch　box　was

repeated　with　particulars　which　included　the　dog。



〃Now　laugh！〃　concluded　Mr。　Brownlee。



〃Blest　if　I　see　anything　funny！〃　replied　Wesley　Sinton。　

〃And　if　you　had　bought　that　box　and　furnished　one　of

those　lunches　yourself；　you　wouldn't　either。　　I　call　such

a　work　a　shame！　　I'll　have　it　stopped。〃



〃Some　one　must　see　to　that；　all　right。　　They　are

little　leeches。　　Their　father　earns　enough　to　support　them；

but　they　have　no　mother；　and　they　run　wild。　　I　suppose

they　are　crazy　for　cooked　food。　　But　it　is　funny；　and

when　you　think　it　over　you　will　see　it；　if　you　don't　now。〃



〃About　where　would　a　body　find　that　father？〃　inquired

Wesley　Sinton　grimly。　　Mr。　Brownlee　told　him　and　he

started；　locating　the　house　with　little　difficulty。　

House　was　the　proper　word；　for　of　home　there　was　no　sign。　

Just　a　small　empty　house　with　three　unkept　little　children

racing　through　and　around　it。　　The　girl　and　the　elder

boy　hung　back；　but　dirty　little　Billy　greeted　Sinton　with：　

〃What　you　want　here？〃



〃I　want　to　see　your　father；〃　said　Sinton。）



〃Well；　he's　asleep；〃　said　Billy。



〃Where？〃　asked　Sinton。



〃In　the　house；〃　answered　Billy；　〃and　you　can't　wake　him。〃



〃Well；　I'll　try；〃　said　Wesley。



Billy　led　the　way。　　〃There　he　is！〃　he　said。　　〃He　is

drunk　again。〃



On　a　dirty　mattress　in　a　corner　lay　a　man　who　appeared

to　be　strong　and　well。　　Billy　was　right。　　You　could　not

awake　him。　　He　had　gone　the　limit；　and　a　little　beyond。



He　was　now　facing　eternity。　　Sinton　went　out　and　closed

the　door。



〃Your　father　is　sick　and　needs　help；〃　he　said。　

〃You　stay　here；　and　I　will　send　a　man　to　see　him。〃



〃If　you　just　let　him　'lone；　he'll　sleep　it　off；〃

volunteered　Billy。　　〃He's　that　way　all　the　time；

but　he　wakes　up　and　gets　us　something　to　eat　after　awhile。　

Only　waitin'　twists　you　up　inside　pretty　bad。〃



The　boy　wore　no　air　of　complaint。　　He　was　merely

stating　facts。



Wesley　Sinton　looked　intently　at　Billy。　　〃Are　you

twisted　up　inside　now？〃　he　asked。



Billy　laid　a　grimy　hand　on　the　region　of　his　stomach　and

the　filthy　little　waist　sank　close　to　the　backbone。　

〃Bet　yer　life；　boss；〃　he　said　cheerfully。



〃How　long　have　you　been　twisted？〃　asked　Sinton。



Billy　appealed　to　the　others。　　〃When　was　it　we　had　the

stuff　on　the　bridge？〃



〃Yesterday　morning；〃　said　the　girl。



〃Is　that　all　gone？〃　asked　Sinton。



〃She　went　and　told　us　to　take　it　home；〃　said　Billy　ruefully；

〃and　'cos　she　said　to；　we　took　it。　　Pa　had　come　back；

he　was　drinking　some　more；　and　he　ate　a　lot　of　it

almost　the　whole　thing；　and　it　made　him　sick　as　a　dog；　and

he　went　and　wasted　all　of　it。　　Then　he　got　drunk　some

more；　and　now　he's　asleep　again。　　We　didn't　get　hardly　none。〃



〃You　children　sit　on　the　steps　until　the　man　comes；〃

said　Sinton。　　〃I'll　send　you　some　things　to　eat　with　him。　

What's　your　name；　sonny？〃



〃Billy；〃　said　the　boy。



〃Well；　Billy；　I　guess　you　better　come　with　me。　　I'll　take

care　of　him；〃　Sinton　promised　the　others。　　He　reached　a

hand　to　Billy。



〃I　ain't　no　baby；　I'm　a　boy！〃　said　Billy；　as　he　shuffled

along　beside　Sinton；　taking　a　kick　at　every　movable　object

without　regard　to　his　battered　toes。



Once　they　passed　a　Great　Dane　dog　lolling　after　its　master；

and　Billy　ascended　Sinton　as　if　he　were　a　tree；　and

clung　to　him　with　trembling　hot　hands。



〃I　ain't　afraid　of　that　dog；〃　scoffed　Billy；　as　he　was

again　placed　on　the　walk；　〃but　onc't　he　took　me　for　a　rat

or　somepin'　and　his　teeth　cut　into　my　back。　　If　I'd　a　done

right；　I'd　a　took　the　law　on　him。〃



Sinton　looked　down　into　the　indignant　little　face。　　The　child

was　bright　enough；　he　had　a　good　head；　but　oh；　such　a　body！



〃I　'bout　got　enough　of　dogs；〃　said　Billy。　　〃I　used　to

like　'em；　but　I'm　getting　pretty　tired。　　You　ought　to　seen

the　lickin'　Jimmy　and　Belle　and　me　give　our　dog　when　we

caught　him；　for　taking　a　little　bird　she　gave　us。　　We　waited

'till　he　was　asleep　'nen　laid　a　board　on　him　and　all　of　us

jumped　on　it　to　onc't。　　You　could　a　heard　him　yell　a　mile。　

Belle　said　mebbe　we　could　squeeze　the　bird　out　of　him。　

But；　squeeze　nothing！　　He　was　holler　as　us；　and　that　bird

was　lost　long　'fore　it　got　to　his　stummick。　　It　was　ist　a

little　one；　anyway。　　Belle　said　it　wouldn't　'a'　made　a　bite

apiece　for　three　of　us　nohow；　and　the　dog　got　one　good　swaller。　

We　didn't　get　much　of　the　meat；　either。　　Pa　took　most

of　that。　　Seems　like　pas　and　dogs　gets　everything。〃



Billy　laughed　dolefully。　　Involuntarily　Wesley　Sinton

reached　his　hand。　　They　were　coming　into　the　business　part

of　Onabasha　and　the　streets　were　crowded。　　Billy　understood

it　to　mean　that　he　might　lose　his　companion　and　took　a　grip。　

That　little　hot　hand　clinging　tight　to　his；　the　sore　feet

recklessly　scouring　the　walk；　the　hungry　child　panting　for

breath　as　he　tried　to　keep　even；　the　brave　soul　jesting　in

the　face　of　hard　luck；　caught　Sinton　in　a　tender；　empty　spot。



〃Say；　son；〃　he　said。　　〃How　would　you　like　to　be

washed　clean；　and　have　all　the　supper　your　skin　could

hold；　and　sleep　in　a　good　bed？〃



〃Aw；　gee！〃　said　Billy。　　〃I　ain't　dead　yet！　　Them　things

is　in　heaven！　　Poor　folks　can't　have　them。　　Pa　said　so。〃



〃Well；　you　can　have　them　if　you　want　to　go　with　me　and

get　them；〃　promised　Sinton。



〃Honest？〃



〃Yes；　honest。〃



〃Crost　yer　heart？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Sinton。



〃Kin　I　take　some　to　Jimmy　and　Belle？〃



〃If　you'll　come　with　me　and　be　my　boy；　I'll　see　that　they

have　plenty。〃



〃What　will　pa　say？〃



〃Your　pa　is　in　that　kind　of　sleep　now　where　he　won't

wake　up；　Billy；〃　said　Sinton。　　〃I　am　pretty　sure　the　law

will　give　you　to　me；　if　you　want　to　come。〃



〃When　people　don't　ever　wake　up　they're　dead；〃

announced　Billy。　　〃Is　my　pa　dead？〃



〃Yes；　he　is；〃　answered　Sinton。



〃And　you'll　take　care　of　Jimmy　and　Belle；　too？〃



〃I　can't　adopt　all　three　of　you；〃　said　Sinton。　　〃I'll　take

you；　and　see　that　they　are　well　provided　for。　　Will　you　come？〃



〃Yep；　I'll　come；〃　said　Billy。　　〃Let's　eat；　first　thing　we　do。〃



〃All　right；〃　agreed　Sinton。　　〃Come　into　this　restaurant。〃　

He　lifted　Billy　to　the　lunch　counter　and　ordered　the　clerk

to　give　him　as　many　glasses　of　milk　as　he　wanted；　and　a　biscuit。　

〃I　think　there's　going　to　be　fried　chicken　when　we　get　home；

Billy；〃　he　said；　〃so　you　just　take　the　edge　off　now；　and　fill

up　later。〃



While　Billy　lunched　Sinton　called　up　the　different　departments

and　notified　the　proper　authorities　ending　wi