AN OLD, OLD FRIEND
"Etyet?"
"Not sence daylight. I seen your tepee up toward the top and thought maybe I could locate your wagon and git dinner."
" I'll feed anybody that's hungry," Bowers replied am- biguously.
The stranger asked innocently:
" Who does this Outfit belong to?"
"Miss Kate Prentice owns this brand."
" Oh — the * Cheap Queen' I"
Bowers's head swung as though on a pivot.
"What did you say?"
"I've heerd that's what they call her."
Bowers's eyes narrowed as he answered:
"Not in my hearin'." Then he added: "Nobody can knock the outfit I'm workin' for and eat their grub while they're doin' it. Sabe? "
"Don't know as I blame you," the stranger conciliated.
"I'll go cook," said Bowers shortly, getting up.
The stranger urged politely:
"Don't do nothin' extry on my account."
"I ain't goin' to," Bowers responded. " If we had some ham we'd have some ham and eggs if we had eggs. Do you like turnips ? "
"I kin eat 'em."
" My middle name is * turnips,' " said Bovers. " I always cooks about a bushel I"
The look that his guest sent after him was not pleasant, if Bowers had chanced to see it, but since he did not, he was in a somewhat better humor by the time he hung out of the wagon and called with a degree of cordiality:
"Come and git it!"
The visitor arose with alacrity.
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