they're camped within thirty miles of the place," retorted Mrs. Blakely.
"How do you know!"
"I was tole," replied Mrs. Blakely with offended dignity.
Edith declared stoutly:
"I don't believe it!"
"You'll find out too late. When I was a girl"—Mrs. Blakely sighed sentimentally—"pa couldn't keep enough hay to winter his stock for the saddle-horses tied to his stacks. You know that song, 'The Yeller Rose of Texas beats the Belles of Tennessee'? Well, they's some says that was wrote about me. Anyway, I never lost a beau through bein' cut out. Edie"—Mrs. Blakely grew melodramatic—"I'd resort to nearly any vermifuge first!"
"What?"
"Fair means or foul, I'd keep him if I wanted him."
Edith pinned on her hat and did not look at her mother as she asked:
"But how would you keep him if he didn't want you?"
"They's ways!" Mrs. Blakely raised a
