Page:Caroline Lockhart--The full of the Moon.djvu/225

 I done tole you fifty times not to take that comb away from the house. Look out there where you was combin' Rover and see if you dropped it in the yard. Make yoahself perfectly to home, Mr. Evans, for I aims to treat you like you was my own."

Ben, without more ceremony, was temporarily installed as a member of the Blakely household, sleeping that night among innumerable Blakelys of both sexes, and at the table battling good-naturedly, but determinedly, for his portion of sour-dough bread and salt pork.

It was seldom that Mrs. Blakely's suggestions met with much favor from her husband, but in this instance her proposal as to a partnership between him and Ben did appeal to him because of its very obvious advantages.

Now that there was no longer any question as to who was depleting his herd, it meant constant vigilance and warfare, and of Ben's physical courage there could be but one opinion. The obstacle was Ben's entire lack of capital.

Mrs. Blakely furnished the solution of this problem also.