"Polly's wisp enough for one ranch! So Ah'm not looking for style but
stock. Do you-all know one, Jim?"
"Ah do that! Sary Dodd's her name. You know Bill Dodd, don't yuh--he
never 'mounted to much as a rancher."
"Seems to me Ah do! The name's familiar, anyway. Did he come from
Yellow Jacket Pass way?" asked Mr. Brewster, scratching his neck,
thoughtfully.
"The same! Wall, he died an' left Sary with nothing but funeral costs.
She had to sell that measly ranch that Bill held a quarter interest in
to pay bills, and now she hain't got nawthin' but her health. Better
see Sary, Sam."
It was the dawn of hope for Mr. Brewster. Since starting on his
self-appointed search, he had been growing more and more despondent of
success. Now he urged his horse towards Yellow Jacket Pass to find Sary
Dodd.
After seeking at various ranches for the elusive Sary, he located her.
But she was not elusive looking. She was six feet in height and would
tip the scales easily at two hundred pounds.
"Are you widow Dodd? Jim Sattler sent me to see if you-all would like a
place to live out? We-all have company for the summer and my wife needs
help," explained Sam Brewster.
Sary beamed and exchanged polite introductions. "You-all tuk me clar
off my feet, Mr. Brewster. Yes, Ah did think some of goin' in a reel
good fam'ly to wuk, but nawthin' come up fer me, so Ah'm visitin' the
neighbors. Do you-all want me immijit?"
The rancher saw that Sary was over-anxious to accept his offer of a
place, but he was not the man to take advantage of her in financial
matters. So he replied:
"Ah s'pose we ought to fix the wage, but Mrs. Brewster wants some one
at once, and you-all can settle salary when you-all get there."
"Ah've heerd tell what a square man you-all was, Mr. Brewster, an' now
Ah knows it!" Suspicious moisture filled Sary's eyes as she spoke.
"Ah've won a way by being honest in all my dealings, for it pays in the
end. But tell me--can you come along?"
"Ef you-all kin wait, Ah'll tie up my bundle in a minit!" agreed Sary,
anxiously.
"All right! But don't waste any time packing your ball-gowns, Sary,"
laughed Mr. Brewster, facetiously, as the load of trouble rolled from
his heart. Sary was soon perched beside the rancher on the high spring
seat of the lumbering ranch-wagon, tenderly holding a half-dead rubber
plant. On that drive, her host heard more of every family history of
the ranchers for miles around than he had ever dreamed of knowing even
if he lived to be a hundred.
Sary Dodd arrived at the ranch-house the day before the visitors were
expected. Mrs. Brewster and Polly were in the midst of a light
house-cleaning as the strangers must not find a speck of dust anywhere!
"Maw, here's Sary Dodd! Ah got her to help!" shouted Sam Brewster,
pulling up his horse by the side of the porch.
"Sary Dodd! Oh, Sary, I'm right glad to see you! Come in, won't you?"
greeted Mrs. Brewster, coming to the door.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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