E-text prepared by Al Haines Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations. See 18894-h.htm or 18894-h.zip: (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/8/8/9/18894/18894-h/18894-h.htm) or (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/8/8/9/18894/18894-h.zip) THEN I'LL COME BACK TO YOU by LARRY EVANS Author of Once to Every Man Illustrated by Will Stevens [Frontispiece: "I Ain't Never Seen Nothin'," He Stated Patiently. "I Ain't Never Seen More'n Three Houses in a Clearin' Before. I Ain't Never Been Outen the Timber--Till To-Day. But I Aim to See More Now--Before I Get Done."] New York Grosset & Dunlap Publishers Copyright, 1915, by The H. K. Fly Company. Copyright, 1915, by The Metropolitan Magazine Company. To the Memory of My Mother CONTENTS. Chapter I. I DON'T MIND IF I DO! II. THE LOGICAL CUSTODIAN III. THREE QUARTERS AND SIX EIGHTHS IV. I'LL TELL HER YOU'RE A BAPTIST V. THEN I'LL COME BACK TO YOU VI. MY MAN O'MARA VII. HARRIGAN, THAT'S ME! VIII. GREETINGS, SIR GALLAHAD! IX. A MATTER OF ORNITHOLOGY X. NOT A CHANCE IN THE WORLD XI. I NEVER DID LIKE TO BE BEATEN XII. THAT WOODS-RAT XIII. THIS LITERARY THING XIV. A GIRL LIKE HER XV. LAW AND LUMBER XVI. ACCIDENTS WILL HAPPEN XVII. HONEY! XVIII. I'M TELLING YOU GOOD-BYE XIX. SOME LETTERS AND A REPLY XX. BLUE FLANNEL AND CORDUROY XXI. SETTING THE STAGE XXII. IT HAPPENS IN BOOKS XXIII. TO-MORROW-- XXIV. --AND TO-MORROW, AND TO-MORROW XXV. IN REAL LIFE TOO ILLUSTRATIONS "I Ain't Never Seen Nothin'," He Stated Patiently. "I Ain't Never Seen More'n Three Houses in a Clearin' Before. I Ain't Never Been Outen the Timber--Till To-Day. But I Aim to See More Now--Before I Get Done." . . . . . . _Frontispiece_ "I've Always Had to Wait a Long Time for Everything I've Wanted," the Boy Answered, "But I Always Get It, Just the Same, if I Only Want it Hard Enough." "Blessings, My Children," He Called to the Two in the Shadow. "My Felicitations! and E'en though I know Not Your Identity, Still I May Sense Your Fond Confusion." "Oh, I Can't Tell You How Glad I Am to See You So--So Well!" THEN I'LL COME BACK TO YOU CHAPTER I I DON'T MIND IF I DO!