as she picked it up quick. 

75

And so—she took it home and fixed it on a little chain and wore it around her neck. 

She did not know and nobody ever told her a gold buckskin whincher is different from just a plain common whincher. It has a power. And if a thing has a power over you then you just naturally can’t help yourself. 

So—around her neck fixed on a little chain Blixie Bimber wore the gold buckskin whincher and never knew it had a power and all the time the power was working. 

“The first man you meet with an X in his name you must fall head over heels in love with him,” said the silent power in the gold buckskin whincher. 

And that was why Blixie Bimber stopped at the postoffice and went back again asking the clerk at the postoffice window if he was sure there wasn’t a letter for her. The name 76 of the clerk was Silas Baxby. For six weeks he kept steady company with Blixie Bimber. They went to dances, hayrack rides, picnics and high jinks together. 

76

All the time the power in the gold buckskin whincher was working. It was hanging by a little chain around her neck and always working. It was saying, “The next man you meet with two X’s in his name you must leave all and fall head over heels in love with him.” 

She met the high school principal. His name was Fritz Axenbax. Blixie dropped her eyes before him and threw smiles at him. And for six weeks he kept steady company with Blixie Bimber. They went to dances, hayrack rides, picnics and high jinks together. 

“Why do you go with him for steady company?” her relatives asked. 

“It’s a power he’s got,” Blixie answered, “I just can’t help it—it’s a power.” 

“One of his feet is bigger than the other—how 77 can you keep steady company with him?” they asked again. 

77

All she would answer was, “It’s a power.” 

All the time, of course, the gold buckskin whincher on the little chain around her neck was working. It was saying, “If she meets a man with three X’s in his name she must fall head over heels in love with him.” 

 Prev. P 27/79 next