The Bad Lands cow boy. [volume] (Little Missouri, Dakota [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-1886, 1886-08-19

OF daylily very much, and some tea
rose cuttings, and a double Genoese
violet; q blue SALIVA too, and-Oh. Mr..
Calender look! There is Rose Porter
now, driving up the street in her pony
phaeton. Isn't she loyelyP'' go "a,
As the jaunty basket phaeton moved
Slowly ~, pretty, bright face glanced;
rom II, smiling cordially at Rhetta,5
a ana then was overspread by look Of
sudden 81! recognition and pleasant sur.
prise ct sight Of Ralph Calender, who.
took his hat off respectfully. ;.9gs;i
: ,, !, y ny, DO you know herP'' asked
q find 7 do. She and my sister Sal
" became good friends two years ago
At NeWport-or was it Nahant! And
Miss Porter spent the holidays at our
house the next winter. i thought it
must be she, when you described her. y.
Ralph Calender paused and gazed
.refeotively at the ground. He was re-
calling that gay holiday. season when
Rose Porter and his sister were the
bellies of their set. He could have
counted his friends then by the hum
dred. and noso-" Poverty does make
a difference" he thought bitterly. All
who had it in their power to aid him
had turned the cold shoulder. He was
simply q poor man seeking employ
ment. and he felt at odds with the
world. Il i & ;.jz, q,
U Rhetta, grown suddenly shy, pulled
away the dead leaves from pink root
and said nothing. Newport! Nahant!
And people like the Porters for init
mate friends. It seemed to remove
Ralph far from her quiet, even life,
and to set him where she had no part.
The basket phaeton was now seen re-
turning down the street with its pref
ty occupant, who stopped her ponies
opposite the cottage with such an evil
dent intention Of speaking to Ralph
Calender that he at once went out of
the garden and stood in the road at her
side. Rhetta saw them shake hands in
the most friendly manner, heard her
musical laughter and sweet voice,
though she could not distinguish the
words; and in a few moments more, to
her surprise, Ralph stepped into the
phaeton, sat down by Rose. took the
reins in his hands and drove rapidly
away, with q backward smile, which
seemed to say, She is an old friend.
you sect :; ss :.
But when he did not come home for
dinner she thought it strange. Her
father and Aunt Dorcas made no COM
ment, for Ralph had often been absent
at that hour when seeking for employ
ment. Rhetta did not mention that he
drove away with Rose Porter, but q
neighbor, who had watched them.
came in during the afternoon and spoke
of it with gieat interest. Aunt Dorcas
OF once felt great interest, too, and
Rhetta found it SO trying to listen to
their remarks and surmises that she
slipped out Of the house to her garden,
and did hard wedding in her flower
beds without sparing herself. But she
heard every step that passed by on the
sidewalk, and knew thai Ralph Callen-
der did not come. .:
i The afternoon waned restlessly away.
He would surely come back by supper
time; and Rhetta, in fresh gown,
with pansies at: her belt, hummed little
songs as she moved about setting the
table for Aunt Dorcas. 25 z
Il wouldn't put on that dish OF
honey, " said Aunt Dorcas-s .not till
you see whether he's coming"
.Oh, he'll Gomez said Rhetta; but
she stopped singing. ". II, ~
Mr.. Wood came in, washed his hands
at the sink and sat. down in his place at
! the table. Aunt Dorcas passed him a
cup of tea. q 81 81
Nv here's Callenderp'' he asked,
looking around. va I &
Why, haven't you heardP'''. said
Aunt Dorcas. He drove off with Rose
Porter and we haven't caught sight OF
him since. y \; =. ~ i. 8 81.
333. The Porters are old friends Of his, -
said Rhetta flushing up. J, 81
Hunt hum!n muttered her father,
as he drank his tea from the saucer, in
which he had cooled it.
Aunt Dorcas now: questioned the girl
as to all she knew about this old friend
ship and at the close, said, with the
air OF one who meant to do her duty
( BY all, no matter how mercilessly:
.Well, like as not they II make match
OF It. Birds Of q feather flock togeth-
!ssg, +
Supper was over, cleared away, and
all the dishes washed, but still Ralph
Calender did not come AS it grew
dark Mr.. Wood strolled off to chat with
the neigbors, and Aunt .Dorcas, putting
on her bonnet and black silk shawl,
went to weekly prayer meeting. Rhet-
ia, left free from comment, went up
into her little garden and leaned
against the plum-tree, with strange
dull pain gnawing at her heart. 1t
seemed like days and weeks since Ralph
drove away with smiling pretty Rose
Porter And she herself had begun to
think of him Us somehow her own.
That very morning. under that very
uee, there had been in his looks and in
his tones touches of tenderness that
had filled her heart with subtle happin-
ess. But now it was all over, in an in
stant she had lost him. Rose Porter
had taken him away, and though he
might come back, he would never,
never be the same Ralph again. She
felt q girlish certainty Of that. The
little bright dream was over.
rs AT first she did not blame Rose.
Very probably she had loved him two
years ago, and had been influenced to
give him up on account of his; power
y, and nov, regretting the step, had
come to reclaim him. ~ /.
3.6S...Well. / can take my turn and give
him up too. = thought Rhetta with great
hot tears springing to her eyes. Only
lean never drive after him and bring
back in q phaeton. = va s;,s
And at that she threw herself upon
the dewy grass, and Wept unrestrained-
": She was too young to be capable
OF the terrible, fearless, sorrow with
which an older woman may meet be.
reayement and hear break. She only
knew that everything had changed
since morning, that Ralph had gone
away, that she was very very wretched,
and that no one must know OF it. y