Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1890-09-26
SCALP RIDGE LOVERS.
BY MARY KYLE DALLAS.

i don't believe that 1T is true, said
Bess.
believe what you like; it is, an
swered Anna Thorpe. "Polly and | said
to each other that we'd tell you for your
own good. He said that when he asked
you you'd be glad to say yes.
Eyes, he did, said Polly. Honest
Injun, he did.
Bess Barrow's black eyes blazed. She
had not believed Anna; but Polly was a
good little girl, she did not think that
she would tell falsehood.
@If James Kinghorn said that, she
said, "he is contemplate puppy, and
despise him.
swell, we thought you ought to know,
said Anna
@Perhaps he has changed his mind, "
said little Polly.
@Pll make him, IL he has not, Bessy
said. "Have himi indeedi"
She walked away, tossing her head
and laughing, and Anna laughed, too.
She knew she had done mischief, and
she hated James Kinghorn because she
had tried to win him and had failed.
After all she had told no falsehood.
Young Kinghorn had said this very
thing. 1t was the merest joke, uttered
before he ever saw Bess Barrow, and
when Anna had believed that he admired
her.
Bessy, burning and stinging with
sense of insult, went home ready to re-
venge herself.
| She went down to the old butternut
tree where Kinghorn so often found her,
and thither he came in the cleaning.
| He sat down beside her and put his arm
around her and said:
"Bess, I've sold every pelt at good
price; I've got money enough now to
build house and furnish it as you ought
to have it / calculate to be rich man
yet, and so, after all that has come and
gone between us, suppose all have
to say is will you name the day?"
It was the worst speech he could have
made. To Bess it seemed to prove that
Anna told the truth.
"Ah," she said, "you think so, do
you? You've made very sure OF me;
bat you've made great mistake. I've
no wish to marry, and the young men
hereabout know it very well. Now
you've learned the lesson, too" King.
horn stared at her in amazement.
Certainly, if you hadn't liked me
| you'd never have encouraged me as you
have" he said. Bess knew she would
not, but her pride was up.
well, ] say what mean now, she
answered. "Of that you may be quite
certain.
you're not teasing me?" said King
horn. Really, Bess, can not believe
this. Why, you can not really refuse
me in that cool way. What are you
angry about9"
SAngry, said Bess. "Only at being
bothered so. Good night And if any
one asks you if you proposed to me, say
yes, and that refused you.
"Then I'll tell you this before go, !"
said Kingdom. "You are the sort of
girl that despise. The girl who leads
man on only to insult him, a despicable
| little tilt, and I'll think no more of you.
There are plenty of honest girls left in
/ the world, thank Heaven.
/ It was the wild West. remember, and
men, as usual thing, spoke their minds
| Kingdom had spoken his with ven
peance, in good round Saxon, and now
he went away, holding his head well up,
and Bess kept her tears back until she
had hidden herself in the house. Then
she cried bitterly. AS far as Kinghorn
went, she was not the girl he thought
her. She had honestly intended to
marry him, and she had loved him as
she never had dreamed of loving any
one. But she was willing to keep her
pride at the cost of her happiness, and
| make sure that this man could never
boast that she was ready to drop into
his mouth like ripe plum
Poor little idiot, how she suffered.
Anna, with her spite, could not have
desired her to feel more sorrow. And
when time passed, and Kinghorn seemed
to have vanished from the face of the
earth, she grew thin and pale, and lost
some of her good looks. And people
began to whisper that Kingdom had
| Tilted her. Only Anna guessed the truth
and rejoiCed.
For little while no one heard of the
young man. But soon he was seen
again-seen and heard Of through ths
country.
There was fame to be gained in ScalE
Ridge, where the @man who walloped
the sneak, Bud Riley, was noted per-
sonage. One day James Kinghorn wor
his position by killing q pair of great
bears, who came down upon Scalp Ridge
ax certain seasons and stole lambs, and
ence killed little child. and had 90 fal