Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1891-08-27
Copyrighted BY the American Press Association)

with me. Heaven forbid, But if
that was your idea | can understand
your tears he returned lightly, but
searching her face with earnest, anxious
eyes. "And is Donald with your"
st would hardly do for me to say
Heaven forbidr would it!p with an eff
fort at playfulness that sat but lamely
upon her. But he isn't"
"And how do | happen to find you in
this out of the way place? Where are
you bound:"
"'Out of the way placer tnis-'the
Pittsburg of the Westi Pueblo would
hang you in efigy if your blasphemy
We're overheard"
Gray shrugged his shoulders with a
comprehensive glance of contempt at the
visible town. But would you mind
saying whether you are travelling toward
home or away
II am going home; and, Of course, you
are going with me" having gained time
to make up her mind.
Thanks. Then if we are going by
this train we would better get on board.
The porter said only twenty minutes for
refreshments and" looking at his watch,
seventeen Of them are gone"
"And you have had nothing to eat!"in
CONSERVATION, with a woman's instinc-
tive concern for the material comfort of
those belonging to her.
II will have the porter rustic a lunch
and bring it to us on board. Are these
all the traps you have? taking her hand
bag and sun umbrella.
Are those not enough for a reasona-
BILE woman lightly. 1t might be EN-
barrassing to explain the presence of the
trunk. She could telegraph back for it.
" Speak of angels ct c~etera," ex-
claimed Gray, by and by, when the train
was on its way, almost incredulously re-
garding Anita across the narrow car
table, while she slipped a glass of claret
and played with a sandwich. ut seems
incredible even now. had just started
to wire you at Orodelphia that | was
coming, when, as if | had rubbed Alad-
din's lamp, there you stood before me.
You have not explained yet how you
happened to be there"
no" h~esitating a little. "Well, you
know that Aunt Martha wrote that she
wal probably coming
''And then she exercised her woman's
prerogative and changed her mind"
Something that a man never does"
with a hooking smile, grown almost
light of heart for the moment, in the
pleasure of seeing him.
Never, Cousin Nita," a glance she
might interpret as she chose flashing
from his bold black eyes.
"And not co%nceiving that she could be
so fckle," she deliberately continued,
II calculated that she ought to reach
Pueblo today, and being alone at home
with nothing to hinder
"Alone?' interpolated Gray quickly.
"Where is Donaldg'
away on a fishing trip" staring hard
at a bunch of cattle that, scared from
the track by the internal sc%reeching Of
the locomotive whistle, were wildly tear
ing across the country.
"All by himself?n supposedly.
"Oh, no; he is with a party"
II mean without you" persisted Gray,
regarding her keenly.
obviously, since | am here, redden-
ing a little, while she laughed rather
~constrainedly, II could not go with
him because | was expecting Aunt
Martha-don't you see? And SO, as ]
said, being alone it occurred to me that
there was nothing to prevent my going
down to Pueblo to meet her"
ITO meet Aunt Martial" staring at
her aghast, forgetting, in his surprise, to
bite the pear he had lifted to his mouth.
"And why not% coolly staring back at
him. ''yYhy should you doubt it?'
'Oh, | don't, of course, if you say SO;
only" a quizzical smile lifting the ends
of his heavy black mustache, lit just
strikes me, Nita, how abominably home
sick you must have been, in this wild
and woolly west, to be ready to rush a
hundred miles or so for the pleasure of
embracing Aunt Martha"
"Your penetration does you credit"
smiling lightly, but with the sadness re-
turning to her eyes. II think | have
been abominably homesick, Gray"