News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1891-01-22
She gave him contemptuous sur

"Ready-certainly. But | mus
warn YOU that it will be dark befor
we get back to FL Dorado"
VERY we'll" The brisk youn
woman took a sensible silver waite
from the waistcoat which was tn
very counterpart of Carlyle's ow
and glanced at it's face. "Ten mir
utes to two. The horses have hire
are warranted to travel ten miles a.
hour. TwO-till : ven-we can aC
complish fifty miles and not post
pOne your dinner-hour very greatly
The round distance could not b
thirtv, so we shall have two hour
,r;.s.a lion, = Ts+hotonrvi,,@ir oc2'
The unmistakable scOrn which EN-
phasized her inquiry stung Carlyl
like a nettle. Audibly, he said, adopt
ing her own terse speech, "I'll ge-
my hat" Mentally: "I'll teach thai
vixenl" Then rushed to the inner
sanctum for his white head-gear
"Contound her top-loftinessI'' he
muttered.
Jack-oh. Jackp'
"Well?" Snatching up a pencil
pad, and field-glass, and stowina
them about his person.
"She's begun"
Begun what?" drawing out q
backing brush from some hidden
depth, and dashing at the toes of his
dusty boots.
"Bossing."
Blankety blank"
" Jack, did you ever go to Sunday
school?"
Pm going nOwl" answered the
victim. and followed the customer
out to the blackboard. Before he
had reached it's seat the horses were
off, and he was ungracefully jerked
into the empty place beside her.
The team sped along at a pace
which promised to verify their own
er's words as to their capabilities,
and for the first distance no one
spoke. As they turned out of III
Dorado to the open, the girl called to
the driver: "NOt that way. North
first, to Sunset Ranch, then the Beau
site. Though / expect the Lucka-
long will suit me, I'll look at the 9th
erS, too"
GLOW have you heard So much of
the route?" and "ReckOn you've
ben here afore, hain't you, ma'am ~
asked Carlyle and the driver. stimuli
taneously.
by study. Nol" she answered
them both in one curt sentence.
"Used ter directin' an KNOWN
what you're bout, swan"
"Yes."
"It's a charming country" volun-
teered Carlyle, determined to make
her more voluble.
"That is why Icame-one reason, .
she corrected herself, truthfully.
Reckon you'velived in some right
smart of a town by yer looks"
At first she did not reply; but she
wars evidently more fiItsntiiy to tfrt
man in blue jeans than to his brother
in cheviot. - No; it was not n large
town. I've just graduated from
Woman's College" The depression
at the corners of the beautiful mouth
certainly deepened, and the brown
eyes accidentally glanced Carlyle
ward; but their gravity was pro-
found, and the intellectual brow
above them appeared so forbidding,
that the unhappy mortal dared not,
lust then, attempt the crushing OF
her spirit upon which he had so
rashly resolved.
"I shall be delighted to give you
any information you desire, although
YOU seem nearly as conversant with
our property as | am" There was a
delicate ring of sarcasm under the
suavity of the manager, which a dull
ear might have mistaken for fiatterY.
Jane Browns ears were not dull
They were like sea-shells in form and
lainty coloring, and like an Indians
for clearness. Nor were her bright
eyes III nd. With a little sidewise mo-
tion of her compact body, she man.
ged to remove herself a bit farther
fir I'm her fellow-traveler, and to look
ann squarely in the face. There was
not a trace of bOldness in her cool
raze, yet its object found it dlsa-
yreeabIe. 81 regret that was obliged
10 ask your company, Mr.. Carlyle. |
did it partly to satisfy my brother,
Iut mostly for FORMS sake"
80 | perceive" assented that un-
fortunate, grimly.
Luther Mellen's services had been
greatly in demand of late, but never
had he driven such a silent party
prospecting. He was used to un-
interrupted question and voluble an
Iwer, which he enjoyed amazingly.
But here was a probable home
steader," and a woman at that, who
could hold her tongue for the matter
of ten miles, without so much as one
word. He, also, became dumb with
At Sunset Ranch they tarried
Jrify, and the possible purchaser
'mployed her time in peculiar MAJ :
ner. She made MellCn drive to the
various points which commanded a
vi,w of the lands, and through her
glass examined nothing but the soil.
II the herbage which covered it.
"A magnificent outlookP' enthusi-
stically exclaimed Carlyle, who had
the merit of sincerity III his admira-
ton.
Yes" assented Miss Brown, with
characteristic breviiy. "Drive to
.Seausite next" There was some
nxiety. and a trihing disappoint-
nent in her tone.
But, pardon me, | do not think
hat you half comprehend the re-
,ources of this tract. Cannot you
give a little more time
"No. | have seen all that | wish.
What | seek is not here"
At Beausite it was the same. But
when they rode through the rolling
.ichness of Luckalong, the girl be-
anne transformed by wordiess eag-
rness, and a silent enthusiasm quite
quail to Carlyle's own. Even then,
apparently, her eye did not catch the
contour OF the ground. 1t was only
lhe green, fiower-dotted garment
which clothed it. The doubt which
nad shadowed her intelligent tace
gave way to joyful conviction, and
one little rapturous ejaculation es-
,aped her. " Exactly what | hoped =
'he cried, and clapped her well-gloved
hands
An action so Womanish both sur
prised and pleased herescort. Fem
nine, after all he thought, and
smiled toward her. "You like Luck
along best, | see"
Il like it and will buy it. You can
return to El Dorado, Mr.. Mellen."
John Carlyle stared. All his exper-
.ence had prepared him for no such
promptness as this. Perhaps, for
your own interests, you should eX-
anime property more thoroughly.