Arizona republican., 1892-08-26
ON THE SNAGS.

A firm, quick step sounded behind her on the hard country road, and though shewell knew whose step it was, and her heart throbbed and her breath came quicker, she only turned her head non- chalantly and said flippantly:
 "0h! It is your
 "Yes, it is me. You knew it was me. Are you going to throw me overS" and the big fellows voice shook and his fair face flushed with pain.
 "Throw you overl Gentlemen never use slang-to ladies'"
 "You know what l mean. Jean, are you aware that you refused to dance every dance with me today?"
 "I really forget; my memory, you know"-
 "One moment, if you please, and then have done. Is it yes or noY'
 Hunt, don't be stupid. You know l hate to be remarked on."
 "And so do 1, and l will not again be subjected to the remarks heard today. Once more, is it yes or no?'
 "Well, no, then, if you press the point"
 Be it so." And, with a grave bow, Hunt Ashly turned and was gone.
 Pretty Jean Inslow was stunned for a moment, then swallowed a gulp in her throat as pride battled to the front.
 "Let him go. If a man is such fool that he cant see-pshaw! nobody cares"
 And then, to prove that nobody did care, she sat down and cried until her pretty eyes looked like stewed ferres's and her pretty little nose had the ap- pearance of an apoplectic lobster.
 There's one thing morally certain, |" she continued-"of all things in the wide world there's nothing l hate like men,"
 This last remark was made out loud, and intended for the benefit of the trees and the wide eyed purple violets: but, alas! it reached the ears of tall fellow, with blond hair, who stood just on the other side of the blossoming hedge.
 He gave a slight whistle and com pressed his lips a little firmer as he strode of under the low, dropping trees, without once looking behind.
 "Well, have done it now. I'm glad he heard me say hated him. Nobody cares. I'll go to the dance tonight with Phil, and firt toe."
 And Jean, with her head very high in the air, tried to persuade herself that she really didn't care
 Hunt Ashly went on down the road through the shaded village street and stopped at the gate of vine wreathed cottage. A black eyed, pleasant faced girl was tying up some of the vines on trellises.
 "Bess," he said, helping her twine up golden tipped jasmine, twill you go to the dance with me tonightY'
 What? Where's Jean?"
 "Qusrreled.
 "Ahl see. I'm invited for cats paw, eh?"
 "No. asked you because I did not wish to go alone"
 Well, all right, I'll go. The fact is, I've quarreled with Phil, and-and I'd FdIner go With you t1dn not.
 Jean and Bess were the two prettiest girls in the village, and the two best dancers besides, and that night when Jean and Phil appeared Bess and Hunt had just finished the first set.
 Each took in the situation at a glance. Bess and Jean called each other hard names under their breath and hated each other in small minded, womanly way intensely. The men stood and eyed each other fercely and pulled their mustaches, and looked as if it would give them the most exquisite pleasure to annihilate each other.
 "Phil," said Jean, "come out on the piazza with me-"
 "The piazza? Oh, certainly But where are they goingT
 Following us, it seems"
 Close as their own shadows Hunt and Bess stuck to them, and, though there were great many tender things uttered on both sides, there was certainly not very much scope for so called Irritation. "Bess," presently called Jean, ''are you going boating tomorrow"
 "fes, perhaps.
 ''Miss Bess is going in my boat. Whose boat do you grace, Miss Jean2 Con found that gibbering idiotY'
 "Oh, Phils, of course" leaning ten derly toward hiri. CT hate Bsss Milleri His boat, indsedrD
 And the next morning the gayly painted bo4ts rocked over the heart of tSe pulsiag river as the stalwart arms o! the oarsmen rowed against the gur- gling nipples; then, throwing down their cars, they lazily drifted back with the current.
 But the two boats Jean and Bess were i1 still shot up the stream.
 Hunt, let us go back. We'll be on the snags presentlyr
 And Bess' face was ashen pale.
 "Call Phil back; he must be madw And Jean, in the other boat, was say ing;
 Phil, drive on the snags. You don't care. and don't Hunt knows the dan ger. He'll stop in time"
 It was dangerous place, where the