Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1894-03-22
Through Santa Clara Wheat
By FRANCIS BRET HARTR

The rapidity of motion which kept
them both with heads bent forward, and
seemed to force back any utterance that
rose to their lips, spared Rose the obi
cation of conversation, and her compan-
ion was equally reticent. But it was
evident to her that he half suspected she
was running away from the Randolphs,
and that she wished to avoid the en-
barrassment of being overtaken even in
persuasive pursuit. 1t was not possible
that he knew the cause of her flight, and
yet she could not account for his evident
desire to befriend her, nor above all for
his apparently humorous enjoyment of
the situation.
Had he taken it gravely she might
have been tempted to partly confde in
him and ask his advice. Was she doing
right, after all? Ought she not to have
stayed long enough to speak her mind
to Mrs. Randolph and demand to be
sent home? No! She had not only
shrunk from repeating the infamous
SANDER she had overheard, but she had
terrible fear that if she had done so
Mrs. Randolph was capable of denying
il. or even charging her with being still
under the influence of the earthquake
shock and of walking in her sleep. No.
She could not trust her-she could trust
no one there. Had not even the major
listened to those infamous lies? Had
she not seen that he was helpless in the
hands of this cabal in his own house
hold-a cabal that she herself had
thoughtlessly Joined against him?
They had reached the first slight
ascent. Her companion drew out his
watch, looked at it with satisfaction and
changed the position of his hands on the
reins. Without being able to detect the
difference she felt they were slackening
speed. She turned inquiringly toward
him. He nodded his head with half
smile and a gesture to her to look ahead
The spires of San Jose We're already
family uplifting from the distant fringe
OF oaks.
So soon! In half an hour she would be
there, and then! She remembered sud
denly she had not yet determined what
to do. Should she go on at once to San
Francisco, or telegraph to her father and
await him at San Jose. In either case
new fear Of the precipitancy of her ac-
ton and the inadequacy of her reasons
had sprung up in her mind Would her
father understand her? Would he un-
derrate the cause and be mortified at the
insult she had given the family of his
old friend, or, more dreadful still, would
he exaggerate her wrongs and seek
personal quarrel with the major. He
was a man of quick temper and had the
western ideas of redress. Perhaps even
now she was precipitating duel be-
tween them! Her cheeks grew wan
again, her breath came quickly; tears
gathered in her eyes. Oh, she was
dreadful girl, she knew it! She was an
utterly miserable one, and she knew
that too!
The reins were tightened, the pace
lessened and at last fell to a walk. Con-
scious of her telltale eyes and troubled
face she dared not turn to her compan-
ion to ask him why, but glanced across
the fields.
"When you first came didn't get to
know your name, Miss Mallory, but /
reckon know your father"
Her father! What made him say that?
She wanted to speak but she felt she
could not. In another moment, if he went
on, she must do something-she would
cry!
81 reckon you'll be wanting to go to
the hotel first anyway"
There! she knew it! He would keep
on! And now she had burst into tears.
The mare was still walking slowly;
the man was lazily bending over the
shafts as if nothing had occurred. Then
illogically, and without mo-
ment's warning, the pride that had sus-
tanned her crumbled, and became as the
dust in the road. She burst out and told
him-this stranger! this man she had
and everything. How she
had felt, how she had been deceived, and
what she had overheard.
81 thought as much," said her COM
panion quietly, "and that's why sent
for your father"
"You sent for my father? When
where" said Rose in astonishment.
Yesterday. He was to come today.
and if we don't find him at the hotel it
will be because he has already started to
come here by the upper and longer road.
But you leave it to me, and don't you
say anything to him of this now. If he's
at the hotel I'll say drove you down to
show off the mare. Sabe? If he isn't
I'll leave you there and come back here
to find him. I've got something to tell
him that will set you all right" He
smiled grimly, lifted the reins, the mare
started forward again, and the vehicle
and its occupants disappeared in van.
ishing dust cloud.