The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1894-03-17
Through Santa (lalaWheat
By FRANCIS BRET HARTR

The rapidity Of motion which KEEP,
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 il,
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 fol
his apparently humorous enjoyment OF
the situation.
Had he taken it gravely she Nigh,
have been tempted to partly contide 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
ii. 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 slackeninc
speed. She turned inquiringly toward
him. He nodded his head with a hall
smile and "a gesture to her to look ahead.
The spires of San Jose were 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 a
Few fear of the precipitancy of her &C
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 wroEys and seek a
personal quarrel with the major. He
was a man of quick temper and had the
western ideas Of redress. Perhaps even
now she was precipitatiny duel be
tween them. Her cheeks grew wan
again, her breath came quickly; tears
gathered i'll her eyes. oh. she was a
dreadful girl, she knew it, She was an
utterly miserable one, and she knew
that too.
The reins were frightened, the pace
lessened and at last fell to walk. Con
scious of her telltale eyes and troubled
face she dared not turn 10 her compan-
ion to ask him why, but glanced across
the fields.
hen You first came didn't get to
know your name, Miss Mallory, but |
reckon l know your father"
Her father. What made him saw that,
She wanted to speak but she felt she
could not. In another moment. if he went
on, she must do something-shew would
cry.
Il reckon you'll be wanting to 20 to
the hotel first anyway"
There. she knew it. He would keen
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 a mo-
ments warning. the pride that had sus-
tanned her crumbled, and became as the
dust IN the road. She burst out and told
hlm-this stranger, this man she had
and everything. How she
had felt, how she had been deceived, and
what she had overheard
Il thought as much" said her com
panion quietly, land that's why sent
Tor your father"
You sent for my father? When
There: said Rose in astonishrnent.
esterday. He was to come today,
snd II we don't find him ut the hotel il
will be because he has already started tc
;ome here by the upper and longer road.
But you leave it to me, and don't you
ay anything to him Of this now. II he's
II the hotel I'll say drove you down to
how OF the mare. Sabe? II he isn't
III leave You there and come back here
o md him. I've got something u tell
him that will set You all right" He
miled grimly, lifted the reins, the mar.
tarted forward again, and the vehicle
md its occupants disappeared in a van.
shing dust cloud.
CHAPTER VI