Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-04-13
SHE WAS A WOMAN.
For This Reason There Was No Occa-
sion for Surprise.

For This Reason There Was No Occa-
sion for Surprise.
W. J. hampton in Detroit Free Press.
The sun beat down that blistering after
noon on the little adobe cabin just beyond
the arroyo, and on the far side. in the
shade, sat two sweltering cow punchers,
with a pack of cards between them. 1t
was too hot for even this mild exercise.
but 1t served to keep their minds OFF the
weather, and they played lazily along. At
last one Of them threw his cards down.
by gravy, BILL" he exclaimed, II can't
play any more
whats the matter?" inquired Bill. TOO
hot for you?"
mo; faint that, though the Lord knows
it's most hot enough for anything. It's
that little girl down there at old Slocum's.' -
Whats she got to do with the gamer
asked Bill, in surprise.
Nothing much, guess, but good deal
with me-
"How?" and Bill picked up the pack and
began shuffiing the cards aimlessly.
'Oh, I don't know"
Stuck on herr" inquired Bill, with a
laugh which struck his companion as
rather harsh.
Not exactly, guess"
"Shes the purtiest thing in this valley"
said Bill, admiringly.
II know it," admitted the other. 81 was
down there last night and she was sweeter
tnan ever.
well" impatiently, what are you going
to do about it?'
What would you adviser
THAT depends on what kind of advice
you want"
II was thinking about marrying her."
Bill gave a long whistle and stopped shut
fling the cards.
what, marry a halfbreed, and you hav-
ing the kind of folks you have back in the
east?" he said, seriously.
don't see how i can get out of 1t hon.
orably," he reluctantly confessed.
Nothing between you. is there?' was the
nervous inquiry.
"Oh, no; but you see, I've been going
down there to see her for six months now,
and she has been kind of expecting me to
come. didn't think much about 1t at first,
but now, blame me If don't think about
her pretty much all the time. The last
four or five times I've been to see her she
showed me straight that she thought lot
Of me, and last night she told me every
thing. and said II I left her her heart
would break and she would drown herself
In the river. 1 can't stand that, you know,
and besides, I'd rather marry her myself
than have anybody else marry her."
She'll git old man Slocum's property
when he goes over the divide said Bill.
thoughtfully, land that's worth a pile"
Yes, but don't care for that. It's the
girl and my own honorable action in the
matter
They talked until the sun had sunk behind
the mountain and by that time it was de-
cided that Bill would go with his friend
joe and settle the business with the girls
father, old man Slocum. Early the next
morning they set out and before the sun
had reached the hot place in the heavens
they were at Slocum's.
where's Meg?" asked Joe, after they had
passed the compliments of the morning.
"Oh, she's skipped" answered Slocum.
with laugh.
'skipped?' gasped Joe.
Yes; skipped sometime In the night with
Pete Smiley, and she needn't "a done it,
fer Pete was agreeable to me-" and he
laughed again.
Joe felt something rise in his throat and
drop back again like piece OF lead. Bill
looked at him curiously.
Goals will be gals" said Bill, turning to
Slocum, but what we come down here to
see you about, Mr.. Slocum, is CATTLE" and
he carried it through nobly.