Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1895-07-19

glad to pay literally for your trouble. !"
ut is not a question of money" He
showed certain hurt dignity. And I
would not particularly mind the ride
alone and on horseback, but to under
take it with you-can you not see that it
is on your account that I dare not try it?"
But if am willing to risk it,
"But you do not know what the risk
MEANS" he said very decidedly. If
you should be compelled to spend tie
night in the open air listening to the
voices Of the coyotes, I am sure you
would blame me more severely for let
ting you take such chances than you do
now for refusing to 60"
II am not blaming you, but if Mr..
and Mrs. Ellery had met me would they
not have driven back tonight"
Indeed they would have done moth
ing Of the sort. They always stop over
at Cameron's when they come down.
The round trip is too much for one day. I"
Edith sighed wearily, abandoning
that hope. 'But as you are situated it
seems rather-well, undesirable-that
you should be called to entertain wom
en-, it seems to me, she murmured, fall
tering embarrassedly. II am afraid I
ought not to have come"
II am sorry that it did not occur to
me to explain at the outset that there
are no women on the place." he re-
turned, with simple directness, q fire of
sharp impatience in his eyes. 1T was
perhaps inexcusable in me to overlook
it, but have lived so long in the west
that had simply forgotten that lady
could feel herself unprotected and even
perhaps IN danger with a dozen men
about her. "
But have not intimated anything
of the sort, she cried, rega ding him
resentfully that he had dared to read
her thought so clearly. "Of course I
should prefer going on to the ranch,
but since you are unwilling to under
take that She bit her under lip vex-
edly, hoping to goad him into tardy as
sent.
Perhaps you would prefer to return
to the depot" slackening the pace Of
the horses, while he regarded her with
exasperating calm, his sunburned face
flushing shade darker than it had been
before. "You could be sure of a chap
eron there, of course, though the role
might be a new one for good Mrs Flan-
nigan.
Certainly notp' she cried sharply,
inexpressibly nettled at the tone Now
that am here I propose to stay-if I
am allowed. "
LAS a choice of evils?" smiling
broadly. "Well, think you are wise. I"
Edith was looking away in an offended
dignity. and they rode down the last
small hill in silence, the road leading
by the barn to the house. II will call
Mr.. Blythe, the manager, who is stand
ing in the door yonder," he remarked
indifierently when they were near the
barn. HE has charge of the house. "
She had been looking cnriously at the
group of men, rough of dress and in no
case prepossessing of feature, grouped
against the black background of that
wide doorway. At Browns call one Of
them came toward the team, furtively
eying the stranger. Miss Ellery's ideal
of the cowboy, somewhat shaken by the
looks and bearing of her escort, seemed
fairly restored in this individual, who
was evidently of more common clay
and painfully conscious of that fact III
the presence of this smartly clothed
young woman.
"Let me introduce Mr. Blythe, Miss, >"
Brown began, halting at the name. with
n questioning glance.
MY name is Ellery. I am Hugh El-
lery's sister," she said to the new
conner, with her most gracious smile,
rather pitying the mans embarrass-
ment and going OH to explain about
the miscarried telegram. wanted 10
hire team to take me onto the K ranch
tonight, but Mr.. Brown did not seem
to think it would be advisable" she
concluded, with lingering hope that
this gentleman might perhaps be inclin-
ed toward the furtherance of her wishes.
mo; hardly pay you to make the trip
by night unless you like camping" he
said, with a wooden smile. "And there's
no need either We've got room enough,
Lord knows. Drive on to the house,
Brown, and We'll see what we can do
to make the lady comfortable In some
way he attached himself to the back of
the blackboard, whence he presently
sprang down to open a door of the
house, with cordial, if somewhat awk-
ward, hospitality.
"Come right in, " he cried as Brown
helped the girl to the ground. Brown,
just bring in the lady's things. Here,
you, Joe." going to the door and shout
ing in the direction of the barn, "come
over and hold these horses And I guess
I'll just light up the fire. Itgrows chill
ly here evenings this time of the year.
This to the guest, who stood by the
door, curiously glancing about the room.
1t was still light enough to see that the
place was furnished with a certain ele-
gance, although bare of ornament and
arranged with the uncompromising
stiffness that told of a masculine hand.
Already the CHEEKY matter of factness
of her reception had fairly assuaged her
foolish fears.
"You can take any of these" Mr..
Blythe remarked, Hospitality throwing