The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1896-02-08

not ruin, his own chances with her.
Wherefore he resolved to proceed
with caution and to assure himself
that he was right before going ahead.
Say, Bart he asked in conf
DENTAL tone of Mats brother, who
rode a mile or two with him on his
bomeward way lato that night,
who's this ycre man Armstrong,
anyways?'
Bart HIston laughed. "Gittin
scairt a i'm, Sam? Didn't s'pose he
was worryin We at all, sho' didn't -
"Oh, l don't car p'tic lar, said
Sam hastily, with IA gesture of dep
recation "On'y I'm jos' sort o
cur us bout i'm, that's all. y
WAL fact is / d'no's l know
much about tn duck confessed
Bart. Seen i'm oncot, didn't yo2
Waal, all l know bout i'm is tt t
'es got ranch oveh on tn Pecos
an 'notheh one oveh b til Two Mile
ole Watrous place, ye know. Says
'e's goin t soil aout tn Pecos place
an move oveh t this country afteh
tn fall raound up. Seems t be
purity good soht o fellah, an acts
like 'e's got dough. He's somo ed
dicated too.
M hm, grunted Sam, as though
it was immaterial-al this informa-
ton about his rival And he said
nothing moro to Bart on the subject,
but certainly KEEP a-thinkin a lot,
as he would have expressed il. lIe
must make sure that his surmise
was correct, and thcn-well, Mr..
Armstrong, or Flynn, or whatever
his name was, would not only be do
cidedly out of the running, but was
| in fair way to conclude one Of his
visits at the Huston place at the end
of q reata.
But before Sam had time to think
out tho best plan for assuring him
self of Armstrong; identity with
Ned Flynn, he learned that that
gentleman was expected in a few
days on visit to Mat, and this in
formation, volunteered by Bart,
whom he met Oh tho range, decided
Sam-who had been at the point of
deciding for about two years-on a
course of action, and the very next
day he rode over to see Mat.
AS he rode up to tho house he no.
ticed that it looked singularly quiet,
and--so timid was he by this time
he almost hoped the folks were
all away, and that he could again
. postpone asking Mat the question
he had so long been wanting, yet
a. fearing, to ask. But Mat herself met
him at the door.
IVY, howdy, Sami' she ejacu-
lated. I'm right glad t sec yo!
Didn' know FIR sho' but what twas
some ono a-comin t. carry mo off y
I've a right good notion t do it, y
said Sam, with what he considered
remarkable audacity, and then he
failed to follow up this opening, but
asked, BE ye all alone, Mat?'
Il sh d say alone! Nav n paw :
gone & taown, Bart an ev'ry han s
aout on tn range, an even ol Man
, uela's done skipped-went ovah on
, tn creek to greaser fun raj. But
go an put Bill up an come in. Wei
have suppeh right soon. '
Sam soon returned to the kitchen
and mont |
open, watching Mat as she flittef
gracefully about the room preparing
supper. He took i'll every detail ot
the tall, 1.-the figure, the pretty face
, and the thick, tawny hair, with +
little curls that clustered about hel
+ neck. He wondered if she Woul(
ever let him handle those curls.
well, come n Craze, sammy,
she said finally. II reckon they
| amt but us two t eat this time.
, "Wondeh whut she d say ef / sh {
. tell 'er I wish't it was jest us TIVE
alays?" thought Sam. But he die
} not say it, being very timid and YER,
hungry besides. After supper, how
] ever, they sat out in the gallery,
1 and Mat gave him an opportunity t.
g speak.
"Seems funny, don it, f'r jest u
two t be a-sittin yere?' the girl said
/ smiling at him frankly.
Sam swallowed spasmodically; Iii
$ throat hurt him. why not FIR al
}, ays, Matt" he said finally in
t husky voice. Mat, darlin, s'pos
: me an ye fix it up t be t'getha
@ f'revah? Don 't-don stop me, h
a went on as the girl rose to her fee
;, and would have spoken. II be-
|, tryin t say it FIR two yeahs. Mai
g will ye marry me?'
}. The girl had one arm across he
@ eyes and was sobbing. "Oh, | wish
s We hadn't, SAM | wish t ye hadn
O "a spoken! Ihain t treated ye right
q Sam, haint. T.
@ VIII why
Il Il s'pose l got t. tell ye, Sam,
n she said more steadily, but with eye
d averted EFF l got t tell ye-ol
"a Sam, | was married t Harry Arm
IT strong last winteh, wen was ova