Iron County register., 1898-03-03

but for the splaShing fall of garnered
rain-drops from the branches overhead
and the sucking sound OF the horses
hoof-beats in the sodden ground. Once
he turned to ask if she found the motion
painful for her wrist; and again, when
they came to the point where she had
missed the way, he remarked that it
would have been strange if she had dis
covered trail so hidden by the crowd
ing, quaking asps; but she answered
him only in monosyllables, and he
presently abandoned all effort toward
sociability.
They were equally relieved, perhaps,
when they finally came out on the brow
of the hill at the west of the Mascot
mine. The constraint was becoming
almost unbearable. "It will not be
necessary for me to bore you much long
er, you see," the young man observed, a
touch of satire in his smile. For the
narrowness of the way they had been
riding single file, and he had waited
here for her to come up beside him.
"You are going to stop-there?" she
exclaimed, looking down the wide
draw to where a group of bare, unpaiNt-
ed buildings clung TO the hillside.
"Yes. You had already guessed it,
had you not?-that am Harvey Neil.
of the Mascot?" looking her hardly in
the eyes, with an assumption Of cool
nonchalance. 81 did not intrude my
::eif before, because"
Because you knew that 1 would be
drenched q hundred times over rather
than accept any favor from Harvey
Neil, of the Mascot" she flashed out,
her eyes ablaze with wrath. She was
surprised at the vehemence of her feel
ing, at the poignant sense of disap-
pointment and i'll usage which was fill
ing her with desire to visit with fierce
punishment his air of smiling uncon-
Germ. 81 suppose it seemed to you a
joke to take me into delude me with
talk of your acquaintance with my IA
ther-to let me go on as though you had
been an old friend, until had been be-
trayed to such a frankness of speech
that even you were ashamed of
the mean advantage you were TAX
ing. I did guess after that; at
least I thought there must be some
thing; but could not-I would not be-
lieve it could be so bad as this. I was
so sure that you were a gentleman."
''See here, Miss Meredith, you are GO
ing too far" he interposed authorita-
lively. light in his eyes before which
her angry glance wavered. 81 did not
force myself upon you; you must re-
member that. I ran across you by acci-
dent, just as l did at the worlds fair.
1 found you in 4 pouring rain, your
wrist sprained u.-i your horse foun-
dered. In common decency l could do
no less than take you to shelter; and-I
tried to behave like gentleman; you
must at least give credit for the inten-
ton. did not talk of any acquaintance
with your father; merely admitted
that 1 knew him when you asked me.
AS to deluding you into imprudent
speech, it was my fatal blunder that
stopped you at the very first word in
the smallest degree compromising.
could not take advantage of you in such
a way; and when you are calmer you
will know that could not"
"But it was not honest to let me go on
for a moment supposing that you were
a FRIEND" the girl returned, implacably,
gazing straight ahead.
81 was a friend-I am-to you, Miss
Meredith" he impetuously retorted.
Heaven knows we have no quarrel,
whatever may lie between your father
and me. I did not venture my name for
that very reason; it was so sweet to
meet you again so nearly on the footing
of an old friend. So long as had no
name you thought me a gentleman
you have said so; and for just so long
you accorded me the same measure OF
kindness that you might have given to
any other man under the same circum.
stances. It was stolen pleasure, GER
tainly; but it has given me one good
hour to remember out of many bad ones
at Windy Gulch. If you grudge it to
me, I am sorry; but for the thing it
self-my sin of omission, if you please
Il shall not pretend to be sorry in the
least. I am glad of it, and always shah
be, whatever you have to say, Miss Mere
dith."
The girl rode on for a couple of min.
utes in silence, with little scornful air
of ignoring his existence; then, as
though of sudden bethinking herself,
she looked around, her cheeks flaming
red, her eyes shining with brightness
which seemed perilously akin to tears.
81 suppose it would be waste of time
to discuss the point of honor in the
case,' she said, tartly. 'And I am sure
I need not trouble you to come any
farther, Mr.. .- Neil" bringing out the
name with evident disrelish.
"All right" he acquiescently re-
joined, checking his horse at once.
"But-I wish we could part friends
Miss Meredith"
'Ah, we can never be friends-never!
Can you not see that?"
There was an odd flash in Harvey
Neil's eyes as he leaned forward, intent
ly regarding her averted face for an in
stant, and his voice was eXquisitely gen
tie as he impetuously exclaimed: 81 be-
lieve you are almost as sorry to say
that, Miss Meredith, as. I am to hear
you. And if that is so, we are friends,
in spite of everything"
"Never!" she vehemently retorted.
giving the horse a smart touch with the
whip; and without another word she
dashed away down the hill, leaving him
looking blaukly after her.