Arizona republican., 1898-09-26

1act or IL IS, though, could not bear to think of your riding over here all alone. It seemed hardly safe, really" An irrepressible little laugh burst from the girls lips. indeed. We'll, per haps I ought to thank you for your solicitude, but to tell the truth, don't think that I was in any very imminent danger"
 Another of the bridge poles might have broken; or you might have met a tramp"
 That is so likely, in this wilderness" laughing again. Nobody comes here but you"
 And am apologizing for coming"
 But you are not saying that you arc ,, sorry?"
 "I hope you are not?"
 T think you are assuming a good deal in expressing such hope," she retorted. But perhaps it is as well that you came. I can give you the handkerchief now and save you the trouble of riding on to the hut for it" There was twinkle of mischief in her eyes as she produced the small par eel from the saddle pocket.
 "Ah, thanks; but am going on, just the same. if you don't mind,'' he inn perturbably returned. q want to put a new paddock on the door in place of the one I so unceremoniously smashed the other day. You don't mind, really, do you?"
 Would it make any difference if did?" she rather tartly retorted. "All the difference in the world" promptly checking his horse, with d keen glance for the effect of the move ment.
 ''I should be sorry to thwart your good intentions in respect to the door," she said, with a demure smile, after a slight pause.
 ''Thank you" he returned, gratefully; and the ride was resumed. T am sorry that have to return the handkerchief in such a wrinkled condi tion," Dorothy remarked, hesitatingly, after awhile; II should have had it done up; but to send it to the laundry with that monogram"
 ''Ob, don't speak of it. It is not of the slightest consequence"
 Do you mean the monogram?" she flashed back, mischievously. Ut would seem to be of the very greatest conse- quence. I have never seen more beauti- ful work of the sort"
 "Oh, that-yes; she does that sort of thing very well, I believe" he returned, absently And the best of it is, she is never weary of well-doing. She is always sending me more."
 Indeed" hint of cold surprise ill the tone The truth was that with i'm pulsive argument quite feminine in it's tenor, it had become settled in Dorothy's mind that the exquisite stitchery on that handkerchief betrayed a sweet hearts gift. She would not like to con fess even to herself how often she had smoothed out the crumpled silk upon her lap, studying the interlaced letters with dreamy questioning in her eyes. Who was she, this other woman whose fingers had wrought so patiently and well? Surely she must have loved him; and he-had he loved her?-a cavilling sense of resentment growing in her mind toward him, who had been so ready to sacrifice his lady's token 10 the service of another. And now 10 hear him thus refer to her devotion, with that air of offhand indifference, filled the girls soul with vicarious wrath. T suppose she enjoys it." she tartlv observed.
 'Oh, yes; she gives her life to me, he said with happy complacency, quite deaf to the sarcasm in the tone. The girl stared at him almost aghast. What manner of man could he be, to talk thus to her, almost a stranger? While with more feeling in his voice he added: Tt almost brings a swelling in my throat when think of all she does for me-of all her love-the dear little mother"
 Your mother!" Dorothy repeated, ! surprisedly q did not know-I thought, perhaps" she stopped short, her face crimsoning painfully. Neil laughed, exquisitely fattered
 that she had evidently given thought
 to possibilities of tender significance i'll the token; but his face grew grave, al- i most sad, as he said: "In all my life, Miss Meredith, there has never been , any woman who would do as much as that for me except my mother. I am | almost afraid there never will be-" And your mother-she is in the east,
 I suppose" the girl hurriedly observed. Neil smiled, by no means dull to the little ruse to change the subject, but l he perceived the wisdom of following
 her tactful lead.> And so he talked of
 bis mother, his boyhood days and the O11 home. rocSinu thence tn Opuara ! topics, which, although he scarce knew it, really showed him at his best; for
 not only could he talk well on most sub jects when he tried, but he had that
 better gift of the conversationalist. a
 sympathetic intuition to draw out the
 others thoughts, so that Dorothy, who'll