El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-03-31


| there alone, surrounded by horde OF
rude cowboys, with put one womanly
presence to offer hostage for their good
conduct, seemed for the moment SO
dreadful that she was speechless.
Certainly; 1 am sure it must be very
; comfortable, she murmured, with a
palpable effort to be civil, measuring
her companion anew in a sweeping
glance which was somewhat reassurlng.
Instinctively she felt that she might
trust to him for protection in any event,
but still the situation was unusual, I'M
conventional. She did not like it. but
now that we are started why can we
not go on to X 6 ranch? / would be
glad to pay literally for your trouble. -
1T is not a question Of money" He
showed a certain hurt dignity. And
would not particularly mind the ride
alone and OIL horseback, but to under
take it with you-can you not see that it
s on your account that dare not try lt?,'
But if 1 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 the
night in the open air listening to the
! voices of the coyotes, l am sure you
| would blame me more severely for let
ting you take such chances than you do
now for refusing to go.
I 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.
Edith sighed YEARLY, abandoning
that hope. But as you are situated it
seems rather-well, undesirable-that
you should be called to entertain wom
ell, it seems to me, - she murmured, fall
tering embarrassedly. 81 am afraid
ought not to have come. -
Il 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. fire of
sharp i1npatience in his eyes. ''It was
perhaps inexcusable in me to overlook
it, but 1 have lived so long in the west
that had simply forgotten that a lady
could feel herself unprotected and even
perhaps III danger with dozen men
about her.
But l have not intimated anything
of the sort, - she cried, regarding him
resentfully that he had dared to read
her thought so clearly. ''Of course 1
should prefer going on to the ranch,
but since you are unwilling to under
take that She bit her under lip veX-
eddy, hoping to goad him into tardy as
sent.
perhaps you would prefer to return
to the depot, - slsckening the pace of
the horses, while he regarded her with
exasperating calm, his sunburned face
flushing a 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. Elan
nigan.
Certainly not,'' she cried sharply,
incxpreSsibly nettled at the tone. Now
that l am here l propose to stay-if 1
am allowed -
LAS choice of evils:'' smiling
broadly. well, I think you are wise. -
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. Il will call
Mr.. Blythe, the manager, who is stand
ing i'll the door yonder, he remarked
indifferently when they We're near the
barn. He has charge of the house.
She had been looking curiously 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 T!
looks and bearing of her escort, seemed !
fairly restored i'll this individual, who
was evidently of more common clay /
and painfully conscious of that fact in !
the presence of this smartly clothed
young woman.
Let me Introduce Mr.. Blythe Miss, -
Brown began, hating at the name, with ;
a questioning glance.
My name is Ellery. [ am Hugh Ell
Iery sister, she said to the new
conner, with her most gracious smile,
rather pitying the mans embarrass-
ment and going on to explain about
the niscarried telegram. L wanted to
hire II team 70 take me onto the K ranch
toni ght, hut 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 furtherauce of her wishes. I
NO; hardly pay you to make the trip
by night unless you like camping'' he
said, with wooden smile. And there's
10 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 i'll, " he cried as Brown
helped the girl to the ground. Brown,
lust bring in the Iady's THINGS Hera