The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1902-12-05
CHAPTER XIV.

THE IDEA OF MISTRESS DEBBY.
well, madam, you seem greatly
pleased with yourself" said I, a week
later, as we rode two stanch beasts
northward toward Tarrytown.
"Th:>ulz ycr, sir. l am quite at my
eCse. I trust that your highness is
pleased with me-" and Debby looked
across at me with q species of s%elf-con-
tanned smile from under the hood, or
cap, or whatever the thing she wore
was called. 1t a this self-same
smile, which I had noted throughout
the day and which seemed to conceal
something, that made me put the
query.
Madam" said 7, Il have the honor
to love your ladyship, and it would be
difficult for you to displease me at the
moment"
do not be so sure, Monsieur Merton!
You have a very bad temper, as l.
"Oh, ave T."
Yes, now thai I think of it, you
have frequently treated me atrocious-
ly.'
when, if it please your
well, once on a time, when a certain
Wayward Maiden
"Wayward maiden! 1 should think
So
"When a certain hayward maiden
asked a churlish horseman to help her
lIOIIl llGT DTOkGIl COdCll, anu 1O oldll Co
to ride away
"Ah, but Debby dear, I did not know
you them"
There is no question Of that just
now
"Well?"
again, when some one. being but a
weak and shy girl
God save the mark! Good again!
Weak and fiddlesticks!"
tiyNhnr q I,nrIy Sou maiden nhinHfa6
to having a h~ighwayman climb in at
her window"
mot at ALL" said I, for that was still
a sore point. mot at all! IT was the
hall window, in the first place; and,
Furthermore, I would have you to know,
Debby, that you might have recognized
an honest man, and believed, too, that
I would never have intruded myself
upon you, had it not been for your
own good"
IF 1 mistake not" said she, with a
sweet and innocent smile, some great
lord said but a momen ago that he
had no temper and could not be irri-
tated by"
IT said just So" I persisted, in truth
q, bit disturbed by the innocent de-
meanor I knew now so we'll. But it is
not fair to throw such things in my
face"
She doubled up in the saddle and
laughed merrily for a moment; n
then, looking up at me, she said:
Merton, dear, If you could but look
at that great serious face Of yours
once in a while, you would certainly
die Of laughing"
my face, Mistress Deborah, is no
doubt
But she turned her horse suddenly
towards me n put her little gloved
hand over nv mouth.
You stupid! Never tell me I cannot
anger you! Dost not know, sir, that I
shall nave to spend all the time you
nave off duty teaching you some kind
of a sense Of humor? Why, Merton,
my friend, I could make you so mad in
two seconds that you would jump up
and down and kick the furniture, and
doubtless draw that huge sword Of
yours n brandish it over my head"
Come here, madam, and I will chas-
tise you d~isrespectful mouth now"
and I turned towards her. But she sent
her nag kiting ahead at a gallop, and
I started in hot pursuit-angry, pleased,
and above all, SO happy with her for my
companion that I forgot all else-forgot
our present position, until I saw a Brit
ish soldier step into the road ahead of
us and call her to a halt. I was by her
side in an instant; and, giving my
passes to the picket, followed him into
the g~uardhouse Of the Tarrytown out
post.
ICoro11aoS NJav+ Wool,