The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1902-07-11

closer to her, for I thought she would
sway off the nag's back.
{ But her eye grew bright again on a
sudden.
DO not fear, SIR" said she. with her
chin in the air. II am no chicken
hearted maid. I do not require the
support of an arm-not even when that
arm belongs to husband"
Mistress Philipse,' said I earnestly,
resting a hand on her horses name,
you have twice referred to part of
last nights performance with the scorn
that, God knows, you no doubt feel.
But You are i'll the wrong to give it
any credence, except as the brave act
OF a brave woman, who saved by her
ready wit her companion from sure
death and herself from worse. Do you,
perchance, think that that companion
places any other significance upon it?'
She turned her head away and looked
down at the wet ferns by the roadside
for moment without reply, and then,
looking me in the face, answered:
Tis a foolish question, lieutenant,
and you know it as we'll as I. There
fore viii I not answer it, =
% Why it should be so I cannot tell. but
the certainty that I saw in her face of
the whole events absurdity gave me a
sinking within myself that turned me
DaCk IN my SaQUle ana put out the
brightness of the morning.
So again we rode on for a space.
you do lot ask me why am in this
dreadful country alone and at such a
time," said she firmly. -.
No, mistress, I do not. But would
ask another question, If you should
choose to permit it,
And what may it be-" L-.
mo other than where you are go
ing" :, -,
that CLINT in her eye, and then burst
into as merry fit of laughter as it
has been my lot to hear. looked at
her in amaZement, not unmiNed with
irritation, and off she went In another
ripple. till l had nigh broken forth
into more remarks that would doubt
less have called down other sarcasms.
lis no doubt most ludicrous," said
7, at length. somewhat bitterly. but
have not yet discovered that side of it
and cannot join your humor."
"Oh, can you not, indeed?" she
laughed Gould you but look on your
own face at this moment, you'd dis
cover soon enough 4.. se.-,.
II do not see what my face. ludicrous
as it may be, has in common With the
end Of your journey"
why, I am travelling With NY"
I turned quickly from her, and she
stopped and flushed as red as the
morning sun but a couple OF hours ago.
II am going to a place just above
here" she stammered with a sober
face. And 1 would tell you. sir, in or
der that you may not misjudge me,
that 1 have run away from home, be-
cause"
"Because--?" said I, in spite Of
myself, for l should have asked hours
ago had / dared.
Because l chose to-" she answered,
and then, turning two eyes on me that
BODIED no good in them to those who
crossed her, she went on, sitting
straight up in the old saddle; because
they will learn some day that will do
what see fit to do, and will not do
what neither God nor man should ex-
pect of mel"
Who is it. wonder. that says some
thing Of the lucidity Of womans
mind? I knew no more why she had
left her home If she had one, than I
did before her reply. but I would no
more have asked at that moment for
definite information than 1 would have
banged my head against yonder big
maple by the roadside. So I held my
peace, and she sat there astride her
horse with her head up and the glance
OF O. queen.
She was going to some place about
here. Then could get on my way and
attend to my mission. That was what
lucky thing for me to get my mind on
my work and carry it through. 1 was,
of course, pleased at this, and; a load
was lifted from my shoulders.
why do you look so glum?" said
she. DO you perhaps take their side 2"
God forbid, MISTRESS" said I. "They
might go to limbo before would
n a h nd IN holy
was thinking of other matters"
ooh, We're you, indeed? l suppose
that you are SO accustomed to riding
about the earth with women that their
conversation wearies you"
lifted my hand to interrupt her, but
she went rushing on:
And I would ask you a question, too.
Mr.. Balfort. VIII you give me that
paper?"
That paper?" said I, in amazement.
EYES, sir. That paper which YOU
have in your pocket. and which I
signed last night" and I saw bit Of
color go slowly over her face and into
her hair as she looked at me- and then
at Rogers nose, and then back at me.
why, I think-I fear it is lost" T
muttered. pL@
DO not lie to me, sir! IT'S in your
pocket. I saw you put 1t there when
twas signed"
And so drew the scrawled slip from
my pocket and handed 1t to her. as she
had bid She took it slowly and looked
at 1t for a moment as the horses
walked on quietly, and then she put it
between the lacings of her bodice, and
the color ran over her face again, like
the little haze that passes across the
moon Of wintry night.
Continued Next Weekly
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