Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1902-07-12
"And what NAV Il he2,.

And what may IL be|
mo other than where you are 60
ing?"
For a moment she looked at me with
that CLINT I'm her eye, and then burst
into as merry q fit OF laughter as II
has been my lot to hear. I looked at
her I'm amazement, not unmixed with
irritation, and off she went in another
ripple, till 1 had nigh broken forth
into more remarks that would doubt
less have called down other
TITS no doubt most ludicrous." said
I, at length, somewhat bitterly, but 1
have not yet discovered that side Of 1t
and cannot join your humor."
"Oh, can o not, indeed she
laughed. Gould o but look on your
own face at his moment, you'u dis
cover soon enough
Il do not see what my face, ludicrous
as it may be, has in common with the
end of your Journey"
why, / am ira effffs with ny"
l turned quickly EQpa her, and she
stopped and f~ushedctts red as the
morning sun but n couple of hours ago.
Il am going to a place just above
here" she stammered with a sober
face. And / would tell you. sir, in or
der that you may not misjudge me,
that i have run away from home, be-
cause"
"Because-?" said 1, in spite Of
myself, for / should hav 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 l Will do
what | see fit to do, and will not do
what neither zoe nor man should ex-
peCt Of mel"
Who is it, l wonder, that says m
thing of the lucidity of a woman's
mind? / knew no more why She had
left her home, if she had one than l
did before her reply, but l would no
more have asked at that moment for
definite information than l would have
banged my head against yonder big
maple by the roadside. SO l held my
peace, and she rat there astride her
horse with her head up and the glance
of q queen.
She was going to some place about
here. Then l could get on my way and
attend to my mission. That was what
l wanted, no doubt. 1t would be a
lucky thing for me to get my mind on
my work and carry it through. I 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"
God forbid, mistress!" said l. They
might so to limbo before l would
stretch out q hand to help them. l
was thinking of other matters"
"Oh, were you, indeed? L suppose
that you are so accustomed to riding
about the earth with women that their
conversation wcaries YOU"
l lifted my hand to interrupt her. but
she went rushing on:
And l would ask you a question, too,
Mr.. Balfort. VIII you give me that
paper?'
THAT paper?" said l, in amazement
Yes, sir. That paper which you
have In our pocket, n which I
signed last night" and / saw a 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, / Think fear it is lost" l
muttered.
DC not lie to me, sir! IT'S in your
pocket. l saw you put it there when
twas signed"
And so / drew the scrawled slip from
my pocket and handed it to her, as she
had bid. She took it slowly and looked
at il for Il moment as the horses
walked on quietly, and then she put il
between the lacings Of her bodice, and
the color ran over her face again, like
the little haze that passes across the
moon of a wintry night.
Continued Next Weekly