Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1902-01-10

TIERS"
as you have occasion to know, if nv
memory serves me-"
"Ch, you be d-d!" said Mac, his
eyes filling. He had not sworn at me
for many days, and it was hearten-
ing. when will you go?"
Tomorrow, if you'll lend US the
team and the blackboard Neither of
us have more than the clothes we
stand in, you know"
He was silent for good while, and
then he said:
MAY go up to the house and see
her?-just for minute? You can
do the chaperon act"
"No."
"For half-minute, them"
mo. We both know the circum-
stances, and that she can't really
mourn him. But we mustn't forget
that he was her husband"
That's SO. Good-by, and God
bless you, old man." He wrung nv
hand again, and was gone; and 1 did
not return to the farm house until
l had fairly lost sight of his broad
back at the turn of the road.
And on the morrow we left the
Scared valley. Winifrsd and l, and
caught the train at the Fort, and
were welcomed with open arms by
Letitia. who was SO grateful for the
added odd pounds Of flesh that
brought back in my proper person
that she was lovingly gracious to
Winifred. And later, when she had
come to hope more for me, and to
love the schoolmistress for her own
sake, my part was still harder to
play; for, as have limited, my sister
Is born maker of matches. Indeed,
may as well confess that / should
have made a sorry failure of it if
had not warned Letitia off by telling
her the truth. and so made her Mac
pherson's advocate instead of mine.
Long before the SHOWS came to
stop the work on the placer bar, An
gus fulfilled his own prophecy. I
acted as his. broker in Denver, and
went cunning from time to time for
Glenlivat stock. 1t was pot-hunting,
for the greater part. The stock
holders were only too willing to be
Fnuteof it at any price, and the last
block Of stock cost s-iittlo .s>eraz
than the transfer fee. Angus was
jubilant, as he had right to be; and
when he was once more the king of
the Torolito. he wrote me at length,
detailing his plans. There was to be
a new house, and great stock farm
with ancestored beasts, and few
more settlers picked and chosen from
among our friends, for all of which
the placer bar promised to be re-
sponsible-and kept it's promise.
The spring was we'll afoot on the
eastern plains when next we saw the
sheltered valley nesting between it's
snow-crowned mountains, and trav-
ersed by the sparkling waters Of the
Torolito. But for the lower sweep
of the snow-caps, 1t might have
seemed but days instead of months
since we left it together, Winifred
and I. We had driven up from the
fort, she to take her summer school
again, SO Letitia had assured me, and
to try if the dry upland air might
give me yet another reprieve and
little longer lease of life.
1t was high noon when we emerged
from tn cliff-shadowed portal of the
Six-Mfile and looked once more upon
the scene which had grown dear to
both of US. Winfield drew a long
breath and her eyes were shining.
I had thought her beautiful before,
but the winter in Denver, with the
crushing burden lifted forever, had
made her more than beautiful.
"The dear old valley!" she said.
"It is like coming home to get back
to it. Is that Mr.. Macpherson's new
house?"
The old ranch house was no more.
In its place on the knoll to the north
ward stood a modern low-roofed
country house, many gabled, and
built Of the bright lava stone of the
hog-back. AS we looked, man
mounted at the door-stone and rode
at gallop toward us. I thrust the
butt of the whip among the parcels
on the blackboard and succeeded in
dislodging one of them. 1t was Wini-
fred's smaller handbag, and it was
well to the rear in the dust of the
road when Angus met us.
Good boy!" exclaimed. "You
project your welcome into space,
don't you? Will you lend me your
horse and take my place? I've lost
one of the valises, and If you'll drive
Miss Sanborn I'll ride back for it,"
know not if my transparent sub
terfuge were suspected. And I doubt
if either of them questioned or cared,
SO long as they could be together.
We made the exchange quickly, and
Angus pointed the team toward the
house on the knoll.
We'll wait dinner for you," he
said. II have Aunt Richmond here
to do the honors, and you can own
the ranch as long as you'n stay"
|, looked into Winifred's eyes and
found there my warrant for retort
in kind.
eve shall see about that, later.
I'd like to have my invitation from
the chatelaine of house where I'm
supposed to quarter myself indefin-
itely."
1t was liberal half-hour later
when l rode up to the veranda of the
country house with the lost valise at
the saddle-horn. There was no one
| in sight save Connolly, the ex-troop.
Sr, who modest gSSbfy md erarned