The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-01-10
Our Daily Sport Story

f the blooniin' end of them" he went on l rudely, in the language of the plains. l Yes. she can get a decent man to ask | her to marry him. I consider myself a pretty decent sort of a fellow, and I ask her, right here and now-and she needn't stay any longer with the step-mother who insults her as you shave done within l the past few minutes''
 The girl struggled up from the floor, | her face flushed and paling, and the elder woman stared, much disconcerted. Stuart took time to notice, in a fleeting glance that the girl was very beautiful. Not that it would have made the least difference. He moved toward her and held out his hand.
 You needn't be afraid,'' he said, look ing her in the eyes with the steady blue eyes which men on the plains had found it convenient to avoid. T have been on . the ranches, and don't look like a parlor ornament; but I'm all right, when it comes to keeping my word-and l give you my word that you'll never be sorry. What do you say?''
 | The girl turned away and covered her face with her hands.
 Wait" she said. her slender figure shaken as with sobs. ''Wait little while. It has come upon me suddenly l She ehoked and could not go on. The l other woman had turned away also and l had buried her face in the window cur tain. She seemed to have withdrawn from the case, and to. have left the girl to decide for herself.
 I'm waiting all right" Stuart said | not trying to go nearer "Don't forget that you've been asked to marry a man "a decent man-who has money in his purse and won't send you out to labor | What do you say?"
 The girl lifted her face from her hands and turned slowly, and lifted dewy, eyes to meet his.
 I will not forget" she said, in the sweetest voice the ranchman had ever heard. Tt would be a beautiful thing to remember, even. if you never came back But I will not commit you toe hastily. will say that if you are in earnest--and wish to see me again--you may come back here six months from today, and l will be here. I will try to endure my present life until then" she added, turning away and hiding her face again, and shaken with more sobs; whereupon the woman in the window
 went into something bordering upon mysteries. Stuart frowned upon her DOT tentously.
 Its a go,' he said gravely. I'll be here-you needn't doubt that"
 He was turning away, and had almost
 reached the door, when he thought of
 something else and looked back to find
 them both staring him with widened eyes.
 "Oh, I forgot" he simply said My
 name Is Fellows. Stuart Fellows. You might ask Senator Harkwright about me f-I am one of his constituents" -
 And he went out; and half an hour lat
 CT was on the train, pushing away to-
 ward home.
 AS he had foreseen, large respect was
 awaiting him there; and as still further
 news of the wonderful development al
 the mine came in, the bronzed ranchmaT
 found himself an object of importance
 He could not deny that 1t gave him keer
 delight. He had been so long away from
 the haunts of men that human society was sweet to him. The silence and thu
 wideness of the plains made him eagel
 for all the refinements and courtesiei which he had known in the days befort
 he flung 1t all away and plunged int the west. He attended receptions ant
 hops and theaters tlrelessly. and lovet to be the center of laughing and admir- ing groups of girls, and to seize tn abundant opportunities they gave hin
 for tete-a-tetes under the stairs and be
 hind the palms. He brought a new zes ! to the walking and driving and autoino } bling. which made him seem very differ lIent from the hstless young men one al