The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1904-04-01


"but feel as though 1 had walked ten
times five miles,
Well, you can't walk back, that's
sure. and if you viii allow me l will
take you over. 1t won't be great deal
out of my way"
Although he spoke thus questioning
ly, he alighted to assist her into the
sleigh, for there was obviously no other
course open to her than TO accept his
offer.
Il am John Benton said the man. by
way of introducing himself. THAT is
my home you see back half a mile. Per-
haps you've heard Mr.. White speak of
me-
Yes, l have heard your name, Mr..
Benton. am Miss Thurston, the teach
er. l am awfully sorry to put you to
so much trouble. 1t was stupid of me
to get lost, and l thank you for your
kindness from the bottom of my heart"
Don't mention it, Miss Thurston; it's
no trouble at all. And you are certainly
not to be blamed for getting lost, for
even old settlers do that frequently"
But hadn't you better let me drive
back to the house, to get warm, and let
my sister make cup of tea for you.
he said, growing suddenly solicitous.
THANK you, Mr.. Benton, that is kind
of you, but l am really not cold, and
shall be late at school as it is"
What she thought to herself was: at
is bad enough to be obliged to accept his
help when l am an utter stranger, with
out putting myself under heavier obliga-
lions. Besides, there is no telling what
kind of an old maid his sister may be.
nor what she might think of this ex-
ceedingly unconventional, if unavoid-
able, affair. She would probably imag-
inc l had designs on her handsome
brother, for he certainly is good look
ing man, and as polite as he can be. OF
course, really ought to fall in love with
him after such a romantic meeting"
then suddenly realizing whittier her
thoughts were trending, she actually
blushed. Fortunately for her, he was
too much interested in his own thoughts
to see the change of her color. He, too,
was thinking strange things, but fol-
some reason which he did not try tc
analyze, he did not care to interrupt his
reverie.
"She is fine looking GIRL" he thought
to himself, "and plucky, too, to walk so
far through the snow. though it is easy
to see that she is pretty nearly tuckered
out. She has just the color of brown
eyes that l like, and the hair blowing
about her temples is beautiful. 1 sup
pose there are half dozen young chaps
in love with her already. who will try
to win her A girl can't be in this coun-
try a week before every young claim
jumper in the region knows it and COM
mences to poster the life out of her, and
She has to marry one of them to get rid
of the crowd"
8 Really, it almost made him angry to
think of it. "And, of course, they won't
have any more sense with girl like her;
what on earth would she want with such
fellows as they? l wonder if anyone
has asked her to go to that entertain
ment at the Gray schoolhouse? It's four
miles out of my way. but I've mind to
ask her! That isn't half so far as some
of them go for girl!''
He did not drive rapidly, and he did
not think all this at once, but sand
WICKED his thoughts between sentences.
When he arrived at the schoolhouse and
he helped her out of the buggy, her hand
rested a moment in his, and then and
there he made the quickest resolution
of his life, and the most important,
namely, that if her heart was not al
ready in the keeping of another he would
win it. He was not sorry when they
found the scholars had gone home again,
evidently thinking that she was not
coming that day, and they went in, while
John stirred up the fire, insisting that
she must warm herself before he took
her on to Mr. Whites.
Miss Thurston protested at his putting
himself to so much trouble for her and
insisted that she could walk back, but
he would not hear Of it. Perhaps it is
not surprising that, under these circum-
stances, their acquaintance progressed
very rapidly, and when John asked if
he might call on her she said she would
"be very glad to have him, for he seemed
already like an old friend
Well, that was the beginning, and it
does not take much imagination to see
what the end would be if he had his
way about it, and he did.
If there had been enough people round
about who knew how frequently John
availed himself of the privilege she gave
him, and how often they went sleigh
riding, there would have been much
wagging of tongues. Mrs. White, how
ever, was not gossip and saw few peo-
pie, while Johns sister looked wise and
said nothing, for Miss Thurston had won
her heart as well as his, and when her
school was out John announced to Mil
lie that she need not plan to come over
and cook and bake for him after she was
carried
Three times IS out" he said, and
And you've made up your mind that
it is better to risk an elopement than