The Greeley tribune., 1905-11-09

cident with the departure of
the stage that brought the trav
elers from Town." but Chugg was
late, tardiness ascribed to indulgence
in local lethe waters for Lemuel Chugg
had survived romance and drank to
forget that woman is variable and n
changeable thing. In consequence of
which the sober stage driver departed
without the mails, leaving Mary Car
michael and the fat lady to scan the
horizon for the delinquent Chugg and
incidentally to hear a chapter of prai
r1e romance.
Some sort of revolution seemed to be
in progress in the room in which the
travellers had breakfasted. Mrs. Dax
had assumed the Office of dictator, with
absolute sway. Leander, as aid-de-
camp, courier and staff, executed mar
velous feats of domestic engineering.
The late breakfast table, swept and
garnished with pigeonholes, became
United States postoffice prepared to
transact postal business and, for the
time being to become the social center
of the surrounding country.
Down the yellow road that climbed
| and dipped and climbed and dipped
again over foothills and sprawling
space till 1t was lost in world with
out end. Mary Carmichael, standing
| in the doorway, watched an atom, 30
mail that 1t might lac D-en leaf
blowing along in the wind, turn into a
hOrseman.
In all that great wide world the
only hint of life was the galloping horse
man, the only sound the rhythmical
ring of the nearing hoofs. The rider,
now close enough for Miss Carmichael
to distinguish the features, was thor
ough dandy of the saddle. No slouch
ing garb Of exigence and comfort this,
but pretty display Of dOeskin gai
ter, varnished boot and smart riding
breeches. The lad-he could not have
been, Miss Carmichael thought, more
than twenty-was tanned a splendid
color not unlike the bloomy shading on
q nasturtium. And when the doughty
horseman made out the girl standing
in the doorway he smiled with lack
Of formally not suggested by the town
cut Of his trappings. Throwing the
reins over the neck of the horse with
the real western fling, be slid from the
saddle in trice, and-Mary Carmi
chael experienced something's of the gasp
Ing horror Of shocked old lady as she
made out two splendid braids Of thick,
black hair. Her doughty cavalier was
no cavalier at all, but surprisingly
handsome young woman.
w -.
as she extended her hand. for the mas
querader had pulled off her gauntlet
and held out hers as if she was con-
ferring the freedom of the wilderness.
1t was impossible for homesick girl
not to respond to such heartiness,
though it was with difficulty at first
that Mary kept her eyes on the girls
face. Curiosity, agreeably piqued,
urged her to take another glimpse of
the riding clothes that this young wom-
an wore with such supreme unconcern.
Are you surprised that I did not
wait for an Introduction the girl in
the riding clothes asked. But you
don't know how good 1t is to see a
girl. I'm so tired Of spurs and SOM
breros and cattle and dust and dis
tance, and there's nothing else here"
Where I come from it's just the
other way-too many pettcoats and
hatpins."
The horseman, who was no horse
man, dropped Miss Carmichaels hand
and went into the house. Mary won
dered II she ought to have been more
cordial.
From the back door came Leander,
with dishcloths, which he began to
hang ON the line In. a dumb. driven
sort Of way.
"Who Is sher asked Mary.
"Her7" he Intercepted, jerking bis
head In the direction Of the house. "The
postmistress. Judith Rodney. Yes,
that's her name" He dropped his
voice In the manner Of one imparting
momentous things. ''she nsvsr wsszs
q skirt rtdin. any more than q man. o .