Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-06

lifted tanned right hand in a correct mill
tary salute
But the coloners face retained it's stern
expression.
Margaret" he began in tone that re-
buked her levity. THAT young scapegoat
of a Minturn from the Triple Y has just
left here. l granted him an interview,
thinking that some special business matter
was TO be discussed. But he had the-the-
audacity to"
ASK for me?" completed Margaret
Twin dimples dawned in her checks.
'Awfully impairment, wasn't he?"
Margaret" Col Creightons speech held
the sting of reproach.
Have you lost your senSes-are you mad
In Gods name think what you are doing,
You-a Creighton-daughte of the proudest
family In the blue grass state, to encour-
age the attentions of this Notwithstanding
westerner-an ordinary cow-puncheri"
a strange light sparkled in the woman s
eyes
Not ordinary, uncle" she said Extra
very extraordinary! One man in thou
sand. brave-hearted. true, sincere. and
worth hundred dozen petted, kid-gloved
city eligibes who depend on ancestry and
dollars for recognition" Her voice grew
vibrant with passion.
Ralph Minturn is well worthy of the
love and confidence of the proudest woman
in the world. Yes, even ola Creighton!
And oh, uncle-suddenly throwing her
arms about the gray-haired coIoneFs neck
Il do love him with all my heart and
soulr'
For few moments the colonel gazed at
the brown head in silence.
'Humphr He shifted in supreme disgust.
Unclasping her arms, he raised her head
from his shoulder.
Child" he said sorrowfully; this is
Osterous-downright folly! To think
that you so far forget yourself, the honor
of your family and the debt of gratitude you
owe to one who has loved and cared for
Iii ctn ,-;fa .ra
with low-bred-"
"No-no-no." she interrupted, passion
ately. For shame! He is not that
The colonel pushed her from him sud
denly.
Go to your room, girl!' he commanded,
sternly. And don't leave it again without
my permission Your kind need watching"
And from that hour she received 1t of a
most rigorous and vigilant sort. Col.
Creighton developed suddenly into watch
full, keen-eyed Cerebus, all other affairs of
the ranch being temporarily subordinated
to this all-important surveillance. The
ranch hands, under penalty of summary dis
charge from service, We're commanded to
spur post-haste to the ranch house the mo-
ment Minturn was seen lettering in the
neighborhood of the Esperanza. Business
directions were given from the office, where
the colonel spent most of his time, seldom
leaving the house except to accompany
Margaret upon her morning rides.
Her buoyancy and gayety of spirit under
restraint puzzled the colonel not a little.
She laughed and sang and dared the digni-
fed old cavalry officer to race with her
across the prairies. seeming all the while a
sunny incarnation of youthful light-hearted-
ness.
Forgotten already" he told himself. as
he watched her. That's way these wom-
en- have-in love today, out of it tomorrow
Just a schoolgirl infatuation for a week,
which-thank heaven!-has already passed..
And so a month sped by and the colonel
secretly felictated upon the success which
had attended his espionage. Nothing that
Margaret did, he thought, had escaped his
notice, but had he overheard few quick
words in Spanish which passed between her
and Pasquale, Mexican vaquero, one after
noon his composure would have been rudely
shattered.
The very excess of her vivacity that
evening would have awakened suspicion
in the mind of keener student of wom-