Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1905-01-06

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smoke. young Elen sat together
each absorbed in his own thoughts.
Both We're magnificent specimens OF
western youth. One WAS a little taller
than the other. not 81 strongly built.
but his broad shoulders and erect fig-
ure, surmounted by a Well moulded
head, gave him the look of q husky
man. In spite OF his half-shaven face
the dark bronzed complexion, with
feature that would have been alto
gether too fine had IL not been for q
cruel scar half visible under his siouch
hat tina marred the high forehead
beyond repair-in spite of slouchy
dress and red bandanna, he might al
most be called handsome. The other
his comrade. was quite the opposite
with gray eyes, quick with intelligence
and q twinkle that betokened good
humor, while his large, regular feat
ures We're marked with the generous
easy gOing temperament that the other
did not possess. Did o ever study
faces in a street car or a railway tram,
where every man was a stranger 10
you2 The constrasts and individuals
ties. are a never ending source OF enter
tainment.
''Nill you get married, jim" drawled
the good natured one, firing of silence,
IF you locate a goo un yonder2
Il can't say as to that, Bert. Some
one else might make a better guess
Ifat that. Amt you? I've heard a raft
of talk bout o and
Bessie Blake? So you haye heard
that, have you? Now. / amt forgotten,
Jim, wha a good feller YOU We're when
we were kids on Turkey creek together,
and I'll tell you something straight.
/ want to marry her all right, but /
hain't never said nothing 'cause-well,
cause | amt fit and I'm poor"
The train jolted along noisily and
the speaker was embarrassed by the
pause that followed. so that he finally
turned his flushed face toward his old
schoolmate. That young man was
looking meditatively at the car ceiling
as he pulled away at his pipe. He was
thinking, as aftcrward developed. OF
the little school house down on Turkey
creek. He could almost see the small,
low seats with high, straight backs.
one OF which was occupied by n black
haired little chap with eyes that wan
dered just across the aisle where Bes-
sic sort, and h Jolly little towhead whom
he called Jimmie. Jim never had a
serious thought then. n now he was
thinking nonchalantly enough of a very
solemn topic.
You're right. old man. l don't like
the way our folks speak of h old
woman around the place. n ] always
made up my mind my wife would new
er be my woman 'Tain't right. Wonl-
an is a delicate creature, Jimmie he
continued, as If talking To the towhcad
ON the old play ground.
You amt in love, be you. Bert?'
remarked the other c~uriously. You
have good idea for a man who never
thought about ii, ehg"
Il ain't lucky enough. Jimmie. I'll
be a long time flndin' anybody'll have
me-"
Now you're Jest talking. old man
Bert. l know you. When we were little
fellows. do you call to mind that day
you was married to--yes, by jinks. to
Bessie Blake? ! blieve you're in love
with her now, man; how you're red
denim up. 'Tain't no shame to you,
fur she's the prettiest gal In western
Nebraska. Tess up"
"Of course. we all-but what's the
use, Jim, what's the use % The dark
head fell with apparent slcepiness on
the back OF the seat and he paused alb
ruptly.
you've always been a lucky fellow,
Jimmie he resumed at length. You
never studied a bit, yet you were
ahead of us all in 'ri.hmetic, and /
never saw such a fellow TO spell us all
down. Then you always made more
money than i did. Betcher strike a
good claim up in Rosebud"
IF / don i can't ask Bessie Blake
TO have me, and chances are that that
eastern feller'll get her. The train
bumped along as IL II had left the
track and tnen slowed down almost to
a stop. Il tell you, BERT, exclaimed
the other eagerly. lets make a grand
lottery. Well team Ii against that
eastern Teller. II you get a lain /
help you get her, and IL l get a good
one l get the gal. What dye say?r
av,1 fHa fafr laatray wanna .rta ~ ..nf~.
in his good natured a
But Bessie ought 10 decide that
and not 0 nor me. Guess we better
go IL alone"
"Oh, go on, Bert. Let's have some
fun. P'raps we won't either one OF us
get anything, anyway. It's a CO.,
I'D rather say that the one who gets
a good claim will have the first chance,
and the ofherlI give him lots of lee
way. Amt that better for the girl"
"Done!!" said Jim delightedly and
chuckled with pleasure as he curled up
In his seat and finally sank into a
doze.
You'll get her all right. Jim, cause
you're always lucky, and l don't be-
lieve the gal would have me anyway"
said Bert Watkins as the two sepa-
rated at a little cross roads station
out IN the sandhills on their return
from Bonesteel.
The other broke into one of his
hearty laughs as he retorted, "Twon't
be my fault, Bert. IL | do"
Bessie Blake was h pride of the
ranchers for miles around, for didn't
she rave an education In the seminary
and wasn't she just the same Bessie,
riding the fastest horse and shooting
the prairie chick ems with the best OF
them. in spite of her years in the east?
Her father, not rich, but well-to-do.
With a large family to ppo The
girl possessed his generous, easy go-
ing nature, combined with the refine
ment and grace OF the little mother
who was the inspiration OF the Blake
household But she was a true child
of the prairie and when she was not
busy at the home in the twilight she
would steal out on her favorite horse.
Jiffy, and ride like the wind to the hill
top to see the ~unrivalled western sum
set.
on this particular night she re-
manned a little longer than usual. She
started rapidly homeward. taking the
fences that interposed with the grace
and ease or a veteran rough rider.
Just as she cleared a low rail fence
her stirrup gave way and she fell sud-
denly IN a bunch OF prairie grass, un-
hurt. her faithful horse shyiug TO one
side and then standing stock still al
most like a human being In intelI-
gence
Miss Ressie, you amt hurt. are
you?" Aiittle figure yaulted the fence,
his horse remaining loose In the road
outside. and STOPPING he looked into
her white face a~nxiously.
Its me. Bert Watkins. Bess. You