The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-02-18

1;La $780, anu na ~ Aven May W go q sAS
strange calm brooded in the air.
Honor Bright in her dingy old riding
habit, was sitting on the edge Of the
wide veranda Of her fathers big ranch
house, swinging her feet and swapping
her quirt. Her pony browsed just in
front Of her, stopping to nose her at
side her sat her fiance, Gerald Warren,
owner Of the Star Cross ranch. His
bridle-rein was thrown over his arm, and
he was pleading earnestly.
PLEASE, sweetheart, yield to me this
"But I want the gloves and whip
she responded, rather indiferently,
whacking away at the toes of her we'll
worn boots.
MI'll buy you a gross of silver and
gold-mounted whips, and the same num-
pecially for. you, in the colors you Sc
lect, if you, will give up riding at the
She flashed him scornful glance. 81
could shake my trophies under Miss
Patricia Campbell Jefferson 3 aristo,
cratic nose and ID say, There! Just see see
tha M Gerald EZRA it ism T the goGSs
ton I want to crafty. Miss Jefferson
called me a hoyden, an uncivilized, un,
cultivated little heather, with certain
sort of beautN''' this with little
hardening Of the sweet tones, ''and she
said I. couldn't ride little bit. Oh, of
course, she didn t use my slang when she
said it,,' INTERCEPTED Honor, as Gerald s
eyebrows lifted, "but that is what she
meant, just the same. I don It mind the
'hoyden' and sheathen:' I suppose !
o. T Inn onv,
body can tell me just how much I am
lacking. in culture, tho hope that
wouldn It be as purposely cruel to even
a heather as that proud woman is. But
I can ride, and I mean to do it, AND
Honor snapped viciously at a bunch OF
blue-stem which stuck out from under
the foundation Of the high porch.
:"And if you should fail?' questioned
Gerald, little maliciously.
whip and gloves, and-and then I shoulc
like to throw the gloves in Miss Jeffer
son g face and wear the whip out over
her patrician shoulders! she finished
defantlY.
T "Little girl, you hurt me cruelty
when you talk SO thoughtlessly.'
/ "And you hurt me cruelly,' she criec
passionately, as she turned her flashing
eyes upon her lover, who now stooe
his height Of six feet two. ell an
ashamed to acknowledge how MUCH
she continued, as she looked up at the
big blonde fellow who was SO helpless
! in her small hands. "I thought 20,
loved me, but now I know you don It, ,
she went on mercilessly. "When yol
see me beside you mother and your in
comparable sisters, and-and that hor
| rid, prim Puritan, Miss Jefferson, yol
turn ashamed Of me, you know you DO
And you want to make me over by thu
square and level Of your own socia
| world, but-you can It do itlO and the
big, bright drops began to roll over he1
burning cheeks. She was so pretty, SC
altogether lovely in her pathetic wratl
that Gerald could scarcely refrain from
catching the grieved child in his big
strong arms, which she probably
| guessed, for she backed away from him
IT tried to cultivate the little pralrit
them as I could be, but they died, every
one Of them. 7 would die, too, undel
the cultivating process. unjust {
wild flower; you said so yourself,' sht
said, sobbin gly, 80 you---I--think-,yol
you can have your ring back,' ant
she began Juggling at her gauntlets, bu
Gerald caught her trembling hands: .
a My dear little wild. flower cal
you again, for love you just as you are
sweetheart. I will not have my rims
much graver, much more quiet than 20,
are, but, child, 7 love your sunny ways
you bright nature. I would not hav'
you changed in any way, but you SCI
| it is different when it comes to thu
. mother and sisters. They do not kno,v
! you as we'll as I do, and then they a.
not understand our western ways. 1t il
true that they have long wanted me tt
marry Miss Jefferson, but am not go
ing to do. SO. I knew her long before
T ever saw you. She made no impress
sion on me then, and she certainly will
not now. It is such little thing,
have asked, !" he added, returning to the
fatGer is e away N Mrs. Martin is ill ani
cannot attend you, and as you utterly
refuse my escort unless l desert mother
and the girls, which cannot do, there
is no one to attend you-,to-well, te
feeling that he had made a bad matter
worse.
"Chaperone mel" cried Honor, mock
ingly. tNow will you listen to that
! On n1 the "me." "Why, Gerald Warren
/ YOU must be crazy. I've ridden over
these prairies since was three years
old, and the only attendant l ever had
was dear old Uncle Dick, and he never
bothered me after my fourth birthday
Chaperone, indeed! I didn' It need any
| miles to Ok Bend for the doctor for
your :housekeeper. Your lady mother
and aristocratic sisters were glad
enough to avail themselves of my skill
in riding that day. and nobody thought
Of a chaperone. I brought the doctor
too; short skirts, no saddle, and the
lariat rope for bridle.'' Z.
"Indeed, Honor, mother appreciated
what you did, but that is different. you
know. You-rea1ly, you know, child
that you are very unconventional when
you need not be, and | do want you to
win them over. Won t you DO as | ask
Gerald in desperate laundering. -.
ssNever!' Honor replied angrily.
srThose proud women may take me as
| lam or not at all. If mama. had only
| lived I would have been different--as
prim as Miss Jefferson, possibly-but
| I've only had dear, o.. Daddy, and ne
loves me best ais I am. wou1dn It have
entered the riding contest for the. fair
| but for Miss Jefferson. When. we Were
Jefferson g saddle turned and let her
down with such q thud in such comica]
manner, I laughed, Of course. She
WASH It hurt bit, you know; but It
made her furious. She said that good
uWell, she started out by reminding
| me that her property had been left tc
her absolutely to do as she pleased
| with; azpoint which l., Of course, con
l>ceded She then went GU to say that
1 ~, & q L Il H. o~41 L.