West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1906-10-18
CHAPTER ".
TUE arrival OF Chugg's stage with
the mail should have been coin
c!dcnt with the departure OF
tho stngo that hrouObt tho tra,,

TNi!E arrival OF Chugg's stage with
the mail should have been coin
cidcnt with the departure OF
tho stage that brought the trav.
eicrs from Town" but Chugg was
Late. n tardlncss ascrlbed to indulgence
In local lcthc waters. for Lemuel Chugg
Ind survived romance and drank to
forget that woman is variable and
changcablc 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 10 hear chapter OF praI-
RE romance.
Some sort OF revolution seemed to be
In progress In the room In which the
travellers had breakfasted. Mrs. OAK
lad assumed the Office of dictator, with
absolute sway. Leander, as ald-de-
camp, courier and staff, executed mar
velous feats OF domestic engineering.
The late breakfast table, swept and
gornishcd with pigeonholes, became
n United States postofiics prepared 20
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 II was lost In world with
out end, Mary Carmichael, standing
In the doorway. watched an atom, SO
small that 1t might have been a leaf
blowing along In the wind, turn into ri
horseman.
In all that great wide world the
only hint of life was the galloping horse
man, the only sound the rhythmlcai
ring of the nearing hoofs. The rider,
now close enough for Miss Carmichael
to distinguish the features, was a thor.
ough dandy Of the saddle. No slouchs
Ing garb of exlgence and comfort this,
but a pretty display of doeskin gal.
ter, vanished boot and smart riding
Oreeches. The lad-he could not have
been, Miss Carmichael thought, more
than twenty-was tanned a splendid
color not unlike the bloomy shading on
nasturtium. And when the doughty
horseman made out the girl standing
In the doorway he smiled with a lack
OF formality not suggested by the town
cut OF his trapplngs. Throwing the
rcins over the neck of the horse with
the real western fling, he slid from the
saddle In trice, and-AIary Carmi.
chael experienced somethingof 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 a surprisingly
handsome young woman.
Miss Carmichael gasped a little even
as she extended her hand, for the mas.
queradcr had pulled of her gauntlet
and held out hers as IL she was con.
ferrinS the freedom of the wilderness.
II was impossible for n homesick girl
not 10 respond to such heartIness.
though II was with difficulty at first
that Mary kept her eyes on the girls
race. Curiosity, agreeably piqued,
urged her to take another glimpse of
the riding clothes that this young won.
an wore with such supreme uncopcern.
Are you surprised that / did not
wait for an introductionT" the girl in
tie riding clothes asked. But you
don't know how good # is to see
girl I'm so tired OF spurs and SOM
brcros ana cattle and dust and dis
lance. and there's nothing else here"
where come from it's Just the
other way-toO many pettlcoats and
hatpins."
The horseman. who was no horse
man. dropped Miss CarmichaePs 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 Oh the line IN a dumb, driven
sort Of way.
Who IS sheT' asked Mary.
Herr he Intercepted, jerking his
head ia the direction Of the house The
posimistrcss. Judith Rodney. Yes.
udts her name." He dropped his
voice In the manner Of one imparting
momentOus things "She never wears
a skirt ridin', any more than a man.
'She keeps the postomce here. since
Mrs. OAK lost the job. and Loards with
rs. P'r'aps It's because she IS my
wife's successor in office. or p'r'aps
IT'S Jest the natural grudge that vim
men seem 90 harbor agiu each other.
] dunno, but they don't sandwich
none"
Leonder. having disposed Of bis last
dish towel squinted az It through his
half closed eyes. Ike an artist sight
ing q landscape.
"Shsh-h' De said. creeping toward
Mary, bis duh face TRANSPORTED with
the consciousness that DE bad news 10
tell "Shsh Her brother rustler.
II 'twan't for her. Leander went
through the grewsome pautomime Of
tying ON imaginary rope round bis neck
and throwing 70 over tie limb Of an