The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1906-01-07
SHE CHANGED
HER MIND

The girl wore q neat blue gown, ana
wide straw hat shaded her golden hair
and clouded blue eyes. Az she passed
the hay field, midway between her IA
Tiers farm and Jim Bradley r., Jim
himself stepped 10 The road ana motion,
I'll her to stop, She reignedr the rough
bay colt up with difficulty and pushed
her lovers hand away when he laid 1t
on her arm. She gave him no chance
10 speak. o.
Now. don't say anything shall
ride whatever horse | please. See low
quiet he, is.s anyway. Well, suppose
am Killed? Then you will be free to
marry Agnes, since you seem TO like
her 50 we'll. You can ride with her
every day. You, are free now, for that
NATTER
She knew it was m unjust remark.
hut jealousy had the upper baud.
. Jim Bradley was every inch " man,
tsll aud good looking. His dark eyes
flashed. and his jaw set. lie had seen
Marion In a temper before. lie tried
10 explain.
sB,it, dearest. she only overlook me
on my way TO town. 1t was not
planned by either OF vs.. and ! have al
ways known her, as | have you. Would
you have me tell her you did not allow
me to ride a mile with a neighh0f.
Where's the harinE You know whom |
love- dear"
she's always after you, Shes in
love with you. She
mo, she is not. but ii she were ought
ron tp be angry with me- And even
then should you blame her? You love
me yourself, don't yoa? Come, dear he
reasonable. Let NE lead the brute
home. and. IL you must ride and get
sunstroke. get 1t on safe horse, His
masterful air Of possession irrltated
her as much as it ordinarily pleased
her.
Il don't love you. | hate YOU Come
on, Prince" She gave the reins a little
slap, aud the colt danced and snorted
wildly. Jim caught him by the birdie.
He spoke with repressed anger.
eNell. love me or not, YOU shall get
down. Yon shan't break Your neck
just TO break my heart Yon know
plenty OF other ways OF doing thai.
Prince has not been saddled half n
dozen times. and | know your fatEer
does not allow yon TO ride him. though
you are ali old hand at horses. And
Won know perfectly well that Agnes is
nothing hut a friend She cares meth
Ing for me. Shes a nice girl
That's it--stand up for her Jim
Bradley. she told Sue Field that she
would take you from me, and she's
done ir. Not thar care much. Let
Prince 60. | say"
II will not shall take you down
and have, your father forbid You 10
mount him. Sue is only trying to make
trouDle agnes never said or thought
Thing like that"
Marion sat quietly a moment as II TO
obey his command 10 dismount. Her
eyes Were wide. her cheeks glowing.
He dropped the bride and came TO
reach his arms up for her. Then sud
denly the demon of pride seized her
again. She gave Prince Il cut that sent
him out Of ,Jim's reach with one bound.
"Goodhv."s slle called You are free.
wouldn't marry YOU il you'll would
have 60 be dead and come 10 life again
before would say love you
The horse was off at an unrnly gal
lop Jim was angry, but his heart
stood still as he watched the little blue
figure riding away 50 tightly. Cntrust-
worthy ss he knew. the colt to b.. she
seemed t0 have him under fine control.
She could tame anything but her own
temper: L was way she had Per
haps her own uurnly spirit mode the
CONQUEST of others easy. or an her
suhors-and she vas much sought
only jim had ever held his own and
refused 10 bow utterly under the yoke
af her viii That was why she loved
him aBa quarreled with him-and had
always come back TO him. He was the
stronger. and. while at times she re
senled his power over her. sho also
gloried In II. This was the worst she
had ever done defed him. broken her
promise 10 marry him. riSked her life
to wiring his heart.
lie watched horse and girl fly from
hint. over the level road. Then be
shouldered his hayforl., walked swift
~ 10 her fathers place. entered The de-
serted barnyard-the men were all in
the fields-ciosed the open barn door
and waited with set Jaw.
Meantime Marion and tine colt were
having q grand ride past grain lands
and groves and farmhouses. flying past
meadow aud bayfield,. The brisk mo
ton. the wiad iH her face. cooled the
girls anger little aud made her
ashamed She thought with pang
that she had gone TOO far this time
tbst she could never make II up with
Jim now Sue had BEEN s'fool.'
Then sbe remembered coming back
from shopping with Sue and meeting
him riding sayly 70 town with agnes
Sutherland. with whom, shs had varred
from the A r C's VI. ism had always
had fondness for her. Her wrath
rose again. snd1she twitched the tafdle.
Prince was tired and beginning to he
I a htf STfgkr and. nervous With bOFEe-