Middletown transcript., 1907-01-05

on young woman returning
slowly to the picnic party with
her hands full Of gorgeous wild
poppies. Miss Hilary, It ap.
peared, had insisted on climbing
up the great bluff which fronted
them, and her friend had declined
the labor and was now returning
alone.
The young man threw Keno's
rein to the ground ut the point
where the trail led round the
bluff and climbed up the rocky
path. He came on Miss Hilary
at the summit. She tnrned her
brown. tawny eyes on him and
gave him a greeting not very
cordial.
Apparently | am persoaeQ non
gyata, said Wadleigh presently,
when be thought that the weather
land the scenery had been suffi-
ciently discussed
/ didn't know that people in
Philadelphia were so frank Ia
expressing their appreciation of
q situation, retorted the girl,
looking straight at him.
Oh, are We in Philadelphia /?
smiled the plainsman.
That Is where you come from,
I am given to understand. It is.
your native city, is it not
The ranger began to see light.
Would Of necessity be a Hindu
because Ichanced to be born in
India ? he fenced.
That's q quibble. Captain Wad.
leigh, returned the girl, eying
him scornfully. You are grad
uate of the University of Penn.
sylvania.
He abandoned ingloriously his
outer line Of defenses. Well, it's
not capital crime even if am,
he said good -humoredly.
Angry sparkles glinted in the
girls eyes. No, any more than
it is.a capital crime to play on d
girls credulity and pretend to be
what You are not.
Did / do that?
You 5id You are not a cowboy
at al, She said, flushing angrily.
discovered that when you be-
gan to talk to the stage-robber.
Your English was as correct as
mine.
Oh, but i am cowman.
happen to be half owner of the
Three-circie bar Ranch, he ex-
postulated.
You re fraud just the same.
You pretended to be native
typical cowboy, and you are not.
Did you not assume it in the
= 4
first place, Miss Hilary i?
That doesn't excuse you in the
least. You encouraged me to
think SO. You talked and acted |
like one, she accused.
For some minutes they held to
q resentful silence, then the young
man continued as if there had |
been no break, while the girl was
occupied with her own thoughts.
You had been telling your
uncle that the people of this
country were moi picturesque
enough / did not want you to
be disappointed. I wanted to-
give You chance to study the
unfettered and primeval man you
were longing to meet
In short, you made me ridicu-
lous, she said bitterly.
That was the last thing in my |
thoughts.
One might think it should have |
been the first thing to be cour.
teous to q woman and a stranger.
Butif the stranger were bent
on considering one as q type |?
Doesn't that release one q bit
from the obligation ?
I did not suppose anything re-
leased one from the obligation
to-
The girl paused, and Wad-
leigh completed her sentence for
her-to be gentleman, you
would say That is q little rough
on me, but If you look at il that
way ] suppose that closes the arr.
gument. He rose and bowed d
little stidy TO her, then turned
away.
The girl got to her feet with q
little furry of penitence. Rel
member. it was not I that put it
that way, but you.
You implied it You would
have said It If you had dared.
I would not, she flung out. i
don't like youI don't like you'll
at al, but N not going to have
you putting words in my mouth. {
You have no right.