The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-11-18
Fate and
Hunpy.
by Charles Calverson. :
Copyrighted. 1907. by E. c. PARCELS. :
by Charles CaIverSon.
Copyrighted. 1907. by E. c. PARCELS.

What does the lady look likeY' de-
handed HUMPHREYS.
Cotton regarded him coolly.
Il don't think that there will be more
! than dozen or two ladies clamoring
for transportation to the Twin Hearts"
said HUMPHREYS employer Even your
benighted intellect might appreciate
that fact"
| HUMPHREYS nodded and turned away.
! Curtis Cotton, owner of the Twin
Hearts. was peculiar. Above all, he
wanted men about him who could car
ry out brief orders without demanding
an elaborate application of the same
HUMPHREYS had supposed that in this
case the question was justifable. but if
Cotton thought otherwise he had no
comment to make.
He went down to the corral and
hitched the blacks to the blackboard,
one or two of his fellows lounging over
to see what was up.
Coin to town, Humpy?" demanded
Ben Tyler. lighting a fresh cigarette
NO" said HUMPHREYS, with asperity,
''Tm goin' to drive over to China to
hire new cook. What makes you
think I was goin' to town."
Tyler grinned amiably.
YOU'D think he was the old man if
you could hear him talk with your
eyes shut" he commented musingly to
Buck Byers. "By the way, wish
you'd stop on the way back and bring
out some makings."
He tossed a silver dollar to Hum
pbries as that worthy climbed into the
seat and started the team. HUMPHREYS
pocketed the coin, with grunt, and
devoted himself to his thoughts.
That something was doing up at the
big house was clearly apparent. The
minister from Silver Forks had driven
over that merning, and now he was
sent to Brayleys for young woman.
with orders to return her to the ranch
with all speed. He grinned as he OBJ
served the brand on the TANKS of the
blacks, the twin hearts from which the
ranch took its name.
Ought to put a cupid's arrow
through 'em," he told the blacks. "Then
you'd look like valentines. Wonder
who it is goin' to get hitched?"
He ran through the list of probables,
but could not decide until the Overland
paused at the little flag station to de-
posit a young woman and trunk. AS
the girl raised her veil HUMPHREYS
sprang forward.
Miss Bess," he cried, a note of real
welcome in his voice, 1--WE got the
blackboard here"
: He held her hand an instant in greet
5 ing and then strapped the trunk be-
hind the seat before helping her in.
The year before he had been working
ON the Circle z when Bess Farley had
come to spend the summer with her
+ brother, his employer. Even then
+ there had been talk of marriage be-
l tween her and Cotton, but the gossip
5 had died down, and it was supposed
that there had been a quarrel. Now
r she was here. the preacher was here.
and there could be no doubt but that
she would become queen of the Twin
Hearts as well as the heart of every
rider on the range.
HUMPHREYS engaged her in converse
ton, supplying bits Of local news and
listening with an amiable grin to her
tales of black east" Almost before
they knew it they had come to the gate
of the ranch Enclosure. and HUMPHREYS
was about to jump down and open ii
, when she laid a OBTAINING hand upon
f bis arm.
e why stop here?" she asked. 'Circle
] 2 is only five miles ahead"
t "Circle Z?' he echoed. 81 thought
e you We're coming here"
did my brother say so?' she asked
'T haven't seen Mr. Farley in six
months" he said. I'm working here
e now, and Mr. Cotton told me to go and
= get a lady. 1 asked what she looked
like and he cut me off short, like he al
ways does. l supposed it must be al
, right. You was the only lady to ger
off"
81 didn't know that you had left my
j. brothers ranch" she explained in re
= turn, land / thought, of course, it wa:
: all right. l wrote him three days agc
e that / was coming"
u Il guess the letters there at thu
house." commented HUMPHREYS. ''Yol
see, he went up to Denver about
week ago, so nobody knows that YOUR
coming. Better turn in here. Tn
Circle 2 house is all closed up whil
your brothers away"
HUMPHREYS climbed out of the buck
board and opened the gate, driving tn
p team through and closing it again be
It fore he climbed back to the seat
You will be better off here" b
continued comfortably land there
the minister from Silver Spring to b
your chaperon."
y What is the minister doing here?
IS she demanded. HUMPHREYS blushed-
/ II did think he came over to do
n job Of hitchin'," he explained. but
guess now that l was in wrong Here
the boss" he added as Cotton came on