Smyrna times., 1907-09-11

'ISS'T?'sESS'ESSs' -, 1.
Its no use talking to me-" isabel
exclaimed. MY mind is fully made
up"
jim rose and, limping slowly over 70
where the girl sat, stood looking down
upon her intently. She shifted uncom-
fortably under his gaze and finally
slipped from her chair and fled iono-
mlniously to the farthest window
where she felt sure, Jim, suffering
from his swollen ankle, would not fol-
low her.
And, besides," she continued loftilv
as he subsided into the chair she had
besides, 1 have no intention
OF ever marrying I feel that I have
mission which is altogether too i'm
pOrtant'-
"Huhp'
"Oh, of course you are shocked
scandalized, in fact. Tom and Sally
were both seemingly outraged when I
told them what had decided on. Ev-
cry one seems to think it's plainly a
girls mission in life to marry the first
man who cOndescends to ask her but
l nave entirely different ideas on the
subject and 1 really feel that it is nv
mission to go and help teach those
poor, ignorant Chinese
ITO lie and cheat alice samee Mel
lean man instead of guileless hea-
then"
Jim Brinson had never before pro-
posed to girl, and her calm refusal
hurt.
Where are you going?' he asked
presently as Miss Amber in naughty
silence commenced to pin on her hat.
TO the postOfice," icily. The letter
announcing my appointment has GER
tainly arrived by this time"
You surely amt going to attempt to
ride over to Kiowa and back today?"
Il surely am"
But look at the weather. Can't you
see there's a storm comingY"
mo, cannot" answered Isabel. don
ming light jacket. "'The day is beau
tiful"
wait until tomorrow, and one Of
the boys can go. And, besides. Tom
has taken your pony out on the range.
There amt a horse left that you can
ride"
Il intend to ride Flrefy," said Miss
Amber shortly.
Don't attempt to ride that cayuse,"
warned Joe. 'He needs a firm hand
or he's liable to take the bit in his
teeth any old time and go Looping off
after any stray horse he'd spy grazing
on the range. He amt got a lick of
sense and would be sure to balk and
pitch you off soon's the storm strikes
him. And there's a blizzard coming,
and that right sOon."
"As l said before" replied Miss Am
Der, "the day is perfect-a trife hazy,
but that is caused by smoke Firefy
Is as gentle as one could wish. He
suits me-"
"SOme people appear to have as little
knowledge about weather and horses
as they have common sense" returned
Jim in no genial tone.
"Well, as the weather and horses and
cattle evidently comprise the extent of
cow puncher's knowledge one ought
not to be expected to excel them in
their limited sphere" answered the girl
tauntingly as she abruptly left the
room.
The air was delclously fresh and
clear. Not the slightest indication of
a storm, and it's as warm as one could
WISH" Isabel murmured to herself as
she cantered blithely along the deeply
marked trail. How contrary a man is
If he's thwarted in any little thing!
And Tom and his wife are just as
unreasonable. They think 1 ought to
consider myself in great luck to marry
prosperous cattleman and settle
down as their nearest neighbOr. Well,
| must admit I'll hate to leave them
so soon. How quickly those two
months have passed! l never thought
would like Colorado so WELL" glanc-
ing approvingiy around the undulat-
ing country. "How near the noun
tains seem! Yes, it's big and free and
inspiring, but it's not for me-" and she
sighed uncOnsciously.
Absorbed with her meditations, lisa
| Del IdIleU 10 uOliCe ludI ulSlJ NSlA
was suddenly drawn before the far
foothills She was rudely brought to
a realization of her whereabouts as the
storm swooped down upon her malig-
nantly. Firefy was aimlessly picking
his way up the side of decidedly un-
familiar looking hill. Not sign of the
trail was to be seen. "And it was so
plain a child could follow it," his rider
dolefully reflected.
The earth became blanketed with
white, and surrounding objects grew
DINNER. 1t was a new world-a threat
ening, confusing, shifting white world
At the top Of the hill they met the
full fury of the first blizzard Of the
season.
UToo vvas cartainIv PiRht about the