The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1907-01-07

rect searching gaze Of those accus.
toned to looking at great distances. In
the days that followed II was Gordon
Keith who monopollzed the greater
share Of her time and thoughts, and It
was with him she talked and tramped
and rode. Oh, those rides-with the
horses feet thudding under her. her
face glowing with the EXPLANATION and
her hair loosenlng and streaming ont
like bright pennantl
Its wonderful, isn't it," she said
breathlessly. refining in. that she might
fasteu her rebellious haIrplns. ..Notii-
ing between you and the sky. or" with
a wave Of the whip. nothing between
you and the edge Of the world"
Keith turned to her
.SThen you are beginning to feel the
call Of it, he said quietly. 4as hoped
you would. And now / can say what
I've been wanting to say ever since L
first met you: win you marry me. Dru-
S,Ila?"
Sis shook her head.
I'm sorry" she said softly, "oh, so
sorryl 1t would be venal to tell you
how much your friendship has meant
to me-you must have guessed that nj
ready. But what you ask is impos-
slble."
Then you do not-careg'
Care" Her voice wayered on the
word. "Ah. you don't know how near
I've come to loving you and how rye
fought It down, for knew couldn't
give up what's calling to me from the
city I've Ieft-all the cotillons ana din.
ners and teas Of the life / love. And
you once belonged to 1t too. You've
confessed as much. Why" she made
a little beseechlng gesture. ''why did
You ever give 1t up?'
Because was sick Of being pun
pet in evening clothes, because was
tired to death of the shams and the
tinsel and the falseness, and wanted
to get out where could breathe deep
and look up to the stars and feel that
l was man. Drusilia"-
mo. no." she begged. "Don't ask
me, for / couldn't. couldn't!"
In silence they rode toward the
shack. The long light of the sunset
glow was across the plains. Bright
clouds were piled in the west. Against
the molten sky OF red and gold cow
boy rider loped in picturesque silhou-
cite.
tits big and free and beautiful"
Drusilla murmured to herself "but it,s
not for me-"
I A week later she went east, and her
going left great gap in the lives of
the three men at Ell Paso. Ned per
haps missed her least of all. for he was
to go home In November. Rogers open
" lnourned her departure.
Don't seem natural" he complained.
mot to hear her step about the house
or her songs in the evening"
But Keith. who felt her going most.
kept silent, carrying with him long
ing that would not be satisfied.
Drusilla had given her promise to
write. yet she was slow in fulfilling IL.
Even Ned grumbled as day after day
went by and no word came from her
save telegram saying she had ar
rived safely and a few picture postal
cards covered with hasty scribhling.
Rogers made excuses for going to the
mail oftener than was really necessary,
and his persistency was Mt length re-
warded. for one day he returned with
three letters in Drusllla's handwriting.
His was full Of amusing incidents,
Ned's of gossip and sisterly affection.
but to Keith she wrote:
You are right after all. am smoth-
cred with conventlonality and weary
of riding my prescribed length in the
park. It's all such social circus. And
1t isn't the call of the plains that's
drawing me. It's the call of the heart.
Do you hate the metropolis too much
to come here to marry me-"
WELL observed Rogers, standing
in the doorway few minutes later
and watching Keith galloping into the
distance. For sheer hustling that
beats all I've ever seen. he sure de-
serves to catch that train"