Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-11-08
Fate and Hun1py.
.....By Charles Calverson
Copyrighted. 1907. by E. c. Parcells.

Colton regarded him coolly.
 T don't think that there will be more
 than a dozen or two ladies clamorine e for transportation to the Twin Hearts, said Humphries employer. Even youl tt benighted intellect might appreciate that fact"
 , Humphries nodded and turned away
 Curtis Colton, 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 amplitication of the same. Humphries had supposed that in this
 case the question was iustiiable, 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 fresh cigarette.
 "No," said Humphries, with asperity,
 "I'm goin' to drive over to China to
 hire d 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, l wish
 you'd stop on the way back and bring
 out some makings."
 He tossed a silver dollar to Hum
 phries as that worthy climbed into the seat and started the team. Humphries 1 pocketed the coin, with a grunt, and | devoted himself to his thoughts. That something was doing up at the 1 big house was clearly apparent. The i minister from Silver Forks had driven l over that morning, and now he was sent to Brayleys for young woman, 1 with orders to return her to the ranch with all speed. He grinned as he ob- 1 served the brand on the Hanks of the blacks the twin hearts from which the ranch took its name.
 Ought to put cupid's arrow through 'em." he told the blacks. "Then you'd look like valentines Wonder who it is goin to get hitchSd?" He ran through the list of proba bles, but could not decide until the Overland paused at the little flag station to de- nosit young woman and a trunk. As the girl raised her veil Humphries sprang forward
 Miss Bess." he cried, note of real welcome in his voice, Eve got the blackboard here"
 He held her hand an instant in greet 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 a marriage be. tween her and ColtOn, but the gossip had died down, and it was supposed that there had been a quarrel Now 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.
 Humphries engaged her in conversa- ton, supplying bits of local news and listening with an amiable grin to her tales of back east" Almost before they knew it they had come to the gate of the ranch inclosure. and Humphries was about to jump down and open it when she laid a detaining hand upon his arm.
 "Why stop here?" she asked. Circle z is only five miles ahead"
 Circle ZT' he echoed. q thought you were coming here"
 Did my brother say soT she asked.
 T haven't seen Mfr. Farley in six months" he said. I'm working here now. and Mir. Colton told me to go and get lady. asked what she looked like. and he cut me off short, like he al. ways does. I supposed it must be all right You was the only lady to get of"
 "I didn't know that you had left my brothers ranch" she explained in re- turn, and thought. of course. it was all right I wrote him three days ago that was coming"
 q guess the letters there at the house." commented Humphries. You . see. he went up to Denver about a week ago. so nobody knows that you're coming. Better turn in here. The Circle z house is all closed up while your brothers away"
 Humphries climbed out of the buck. board and opened the gate. driving the team through and closing it again be- Tore he climbed back to the seat
 You will be better of here" he continued comfortably. and there's he minister from Silver Spring to be rOur chaperon."
 What is the minister doing hereY' | he demanded Humphries blushed- T did think be came over to do a o5 Of hitchin'.- he explained. but I ,Uess now that was in wrong Heres he boss" be added as COliOn came out in the porch at the sound of the ap- vehicle ( IL was a puzzled Cotton who came .Ovn the steps to assist Bess from the 
 This was the only lady that got of 5e train. So h-o1ght her." explained Iumphrses deHa1tiy as he unloaded 8e trunk and drove of to the stables. T iid not know that Humpy was !, rOrEfng for yO1.- explained Bess as -- n-----n.----a .aa-.---.--.--a - n =