Smyrna times., 1907-06-26
'SRide
By ANNE KEILMAN.
BY ANNE REILMAN.
Copyright. 1901, by c. H. sutclire.

a
made its disappearance 3 .stinct re-
lief. 1t cast no long afternoon shad-
ows, for between Marcia's eyes and the
far horizon stretched only a rolling sea
of prairie grass Drowned almost to a
stubbe.
"See anything of pap?" asked a queru-
lous voice from the sque21ly wooden
rocker near the back door
Hes coming" the girl answered list
lessly. Then in a brisker brighter
tone: How easily Bonnie Belle makes
it! You'd think she was on her first |
mile, and I'll wager my new hat pas |
kept that pace for the whole trip. Bless |
the pretty creaturer'
'She's fine mare, Marshy. There |
.ain't many in Nebrasky slicker, less
it's Charlie Keith's roan," with covert |
glance. $Well, if you'll dish the supper |
I'll get the butter am preserves, heyY
"All right! Hello, father! Back |
again? HOw's Bonnie Belle?'
"Chipper's ever, Marshy See her
reach for ye, darter. l VOW she's got
mOre sense than some humans. Sup
per ready? How's ma?'
Better. and suppers ON the table
III Unsaddle Belle. Any mail, father?"
'NNaal, now, they want any letters,
darter, but here's the paper l swan
| but it's lively times down 70 Prairie
| City. Boomers till We can't rest, an We
hear nOthin' but braggin' about the
| Kiowa reservation an the ride fer it
| next Satday. There's settlers pilin
in by every train, an cowboys an
blacklegs galore Won't be nary chance
fer an old feller like me. Yes, ma, I'm
| cOmin'r'
He entered to the impatient invalid,
and Marcia led her blooded mare to
the shed stable. After removing the
saddle and bride the girl suddenly
broke into a dry sob and leaned her
head against the pretty creatures sleek
side.
"Oh. why don't l hear? Where is
he? 1t can't be that little quarrel at
the dance. hate Tom HObson'-pas-
sionately-'I only went with him be-
cause-beeause l didn't care to show l
preferred Charlie when they came up
at the same minute. 1t would have
been so marked! Why couldn't he un-
derstand? Men are idiOtsr'
Half laughing, half sobbing, she gave
her pet gentle rub down, adding food,
drink and a last caress. Then she
turned toward the cabin.
I'VE need rain awfully," she sighed
"as much as we need money. Oh
what a life! Work, work, work, and
for what? If it isn't grasshoppers, it's
fires, and if it isn't these it is sand
storms and cyclones. There's no nsC
trying to get ahead in this wretchel
countryl-
what ye mutterin' over, Marshy! !!
called her fathers big voice from th'
supper takJie. Come in an read the
news to your ma. The papers full O
it,"
'+Of what|' said Marcia obviously
= 4Why. wasn't l tellln' ye? OF tn
: opening of the reservation an the gov
ment givin" out the Injun lands.
:. swan. if l was younger Pd~ymak
race fer it myself. ! know Bonni
Belle could do it, She came from tn
city tonight in forty minutes and neve
turned 4 hair"
Marcia began to read of that vas
r eruption of the stranger and the tel
ID derfoOt" which was Transforming III
small. sleepy town into a noisy, blu
tering. open all night, fakir ridden cit
nearing IT'S hundred thousand inhabi
ants. the better portion intent upo
claiming n home at the opening, VIII
the remainder were as intent upo
plunder, lawlessness and deviltr
Marcia read listlessly for a time, the
with growing excitement
ItIl be a wonderful sight, pa, th'
ride. How | wish that we could get
- town lot at Kiowa and make a hon
theret could teach then, and "
could perhaps start mill again. l
~ tber and we'd give up fighting Il
~ storms and bugs on this old ranch.
!. you only couldp'
IN "Yes. darter, but l couldn't. Ho"
ne a man to make sich run whes-
aiI can't move his bride arm 'thout pa
ketchin' him? Pap's too old an |
,r clumsy. my girl
,ui Marcia lay awake far into the nig
NJ
10 thinking planning, revolving.
res
'ad II was nothing unusual for Marc
gill to ride over to Prairie City for Wis
on She had schoolmates there who VIC
ese always glad to see her, and possil
n o+har interests drew her in that dir
y" n tion II was the town Charlie Ke
coIIed home and in which he spent
brief vacations. Here Marcia had n
y I'D often in the past two years OF
, bannv school life, and here she b
seemingly. irrevocably offended him
one of those sudden, grish freaks,
VA inexnlicable TO a lover.
. She had neither seen nor heard IT
hin, since. Her father noted the ces
tion ~ certain frequent letters and
sadness on his darllng's beautiful I
ard longed 10 comfort her. When
asled the next morning if she mi
amend the rest of the week with /
harrow IN prairie City, he gladly g