The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1907-10-08

II gold.
IL This subjective dishonesty was
cut short by Margaret. who hur-
ried down the veranda steps.
What in the world are You &C.
ing TO do with that gum
4 Don't let Aunt Louisa see it;
she's looking ont the window" i'm.
plored Margaret, her eyes dancing.
II want to shoot wnen we get out
of town. Put it in your pocket,
please.
Riding little in the rear, Ell.
| lott watch the wind hutter the
! brown curls under Margaret's gray
! felt hat, creased raTlShly. cow
puncher fashion. Now that he was
about to lose her, he seemed to see
her all at once with new eyes. and
realized how much her companion
ship had meant to him.
Margaret Laurie liver with her
aunt on T st. in Lincoln. and gave
/ lessons in piano and vocal music.
| Her mother had been dead so long
that Elliott had never heard ner
mentioned; the father was a Meth
odist missionary in foreign parts.
/ During the whole winter Elicit
I had seen her almost daily. Their
companionship had been as stimu-
lating as it had been delightful;
/ there had always been the frank
est camaraderie between them. and
/ nothing else Elliott wished for
nothing else; he toIu himself that
/ l,1 | tfyh Of tNn
! of women to value a woman's
friendship. But on this last rlde
| together he felt as if saturated with
| failure-and it was to be the last
ride
| Margaret broke in upon his medi-
| tations. please give me the gun"
she commanded. And if it's not
too much trouble, l wish you'd get
one of those empty tomato cans by
the road"
You can't hit it," ventured Ell
lott, as he dismounteG and tossed
the can high in the air
At the crack of the revolver the
can leaped a couple of feet higher,
and as it poised she hit it again
|
pinto, becoming uncomfortable.
bolted down the road Elliott gal
loped in pursuit, but she had the
animal subjected before he over
took her.
Its easier than it looks Mar
garet instructed him, kindly. You
shoot when the can poises to fall,
when it's really stationary for a
second"
Thank you've tried it," FL
lott responded, as they rode on
side by side, at the easy lope of
the western horse.
I'm going to tell you great Sc
cret," said Margaret. 10 you know
what I've wanted more than any
thing else in life?"
Your father must be coming
home from the south seas" Elliott
hazarded.
Dear old father! He isn't in the
south cas- now; he's in South Afri-
lea. No, it isn't that. I'm going to
Baltimore this fall to study music.
I've been arguing it for weeks with
Aunt Louisa"
"Hurrah!" said Elliott, with
some lack of enthusiasm. "BaltI-
more is a delichtful town. | wish
were going 10 anything half so
good"
You're not leaving Lincoln, are
you?" she inquired, turning quickly
to look at him.
I'm afraid l must suppose
you know that the bottoms drop
ped out of the land boom in Lin
coin" Elliott pursued. The real
estate office of Wingate Elliott,
Desirable City Property Bought
and Sold, closed up yesterday"
You don't mean that you have
Failed? Bustedz> I do. I've got
exactly $S2 in the world"
She began to laugh and then
stopped, looking at him half in
credulously.
you don't appear 1t much, at
least"
No? Well, you see it's happen
ed SO often before that I'm used to
IL. II oCCIo W illS tDdl L VIC iClI u
trail of Intellectual dollars all over
the vest"
you don't mind ia great
deal!" exclaimed Margaret, impul-
sively putting hand upon his bri-
die. please tell me about it,.
You've told me hardly anything
about your life"
There's nothing interesting
about it; nothing but looking for
easy money and not finding it," re-
piled Elliott. He was scrutinizing
the sky ahead Don't you think
We had better turn back? Look at
| those clouds"
It's too early for a twister, and
| don't mind rain. I've nothing on
that will SPOIL said Margaret. al
most abstructedly. She had scarce
ly spoken when there was a sharp
patter, and then blast of drops
driven by the wind. A vivid fash
split the clouds. the rain changed
to a rattle and the black road whit
ened with hail. The horses plunged
as the hard pellets rebounded from
hide and saddle.
I'VE must get shelter" cried FL
lott, refining round. The Jumps Of
ice drove in cutting gusts, and the
| Fri obtopaI bnrcnc hrCfya into OaJ-