Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1907-08-29

| Jim rose and, liElping slowly over to
where the girl sat stood looking down
| upon her intently. She shifted uncom-
| fortaby under his gaze and finally
slipped from her chair and fled igno-
| miniously to the farthest window,
where. she felt sure, Jim, suffering
from his swollen ankle, would not fol-
low her.
and, besides" she continued loftily
as he subsidized into the chair she had
vacated besides | have no intention
of ever marrying | feel that ! have
n mission which is altogether too I'M
portant'
HUH
"Oh. of course you are shocked
scandalized in fact. Tom and Sally
were both seemingly outraged when l
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
have entirely different ideas on the
subject, rnd l really feel that it is my
mission to 20 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 a 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.
ITO the postotiice," Jelly. The letter
announcing my appointment has GER
tainly arrived by this time"
You surely amt going to attempt to
ride over to Kiowa ana back todayr
II surely am"
But look at the weather! Can't you
see there's torn comng"
NO, l cannot" answered Isabel, DON
ming IL 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"
II intend to ride FREELY" said Miss
Amber shortly.
Don't attempt to ride that cayuse,'
warned Joe. He needs firm hand
or he's liable to take the bit in his
teeth any old time and go Looping off
inter any stray horse he'd spy grazing
on the range. He amt got 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 ! said before" replied Miss Am
Der, 1.-THE day is perfect-a trihe haZy,
but that is caused by smoke Flrehy
Is MS gentle as one could wish He
quits 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, rs the weather and horses and
cattle evidently comprise the extent OF
n COW puncher's knowledge one ought
not to be expected to excel them in
their limited sphere" answered the girl
Itauntingly as she abruptly left the
room.
The air was delciously 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
II he's thwarted in any little thing!
And Tom and his wife are just as
unreasonable, They think l ought to
consider myself in great luck to marry
n prosperous cattleman and settle
down as their nearest neghbor Well,
| must admit III hate to leave them
so soon. How quickly those two
months have passed, | never thought
! would like Colorado so we'll" glane-
Ing approvingly 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, Isa-
bel failed to notice that Il misty veil
was suddenly drawn before the far
! foothills, She was rudely brought 10
! a realization Of her whereabouts as the
| storm swooped down upon her malig-
nantly Firedy was aimlessly picking
| his way up the side of decidedly I'M
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 now world-a threat
enins, confusing. shifting white world.
At the top Of the hin they met the
tull fury Of the first blizzard of the
season
Joe was certainly right about the
weather Isabel admitted shlveringlv.
but he was entirely wrong about Fire
n.y. lie behaves admirably. 1t was
not his fault TINT we are lost He
hasn't the slightest disposition to
buck
The storm gave a whistling shrek.
suddenly there was tumultuous up-
heayal Of something somewhere-a
brief, brcathless sensation of nying
through The air-and then a saovdr,fe
received Miss Amber into its downy
embrace.