Mower County transcript., 1907-05-29

On. no, was well out of his way"
She started again to cross the trail,
stepping quickly, with her eyes down,
but again his voice came, less delib-
crate this time, and with words in
something less than Ineligible Sc
quence.
Excuse me, Miss-but-now how
many miles to-what's the name Of
the nearest settlement suppose you
live hereabouts?''
What did you say?
II say is there any place where
could get to stop day or SO In ANA
lon?" ~ n
"Oh-I didn't understand think
so: at least, my father sometimes
but there's Elder Wardle, he often
takes in travellers"
"You say your father"
"Not always-I don't know, I'm
sure" she looked doubtful.
"Oh, all right! I'll ask him,-if
you'll show me his place"
Its the first place on the left after
you leave the canyon-with the big
peach orchard-Pm not going home
just yet."
He stroked the muzzle of the horse.
"Oh, I'm in no hurry, I'm just look
ing over the country little. Your
fathers name is"
"Ask for Elder Razor one of his
wives will say if they can keep you
over night"
She caught something new in his
glance, and felt the blood in her face.
II must go now-you can find your
way-I must co."
"Well, if you must go,'-he picked
up his hat,-"but I'll see you again.
You'll be coming home this evening,
reckon?"
"The first house on the left" she
answered, and stepped once more
across the trail and into the edge of
the pines.
When she knew he must be gone,
she came out again to her nook be-
side the stream where, a moment be-
fore, her dream had filled her. But
now, though nothing had happened
youth, the dream no longer sufhced.
In place of the omoonlit balcony was
the figure Of this young stranger
'swaying with his horse down between
the followed shoulders. of the Pine
mountains and refining up suddenly to
sweep his broad hat low in front Of
her. She was surprised by the clearness
with which she could recall the de-
tails Of his appearance,-a boyish-loek-
ing fellow, with wide-open blue eyes
and a sunbrowned face under his yel:
low hair, the smallest of moustaches,
and a smile of such winning good
humor that it had seemed to force her
own lips apart in answer.
The picture Of him stayed in her
mind, the sturdy young fgure,--rather
loose-jointed but with an easy grace
of movement anti the engaging nat
uralness Of his manner. But after all
nothing had happened save the pass
ing of a stranger, and she must 60
alone back to her dream. Yet now the
dream might change; a strange yontEhs! youth!
might come riding out OF the east, slt-
ting a sorrel horse with star and a
white hind ankle, long rangy neck
and strong quarters; and he-the
youth-would wear broad, gray
hat, with band of silver filigree, a
scarlet kerchief at his throat, scarlet
sash at his waist, and yellow dogskin
"chapps."
Still, she thought, he could hardly
have a place in the dream. The real
youth of the dream had been of an
unearthly beauty, with rose-leaf COM
plexion and lustrous curls massed
above a brow of marble. The stranger
had not been of an unearthly beauty.
To be sure, he was very good to look
at, with his wide-open blue eyes and
his yellow hair, and he had appeared
uncommonly fresh and clean about
the mouth when he smiled at her.
But she could not picture him signing
the right words Of love under bal
cony in the moonlight. He had looked
to he too intensely busineSS-like.