The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1907-01-11

Nct, searching gaze OF those 0cctlS-
toned to looking ut great distances. In
the days that followed it was Gordon
Keith who monopolized the greater
share Of her time and thoughts, and 1t
was with him she talked and tramped
and rode. Oh. those rides-with the
horses feet thudding under her, her
face glowing with the exhilaration and
her hair loosening and streaming out
like a bright pennant!
Its wonderful, isn't it," she said
breathlessly, refining in, that she might
fasten her rebellious hairpins. "Noth-
ing between you and the sky, Or" with
a wav Of the whip. nothing between
you and the edge Of the world"
Keith turned to her.
"Then you are beginning to feel the
call Of it." he said quietly, "as l hoped
you would. And o I can say what
I've been wanting to say ever since 1
first met you: Will you marry me, Dru-
silla?"
She shook her head.
I'm sorry" she said softly, ooh, so
sorry! 1t would be venal to tell you
how much your friendship has meant
to me-you must have guessed that al
ready. But what you ask is impos-
sible."
'"Then you do not-care?"
"Care!" Her voice wavered on the
word. "Ah, you don't know how near
I've come to loving you and how I've
fought it down, for l knew l couldn't
give up what's calling to me from the
city I've left-all the cotillons and din
ners and teas of the life l love. And
you once belonged to it too. You've
confessed as much. Why" she made
a little beseeching gesture, "why did
you ever give it up?"
Because l was sick of being a pup
pet in evening clothes, because I was
tired to death Of the shams and the
hnsel and the %falseness, and 1 wanted
to get out where l could breathe deep
and look up to the stars and feel that
I was a man. Drusilla''-
mo. no." she begged. Don't ask
me. for l couldn't, I couldn't"
III silence they rode toward the
shack. The long light of the sunset
glow was across the plains. Bright
clouds were piled in the west. Against
the molten sky of red and gold a cow
boy rider loped in picturesque silhou-
cite.
'It's big and free and beautiful"
Drusilla murmured to herself, "but it's
not for met"
A week later she went east, and her
going left a great gap in the lives of
the three men at Ell Paso. Ned per-
haps missed her least Of all, for he was
to go home in November. Rogers open
" mourned her departure.
Don't seem natural" he complained,
mot to hear her step about the house
or her songs in the evening"
But Keith. who felt her going most,
kept silent, carrying with him. a long
ing that would not be satisfied.
Drusilla had given her promise to
write. yet she was slow in fulfilling it.
Even Ned grumbled as day after day
went by and no word came from her
save a telegram saying she had ar
rived safely and a few picture postal
cards covered with hasty scribbling.
Rogers made excuses for going to the
mail oftener than was really necessary.
and his persistency was at length re-
warded, for one day lie returned with
three letters in Drusilla's handwriting.
His was full of amusing Incidents,
Ned's of gossip and sisterly affection.
but to Keith she wrote:
."You are right after all. l I'M smoth-
cred with conventionality and weary
of riding my prescribed length in the
park. It's all such Il social circus. And
1t isn't the call Of the plains that's
drawing me. It's the call Of the heart.
Do you hate the metropolis too much
to come here to marry me?"
= $ y "
"Well." observed Rogers. standing
in the doorway a few minutes late"
and watching Keith g%alloping into the
distance. For sheer hustling that
beats all I've ever seen. He sure de-
serves to catch that train"