Middletown transcript., 1907-01-05

GnnpoWder Hill that MISS ILL
ary's coW.puncher suggested to
her in offhand fashion that they
get out and walk.
tn take the kinks out Of your
legs, lady, and Manuel, he'll wait
at the top for US, explained the
curly-haired youth.
Miss Hilary assented very
promptly, for she was on an
avowed huntfor the picturesque,
and this tanned and flannel shirt
ed young son Of Arizona was the
most promising specimen she
had yet cast eyes on. He had
appeared out of the chaparral
some dozen miles back on buck
skin bronco, had sent his pony
Keno back to the Three circle
bar Ranch with a touch of a
switch, and had climbed to the
seat on the stage beside the
driver.
For an hour he had taken in
with an apparently inattentiye
ear the girls pungent comments
IN hnr uncla on the country,
while carrying on meanwhile q
desultory conversation in Span
ish with Manuel. Since his alert
blue eyes forbade the hypothesis
that he was stupid, the puncher's
indifference to her indirect sallies
dampened little Miss Hilary's
enthusiasm. 1t had not been her
experience hitherto that young
men were won't to be Indifferent
to her presence. She felt it
would be too bad if this cool
youth with the Hermes shoulders
the first she had vet seen to-
measure up to her ideal of what
acowboy should be-were to offer
her no opportunity for an intelli-
gent study Of him. Therefore
Miss Hilary did not punish her
self in order to punish him by
refusing his somewhat tardy
overture, but she made a con-
cession to the memory of conven-
tional Massachusetts so far as to
suggest to the asthmatic uncle
who accompanied her that he
walk with them. That unam-
bilious gentleman declined with
out reservation.
I didn'tcome here totake kinks
out Of my legs. my dear. But
that isn't any reason why you
shouldn't walk a bit if you like,
Shirley.
Miss Hilary's coWpuncher-
hers by right of discovery and
exploration had looked on horse
back the embodiment Of 1.-THE and
muscular grace. Now she noted
that on foot he went with just a
touch of the bow-legged sWagger
that was fitting for an unhorsed
rider of the plains.
Going to Oracle, ! suppose !?
the young man asked.
Yes-to Meals. We thought
it might help my uncle.
Best place on earth for sick
people and they'll treat you white
at the 8 N Ranch There are
lots Of good rides around there,
too, ifyou re a rider and ! guess
you are. His bold eyes took in
her long curves swiftly from q
horseman's point Of view.
] don't know about your bron-
cos, she said.
Oh, they are easy riding. All
you have to remembers to guide
with the rein.
The girl looked over at her
discovery with curious eyes.
Say it, lady, suggested the
man.
/ was only wondering If you
were ever in q big city.
Yes m, onct I was in Denver,
he said innocently. But I don't
take to it right kindly. Me for
the washes and the cattle
trails. / amt hardy enough to-
live in cities, ] reckon. And the
curly haired one filed gratefully
his deep, strong lungs with Ari-
zona ozone.
And is Denver the only city
you ever were in
He looked at her in surprise
and considerable amusement ap-
parently. Nom, / often been in|
Tucson. OF course, Tucson amt
what you'd call big city, but ]
shouldn't wonder if there was
right smart doing there.
They came TO point in the
iutting road where across The
wide, sun-bathed valley they
looked to the brown Galluros be-
yond For mile upon mile The
gorgeous panorama stretched be,
fore them.
The girl took long, deen