Smyrna times., 1908-01-01
Fate and
Hlr11py.
by Charles CaIverson.
1907. by E. C. PARCELS.

manded Humphries.
Cotton regarded him coollyG
Il don't think that there will be more
than dozen or two ladies clamoring
for transportation to the Twin Hearts,"
said Humphries' employer. Even your
benighted intellect might appreciate
that fact
Humphries nodded and turned away.
| Curtis Cotton, owner of the Twin
Hearts, was peculiar Above all, he |
wanted men about him who could car
| ry out brief orders without demanding |
an elaborate amplification of the same. !
Humphries had supposed that in this
case the question was justifabe but if
Cotton thought otherwise he had no
comment to make.
He went down to the corral and
hitched the blacks to the blackboard.
one or two of his fellows lounging over
to see what was up.
Coin to town. Humpy?' demanded
Ben Tyler, lighting fresh cigarette.
No" said Humphries. with asperity.
|
hire a new cook. What makes you
think was goin' to town?"
Tyler grinned amiably.
You'd think he was the old man if
you could hear him talk with your
eyes shut" he commented musingly to
Buck Byers. BY the way, | wish
you'd stop on the way back and bring
out some makings."
He tossed a silver dollar to Hum
phries as that worthy climbed into the
seat and started the team. HTIphries
pocketed the coin. with grunt. and
devoted himself to his thoughts.
That something was doing up at the
big house was clearly apparent. The
minister from Silver Forks had driven
over that morning, and now he was
sent to Brayleys for a young woman,
/ with orders to return her to the ranch
i with all speed. He grinned as he OBJ
served the brand on the tianks of the
: blacks. the twin hearts from which the
y ranch took its name.
Ought to put cupid's arrow
through EN-" he told the blacks. Then
you'd look like valentines. Wonder
who it is goin to get hitched?'
He ran through the list of probablas
but could not decide until the Overland
paused at the little flag station to de
= posit Il young woman and trunk. Al
the girl raised her veil Humphrie'
sprang forward.
Miss Ress." he cried, a note of rea
welcome in his voice, 1--WE got th
blackboard here"
= He held her hand an instant in greet
ing and then strapped the trunk be
hind the seat before helping her in
The year before he had been wOrkin
on the Circle z when Bess Farley ha
lie come to spend the summer with he
If brother, his employer. Even the
nc there had been talk of a marriage b'
- tween her and Cotton, but the gossi
had died down. and it was suppose
IT, that there had been a quarrel. No
she was here the preacher was her
and there could be no doubt but tn;
she would become queen of the Twi
Hearts as we'll as the heart of evel
rider on the range
y Humphries engaged her in convers
y ton. supplying bits of local news al
n, listening with an amiable grin to b
uit tales of back east" Almost befo
they knew it they had come to the ga
nm Of the ranch inclosure. and Humphri
was about to jump down and open
when she laid a OBTAINING hand up
his arm.
"Why stop here?' she asked, "Clr'
z is only five miles ahead"
"Circle II, he echoed. II thong
you were coming here"
"Did my brother say sOY' she ask
81 haven't seen Mr.. Farley in
months" he said. I'm working h'
. now. and Mr.. Cotton told me to go a
~, get a lady asked what she look
II like, and he cut me off short, like he
= wavs does supposed it must be
right. You was the only lady to
off"
81 didn't know that you had left
brothers ranch" she explained in
u turn. land | thought. of course. it
II all right. I wrote him three days
that was coming"
81 guess the letters there at
D house" commented Humphries. -
see. he went up to Denver ab0u
veek ago. so nobody knows that yo
coming Retter turn in here.
Circle y house is all closed up "
le or -. h,.o+hor,s avav."
se cot of Humphries climbed out of the b'
bank hoard andsopened the gate. driving
team through and closing 1t again
fore he climbed back to the seat
"You will be better on mere.
continued comfortably, land the
tbe minister from Silver Spring t.
your chaperOn."
"What is the minister doing he
she demanded Humphries blush'
81 did think he came over to
iob of hitchin'," he explained %
oness now that was in wrong. ID
cunts the boss" he added as o,nG OU1tII Of ~ the