Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-03-05

said her father wanted to see me as
soon os could come. SO, you see,
Thought"
Dad always calls me that, SO most
Of the people around here do, too. 1t
is very silly"
" don't think so at all. ] only
wonder why [ have not known about
you before with a frank smile. ut
must be because I've been away so
much Of the time lately. why didn't
you walt for me?' he asked suddenly.
Ten miles is a sort OF lonesome
run-for a girl"
Il did wait a while" said Mary,
honestly, but YOU didn't seem in any
hurry. expect you didn't care to be
bored that long way with the silly
chatter of a little girl
We'll" said Iangford, ruefully, I'm
afraid did feel o little relieved when
l found you had not waited. I never
will again. | do beg your pardon" he
called laughingly, over ms shoulder
as he galloped away to the spring.
When he returned there was no one
to receive him but Williston. To
gether they entered the house. 1t was
q small room into which L1ngford was
ushercd 1t was also very plain 1t
was more than that, It was shabby.
/ An easy chair or two that has sur
! vived the wrcCkagc of the house of
! Williston had boon SHIPPED to this
"land OF promise" toeother with a
| few other articles such az we're abso-
/ lutely Indispensable. The table was
a big shipping box, though Langford
did not notice that. for 1t was neatly
covered with mo,h-eatcn plum-col-
ored felt cloth rug crocheted out
CT parti-colored rags, relic of Mary
conservative and thrifty grandmother,
served as carpet for the living room.
peep through the open door into the
next and only other room disclosed
glimpses OF mating on the floor.
There was a holy place even in this
castaway house on the prairie. AS the
Young mans careless eyes took in
this new significance, the door closed
softly. The little girl" had shut
herself in.
The two men sat down at the table.
1t was hot. They were perspiring
freely The flies. swarming through
the screenless doorway, stung disa-
greeably.
Laconically Williston told his story.
He wasted no words in the telling. In
the presence of the man whose big
success made his own ritiful failures
homogeneous, his sensitive scholar S
nature had shut up like 4 clam.
L.angfords jaw was set. His young
face was tense with interest. He had
thrown his hat on the floor as he came
in. as is the way with men who have
lived much without women. lie had a
strong. bronzed face, with daredevil
eyes, blue they were. too, and he had
a certain turn OF the head mark OF
distinction which success always gives
to her sons. He had big shoulders
clad in blue 6anuel shirt open al
the throat, In his absorption ne hat
forgotten the little girl as complete
ly as if she had, in very truth. beer
the 10-year-old OF his imagination
How plainly he could see ali the I'm
holy situation-the handful of des
perate men perfectly protected on the
the little island. One man sightinl
from behind cottonwood could pla,
havoc with whole sberin's posse
on that open stretch of sand bar
Nothing but a surpri se-and did these
insolent men fear surprise? They hat
laughed al the suggestion of the neal
presence of an officer of the law AnC
did they not do well to laugh? Surely
1t was q joke, good one, this ides
OF an officers being where he wa!
needed in Kemah cQpnty.
And my brand was On that spotted
steer" he interrupted. Il know The
creature--know him well He has {
mean eye. Had the gall to dispute III,
right OF way with me once, not 81
long ago, either. He was in the cor
raj at the timo, but he's been on tn,
range all summer. He NAV have thr
evil eye all right, 0ut he's mine, ba,
eye and all; and what is mine, will
have. And is that the only origina
brand you saw"
The only one quietly unless tn
! the ] K on that red steer when h,
: got up was an original one"
: ~ r? Who could ] r be-"
1 Il couldn't say, bat the man wa
: --Iesso Black"
. Jesse Black
t The repeated words were fairly spi
/ out.