The Washington times., 1908-05-03
CHAPTER IL

VLNN has An 4 O.
That next bright week OF summer
days and evenings was a happy time
for little Dummy, and for Jerry as well
Sylvia felt herself drifting 50 calmly
along, in her newer welcome OF TIE
thought OF marrying Jerry, that sic
could not escape the spell tha5 nature
was weaving over al the living world.
And yet there was nOJhing mucn InaL
was different Jerry was keeplns lis
word concerning further talk upon the
subject Of his agreement with sylvia.
and this made her Ike him the more
His eyes were brighter than ever be-
fore, his rudy face was glowing Ike
a mirror OF mis- heart
Youth seemed smiling upon MIN.
day b. day, His iron-gray Aair and
grazing beard appeared 10 be mercy
color attributes, belonging 20 the man.
without relation 10 MS age. He Was
vigorous, tirsless, fun 0L energy
splendid example OF mountain man
hood
Had he only known il, these were
the days when his ardor should have
been unleashed- de was growing more
easy 10 love. every nOIr ne spent
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or riding him gayly about on me
mended burro. endeared him 20 sylvia
heart. ard gave aim q hrmer hold
upon her affections
de had bought a tiny saddle and
bride for the donkey, and these little
Dummy could manage 10 pat upon his
Jack al By himself. The big man
JOY was limitless when ne and Dummy
and the burro could come upon Sylvia.
wandering happily about, Ike a wood
land syf9h, among The trees OF the
canyon Al such a moment he was
prone 10 tell the little rider 70 guide
his donkey about By himself, while he
and Sylvia watched him. together
At some such moment he should
boldly have taken the pretty white
hand. so often near his own. and
poured out q little q the all within las.
heart; for nature was achieving a half
OF his wOOlng. these times, and graft
tu6e was doing almost as much, and
Sylvia frequently trembled al the very
verge OF overwhelming tenderness OF
feeling But he did not opeak- IN his
honesty OF word and purpose he was
waiting for the passing Of the month
he had told her she should have
on a certain Wednesday noon the
news was brought 10 Tamarack OF q
stage robbery, committed the day be-
fore. with extraordinary daring ana
boldness. on the mountain road some
twenty miles from AliLsite. on the
summit Funds belonging 10 Kirk x
Craig. intended for their summer Op-
srations, had been taken from the
messenger; the express company had
sent a force OF men 10 scour the hills
for the desperadoesi and intense ex-
element prevailed, not only az the
towns across the border OF Nevada,
but also az AIillsits Is we'll
Craig had sent a special word 10
Jerry, requiring his presence at the
summit camp at once. TO cOCOlete
new arrangements for working capi-
tai
Jerry bade basty gOOd-by TO Syl-
via and Dummy, riding on horseback 10
the house for the purpose
IN be back as soon as possible" he
said. and they saw him gaIlop away
I'm going 10 ride Ike that or my
donkey some OF these times an
nounced little I1nny, In admiration
That's really. truly ridingi"
Sylvia kissed him fmpUIsively
You Ike Jerry. don't you, dearg'
You betr' answered Dummy en-
phaticaIly. He says I'm his pa-d-"
Would you Ike TO be his pard all
the timer" She was rosily coloring
as she asked the question
Yep" said her uasuspestinE little
brother Wouldn't youg'i
IL don't know-I guess so" she
laughed, in some confusion.
Only. girls can't be pards. Ike Us
tellers, Dummy Informed her. not
without compassion They don't
Maybe they don't" she agreed,
more 20 herself than % him, but
maybe they can learn
She was glad 70 find she felt a genu-
inc regret at Jerry's departure she
had grown IN the way that permitted
her to see the splendid. enduring
youth in him still. to see the honesty
and tenderness that must have ea-
deared him TO her father He appeared
AT last 70 be epprOxtmattng the jerry
she had more than half created from
the letters and the picture that had
once presented the al OF the man
that could be presented from dis
Sbe had wanted from the first 70 be
honest herself, and 20 keep her prom
ise. Her scruplss now were satisfied,
and satisfaction OF her nature would
come a little later. she felt convinced
She sang a little at her work in the
garden: her hears was at last so thor
Oughly IN tune with ali the Joys OF
burgeoning summer that happiness
chose her for its natural companion
Meantime little Dummy was present
" alive to the fact that his afternoon
ride on the burro, under Jerry's
charge. was a vanished delight
Moreover, Jerry might be gone for
several days. and what II a fellow
should forget the way TO saddle up
donkey. or 20 Chamber on its back.
or % steer with the relns? In
childish alarm at re bare possioili-
ties. the little I'm proceeded at once
10 the stable and made his burro ready
Tor service.
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