Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-12-03

But he was not looking at her. His
eyes were Oh the couple across the
aisle, and a faint smile flashed across
his fine face, a smile of sympathy and
no derision, she noticed. Then he
reached section 1 and removed his hat.
Il beg Harry Stillwell. by the
gods immortal!"
Fol an instant they looked at each
other in silence, Harriet's eyes-before
She got them under Notwithstanding
n dancing over this unexpected
meeting.
b laughed outright. "Well.
Ray, don't you think we better shake
hands?"
"Perhaps." He held his out gravely.
and to Harriet the knowledge came
with a shock of wonder that the face
she could read so we'll was not ex-
pressing %unalloyed pleasure at sight of
her.
Il thought you were at home. Har-
~" he remarked, resting his elbow
on his knee.
You thought 1 was at homer
echoed Harriet blankly. "Why. Ray
mond Merrill! Where have YOU been
all this time" Her eyes were under
control now.
Ray leaned over and rubbed at q
spot on the window. Lets see. T
went to North Woods in-August.
wasn't it,"
Yes, it was directly after the even
ing when they had their last talk,
such a logical talk-on her part-she
considered it. She nodded and allow
ed a distant view Of Pixies Peak to
absorb her attention.
"Well, I've not been back since then
scarcely heard from home, in fact"
CThen he did not even suspect she was
running away from him! She felt un-
accountably defrauded.1 GIVE been
all over the west, fishing and hunting.
BY the way, Harry, 1 just shipped a
pair of elk's antlers back to YOU from
Denver. If you remember, 1 promised
them to you long ago"
She leaned forward eagerly. ooh,
Ray, l do believe l saw them on the
platform! They are beauties. Thank
you. | can scarcely wait until 1 get
home to have them put up"
Again she was struck by his strange
reserve. Three months ago his face
would have glowed over her enthusi-
astic thanks.
The groom's head lay against the
back cushions very near his brides
He was speaking low, and she was
smiling and pulling at her gray muff.
Quite illogically the sight brought a
lump into Harriet's throat. They were
silly, of course. to act that way-but-
if only Ray would be his old self
Then she strangled the thought and
took a fresh hold of herself.
"And YOU" Ray was saying.
ooh, L." Her tone was lightly flip
pant. "Why, I've been-since August
rambling too. Can't say I've hunted,
but I've fished and ridden and explored
from northern Montana to here"
"What for?"
Harriet's chin went up, and her tone
became more fippant. "What a queer
question! But if you want reasons, for
tunately l can control the price of a
few railroad tickets. Being past TWEEN
ty-five and accounted discreet, | can
travel alone. 1 intend to see the west.
and | love my Independence"
The last assertion escaped her invoi-
UNFAIRLY. She stopped abruptly and bit
her lip. But Ray did not vince. He
merely looked at her i%ntently.
Harry, l believe 1 can sympathize
with you in that independence bust
ness. I've been enjoying a taste of in
seven years"
Harriet looked her amazement. Ray.
mond Merrill was a very model of in
dependence to his friends-independent
Of family ties, Independent in income,
in health, in habits. What do you
mean?" she inquired directly.
Ray did not reply at once. He was
looking across the aisle again. The
bride had bent her face over a book,
which she held upside down, while a
pair of bearded lips almost against her
cheek were whispering. Unexpectedly
Ray turned and smiled into Harriet's
eyes, with a flash of his old self.
"Disgusting, isn't it?' she said hast
lily to cover a sudden helpless confu-
sion which sent the blood throbbing
into her temples.
81 rather enjoy watching them" re-
turned Ray quietly. "That chap looks
as though he expected to attend a per
petual Thanksgiving service. and she
we'll, it looks as though she was salts
fed"
Watch them on a journey ten years
from now and see if she's satisfied"
Harriet retorted, furious at herself
for giving the conversation such a
tactless turn.
"Well, what would you see?" chal-
lenged Ray.
chat novel will be right side up''-
II hope so," coolly. 81 should ex-
pect a companionship of ten years to
rob the situation of some Of its nov
city"
"And the groom, enveloped i'll cigar
smoke and a newspaper, will occupy
the smoker"
DOUBTLESS. But lie may be as sin