Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1909-10-20


coffee was made ready the bacon had
been eaten and more had to be fried.
McCloud proved able for any part of
the program, and when they rose it
was four o'clock and too late, Nc
Cloud declared, to go back to the Of
fee that afternoon.
Marion and Dicksie, after a time, at
tempted jointly to get rid of him, but
they found they could not, so the
three talked about Whispering Smith.
When the women tried to discourage
McCloud by talking hats he played the
wheezy piano, and when Dicksie spoke
about going home he declared he
would ride home with her. But Dick
sic had no mind that he should, and
when he asked to know why, without
realizing what a flush fingered in his
face, she said only, no; if she had
reasons she would give none. McCloud
persisted, because under the flush
about his eyes was the resolve that he
would take one long ride that evening,
in any event. He had made up his
mind for that ride-a longer one than
he had ever taken before, or expected
ever to take again-and would not be
baked.
Dicksie, insisting upon going home,
went so far as to have her horse
brought from the stable. To her sur
prise, a horse for McCloud came over
with it. Quiet to the verge Of solem-
nifty, but with McC1oud following,
Dicksie walked with admirable firm
ness out of the shop to the curb. Nc
Cloud gave her rein to her, and with
a smile stood waiting to help her
mount.
She was drawing on her second
glove. "You are not going with me-"
you'll let me ride the same road,
won't you-even if l can't keep up?"
Dicksie looked at his mount. cit
| would be difficult to keep up, with that
horse
would you ride away from me just
because you have better horse?"
mo, not just because have a bet
ter horse"
He looked steadily at her without
! speaking.
! "Why must you ride home with me
when don't want you to?" she asked,
reproachfully. Fear had come upon
her and she did not know what she
was saying. She saw only the express
sion of his eyes and looked away, but
she knew that his eyes followed her.
The sun had set The deserted street
lay in the white half-light of noun
was dying in the sky. In lower tones
he spoke again, and she turned deadly
white.
give wanted so long to say this,
/ Dicksie, that / might as well be dead
as to try to keep it back any longer.
That's why I want to ride home with
you If you are going to let me-" He
turned to stroke her horses head.
Dicksie stood seemingly helpless. Nc
! Cloud slipped his finger into his waist
coat pocket and held something out in
his hand. "This shell pin fell from
your hair that night you were at camp
by the bridge-do you remember?
couldn't bear to give it back"
! Dicksie's eyes opened wide. Let
1 A10 See IL. UOu II1uh LudL 10
Great heaven! Have been carry
ing Marion SinclaSr's pin for a
month";" exclaimed McCloud. "Well,
won't lose any time in returning it to
her, at any rate"
! where are you going?" Dicksie's
voice was faint.
I'm going to give Marion her pin. "
% hn
here! Give it to me-"
"Dicksie, dare you tell me, after a
! shock like that, it really is your pin?
ooh, don't know whose pin it Isl"
"Why, what is the matter?"
"Give me the pin!" She put her
hands unsteadily up under her hat.
! Here, for heavens sake, if you must
have something, take this comb!" She
| slipped from her head the shell that
| held her knotted hair. He caught her
hand and kissed it, and she could not
| get it away.
"You are DEAR" murmured Dicksie,
eff you are silly. The reason
wouldn't let you ride home with me is
! because I was afraid you might get
! shot. How do you suppose I should
| feel if you were killed? Or, don't you
think have any feeling?"
But, Dicksie, is it all right?'
"How do l know? What do you
mean? l will not let you ride home
with me, and you will not let me ride
home alone. Tie Jim again. I am
| going to stay with Marion all night"
CHAPTER Xxx.