The Morning examiner. [volume] (Ogden, Utah) 1904-1910, 1909-05-09


able literary material, DO you know what you
remind me Off"
boy fashion, slipped to her shoulders when she
shook her head
NO. she said
at is OF something that you have probably never
heard of-a figure in one of the Sirius bronzcs."
lessy, with smile match
"a collection of Greek antiquities; the best ex-
amplcs OF their metal work that have come down
When he had thanked her he vcntmcd to
introduce himself and was not nattcrcd when his
name evoked no fash of recognition in the gray
read the periodicals.
Hugo Vandenbcrg,'" She echoed That is
what Pete would call hghfalutn' You
don't look it the least little Bit
The opcn-cyed lapse into personalities took him
aback. but before he could reply she smiling
81 guess didn't mean just that, either" she
amended. quickly. But it sounds like made
name; like name you'd expect to find in the story
know"
He plunged deep into the smiling eyes that, but
there was no hint of guile in them and he took
comfort in the thought that it was more than
random shot
You haven't told me your name yet" he said
gong from defense to attack
II aven't II They call me the little un' the
ranch, but | suppose I'll have to give you my-my
hong?"
At this he was sure she was laughing at him, but
as before the guileless eyes dIsarmed suspicion
i don't like it,. he said. rctaliang for her frank
ness; 1T doesn't fit you / shall translate it into
French and call you Marguerite. If come to the
to rope down and cut out'P
Maybe But you can't come. you sec"
why can't II"
for flight instantancous-"bccaus its on the other
side Of the creek, and you can't cross alone"
She was gone at the word, across and a-horsc and
away; and Nandenbcrg had only the memory Of
mocking laugh for her leavc-taking
He figured it all out to his satisfaction that
evening sitting the sunset hour on the porch of
the hotel and smoking his aftcr-suppcr cigar in re-
nective delibcration
As to the better acquaintance, that was mere
matter of detail; and he went about the prcmi-
mares the next morning, making guarded inquiries
of the hotel clerk There were several ranches near
name would be pete With Pete for s,nrtne
point Vandcnbcrg felt his way cautiously into the
particulars The ranch IN question was the "X-bar-
X and its mGnagc consisted of old Elphalct Win
ters Its owner; his wife, and small family Of cow
punchcrS.
Vandenbcrg marvclled that there was no mention
of the young woman. but was much wary TO be-
tray the source of his own curiosity Could the inn
stables furnish forth horse gentle enough for a
sick man to ride? And was tho trail to the TX bar
of "nervcs"3 N'''
With affirmative assurances on both heads Van
dcnberg set out on his voyage of discovery An
hour ambling along the mountain boundary Of the
Park brought him to the door Of the isolated ranch
house, and IT the Crzzed EIphalct himself
who badc him diSmount ito rest his face and hands"
and who fetched him the drink OF water which was
his excuse Tor the call. Also the young woman was
there and since she promptly took up the thread of
acquaintance at IT'S day-bcfore dropping, his wei
come was assured.
Though he taxed his ingenuity in setting traps TO
draw her out the young woman herself would give
HIM no clue to her proper identity AT times she
was so heartily at with her cncompa ssmcnts
that Vandcnberg could go back securely TO his first
imprcssion-the daughter of the wilderness" I'M
preston But at other times she led him into the
blind alley of doubt; as once when he was dcscrb
he T(
she hung upon his words with lips parted and the
gray eyes alght, giving him such thrilling glimpse
OF unsuspeoted ntenScncsses in her that nc went
near to forgetting what he stalking about
That was on one of their galops in the Park, and
before the midsummer madness had demanded to be
reckoned with For after the reckoning there were
thrills of wondcrment; there was only the
conviction that life without daily communion
with this swcct-hearted girl would be scarcely worth
When this day of reckoning came, Vandcnberg
put IN miserable fortnight When man has
passed unscathed beyond his third decade he NAV
love with all the might of maturity, but lie can no
longer be tho fatuous lover of the carly twcnties
reckless Of consequences and the wing tbr,u of
desire "
Vandcnberg came of inbred stock, and one of his
'nherranecS was very just horror Of mesalances
blending to make some sort of a living compound
out OF two persons hopelessly dissimilar in their
snpbnnglng Try as he would he could help
iorcseeing the probable consequences OF transplant
ing TINS wild Hover os the Soudcs from the noun
tam tam ranch to his own particular social garden in
'le bdu Sccll Otncr men try 1t, and always
with failure to mark the grave OF the buried ideal
In most cases the wild flower had developed into
most unbeauhfu hybrid, unlovcd of all, in few
1t had dropped and withcrcd and died
1t was little curious that in all his boxing of
the conventional compass he thought much of the
consequences and little or nothing OF any unccr-
tanty of winning her. There is love so bcsottcd
as that OF maturity; and the possibility OF her rcfus-
ing him never suggested itself But of this. as of
other things he was presently to learn more
1t was after he had given up all hope of making
literary copy cut OF her that the incident occurred
upon which the story of his earlier fancy would have
been wrecked beyond all salvage The incident
turned upon a curious happening in Lame Horse
Canon AS 1t CHANGED, the SHOWS in the higher
guchcs melted late that year, and ono afternoon.
when Vandenberg reached the ranch at tho portal
arroyo.
Madgc met him at the corral bars as had come to
be her custom and after the greetings pointed to
the dry stream-bcd.
IF you. want drink to-day you'll have to climb
for it, she said; and then she explained that the