The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-06-15
The Return
Of Gypsy.
By ADDISON HOWARD
GIBSON.
Copyrighted, 1903. by Associated
Literary Press.

morning on the Arizona foothills the
cowboys of Circle II wheeled their
into the gray dust of the
trail.
There was a wild jangle Of spurs, a.
clatter of FESTIVE hoofs, and they were
off like one of the brown whirlwinds
of their own desert to meet Gypsy and
"the boss" who were coming to the
ranch to spend a week.
They had derisively hurled "Arios,
Laynew at the bronzed young foreman
as he leaned against the corral gate.
They could not understand why he had
refused to join their re-
ception committee.
1t really was not the coming OF Her
ington. s'the boss" that was calling
forth the unusual demonstration, but
the return of Gypsy, their little COM
rade Of the range, whom they had not
seen for four years. 1t never entered
their simple heads that two years OF
school In France, followed by two
more of travel and society, might
have changed their merry, fun loving
little pet.
She was coming back as she had
was the dominant con-
off they went. whoop-
ing.
Ned Layne, however, knew different
ly. He had seen her a year ago, and
the knowledge had come to him then.
She was a young lady, and they-and
he-were only cowboys. As he leaned
against the gate he thought of the old
days. He remembered her eyes and
voice on the evening before she de-
parted into the world, and he remem-
bered how she had said to him:
"Goodby, Ned. Father is going to
give you the place Of foreman. Make
the most of your opportunities and buy
out the Bar T. Don't forget me, Ned"
and her eyes had been moist when she
suddenly dropped them.
"I'll never forget you, Gypsy" he
had promised stoutly, pressing the
hand that futtered in his.
s'When come home to the ranch !
want you to be here to meet me-" she
added.
.T'n be sure to meet you," he re-
turned. Then the train had borne her
away to the new life, SO different from
that among the boys on her fathers
ranch.
Ned Layne and Gypsy Harrington had
been great comrades in those care free
days. and if now he was the only one
not riding out to meet her it was be-
cause he felt that those old days were
gone forever and would best be for
gotten. There should be nothing on
his part to remind her of old promises
and old thoughts that could have no
place In her life any more.
Just a year ago Layne had seen her
once at a great hotel In New York,
where the wealthy ranchman and his
daughter were stopping. He had gone
all the way to the far eastern city for
no other purpose than to see her, but
the result had been sadly discourag-
ing one, and he had said farewell to
his dreams. Gypsy, dressed in be-
wildering gown and moving with be-
wildering ease and elegance among the
elegant throng that oppressed the
ranchman, was on her way to the
opera under escort of an Immediately
clad young Englishman possessed OF
a big title, and Layne was left to be
entertained by her father.
She had asked him to come back and
breakfast with them, but her changed
bearing and the cool treatment accord
ed to him by the condescending noble
man had nettled Layne. He took the
very next train back to the land OF
sunshine, where people were not proud
and stuck up and did not forget old
friends.
On his return the cowboys Of Circle
II had besieged him eagerly for news
of their little chum of the ranch.
Eyes, saw her." he answered, veil
ing the bitterness in his heart, land
she's a great belle in her society toys.
She has a beau, Lord Percy Ellington,
one of those plug hated chaps, and
she seems to like his attentions all
right. The boss says he followed them
back from Europe"
Having impaired this information to
the news hungry men, Ned had gone
off by himself under the starlight and
finally abandoned all his old plans and
hopes.
Ever since that night the young man
had been formulating plan for his
future which he kept strictly to him
self. resolved to execute the first steI
toward 1t when the owner Of the ranch
returned to his own again. According
ly he mounted Muggins, his own pony
and rode rapidly away across the
brown mesa before the party could ar
rive.
From an eminence his well trained
eyes caught the blur Of rising dust fal
up the trail. Nearer approach enabled
him to recognize the ranch blackboard
driven by Bob Cat Nick. Seated by
the driver was the trim figure of Gyp
sy. while the stout form of HertngtoT
and a slender man wearing derby
occupied the back seat. Trailing be
hind or galloping proudly on eithel
side Of the vehicle rode the adoRinl
cowboys, chatting merrily with theil
old friend.
At sight of the derby hat frowI
crossed Ned's face, and, putting spul
TO the unoffending Muggins, the dis
gruntled young horseman rode of
down the gulch.
"Ellington along!" he exclaimed
-erI.k Aoxo 70 "a cY1ff1T.icQ(
or care for that? No doubt Heringtol
wants to show his prospective son-in
law what a fine ranch he has for hi
daughter"
When he had reached the live oal
| thicket quite a distance away he lie
Muggins rest. Throwing himself upol
| the ground, he surrendered his min'
to a train of miserable thoughts.
He had lain there a long time, whel
suddenly he was aroused from his Bit
ter reflections by the clatter of hoof
over the rocky trail.
Pushing back his sombrero from hi
eyes, he looked up into the smiling
face of Gypsy, seated upon Slap Dasl
| her favorite pony.
"And this is the way you keep you
promiseT' she said reproachfully.
He scrambled to his feet and, throw
ing one arm across the saddle on hi
pony's back, leaned there till he coul
summon self mastery.
"What do you care, GypsyT' D
finally Intercepted, his eyes stubborn
" refusing to meet hers.