The Mena weekly star., 1909-02-04

more interested in topography than game
 The southern headland now lay close before them. it's seaward face rearing up sheer and lofty, but the approach behind running down in broken terraces. Mid-morning found the explorers at the foot of the ridge. Blake squinted up at the powder. strewn slopes and the crannies of the broken ledses.
 Likely place for snakes. Miss Jer- n.y." he remarked. Guess I'd better lead"
 Eager as she was to look over into the country beyond, the girl dropped into second place and made no com plaint about the wary slowness of her companions advance. She found the most difficult parts of the ascent quite easy after her training on the treeladder. Blake could have taken ledges and all at . run, but as he mounted each terrace he halted to spy out tho ground before him. Like Miss Leslie. hs was looking for snakes. though for an exactly opposite reason. He wished to add to the contents of the cigarette case.
 Greatly to his disappointment and the girls relief neither snake nor sign of snake was to be seen all the way up the ridge. As they neared the crest Blake turned to offer her his hand up the last lsdges, and in the instant they gained the top.
 The wind, now freshsninS ts . sale, struck the girl with such force that she would have been blown back
 down the lodges had not Blake clutched hsr wrist. Hsedlsss alike of the painful grip which held her and of the gusts which tore at her skirt, the girl stood gazing out across the desolats swamps which stretched away to the southwest a far as the eye could see. She did not speak until Blako led her down behind the shelter of the crest lodges.
 Whats the matter?" he demanded
 Didn't I warn you?"
 She looked away to hide the tears which sprang into her eyes. T can't explain-only. 1t makes me feel so-so lonely!"
 "Oh, come now. little woman: don't take on sol" hs urged. Tt might be
 . lot worse, you know. We've gotten along pretty we'll, considering"
 You have becn very kind, MT. Blake, and as you say, matters might have been worse. do not forget how far more terrible was our situa- ton the morning after the storm. Yet you must realize how disappointing 1t is to lose even the slightest hope of escape"
 Well. don't know. If 1t wasn't for the fever that's bound to come with the rain, I, for one, would just as leave stick to this camp right along, providing the company don't change" She turned upon him with flashing eyes. all thought of caution lost In her anger How dare you say such s
 thing? You are contemptiblel l de
 spise you!"
 My. Miss Jenny. but you are pret. ty when you get mad!'' he exclaimed The answer took her completely
 aback He was neither angry noi
 laughing at her. but met her defiant glance with candid, sober admiration
 There was something more than ad
 miration in his glowing eyes; yet she could not but see that her alarm had
 been baseless His manner had never been more respectful. Suddenly shs l found that she could no longer meet his gaze. She looked away and
 stammered lamely: "You-you should | n't say such things. you know" "Why not? Hasn't everything beer | running smooth the last few days
 Haven't we been good chummy com
 rades7 Of course you've got the worst | of the deal. I know I'm not much or
 fancy talk; but like to hear it when | I've . chance. I've led a lonesome
 sort of life since they did for my sis
 ters-- No I'm not going to rake that
 up again. I'm only trying to give you
 an idea what 1t means to fellow to
 be with a lady like you. Maybe Il
 isn't polite to tell you all this. but it's | just what I feel and I never did amount to shucks as liar" l "T believe I understand you, MT Blake, and I really feel highly com | plimented."
 NO, you don't, any such thing. Miss Jenny. Own up. now! If l met you tomorrow on your papa's doorstep
 you'd cut me cold"
 l q should if you continued to be 60 | rude. Have you no regard for my
 feelings? But here we are. talking nonsense when we should be going" | Is it nonsense?" he broke in.
 What does life mean. anyway! Here
 we can be true friends and comrades real, free living people. It cant be
 that you want to go back to all those
 society shams after you've seen real
 life. As for me, what have to gain l by going back to the everlasting
 grind? l don't mind work; but when
 a man has nothing ahead to work for
 but a bank account, when it's grind,
 grind. grind till your head goes stale
 and all the world looks black, then
 there's no choice but throw up your
 job and go on a drunk, if you want to
 keep from a gun accident. Maybe
 you don't understand 1t. But that's what I've had to go through, time and
 again. Do you wonder l like to fancy
 an everlasting picnic here. with q little partner who wouldn't let me
 come within shouting distance of her | in the land of iavender--trousers and