Evening star., 1909-04-24

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laughed at you. Won't you take my pony
TO ride back to the hotel?''
He looked up to make sure that she was
not laughing at him again, and the pit of
foolishness gaped for him and he fell in.
For notwithstanding the simple gown and
the cowboy hat, she was fair and sweet
and good to look upon; not in any of his
thirty-odd years had he seen her like, in
living woman or in literary imaginings.
i
In the face of such convictions cohe-
renee is not to be had for the asking. but
he managed to acknowledge in haltinS
fashion her offer of the pony.
Thank you: II couldn't think of TAX
ing your horse; shall be better present
ly.'' he stammered. Then, in an impulsive
attempt to defend himself: Il hope you
won't always think of me as you did
few moments ago"
she did not say whether she would or
not; and after a moment or two Of silence
he got up and stood beside her. Then
he saw that she was small, but with Il
womanly figure and certain supple grace
of carriage that spoke Of trained strength
and dauntless courage; the strength that
is compacted like that of silken cord,
with fine-fibered resolution to match. Yet
she was doubtless the daughter of some
neighboring ranchman, with no thought
above the daily round of homely duties.
Are you as strong as you look?' he
asked, letting his thoughts slip into words
without stopping to measure the impuo
dence of it, And if he had needed addi-
tional evidence that she was a free-born
daughter of the attitudes, knowing little
and caring less about the conventionali-
ties, he would have had it in her laughing
a 1Eer.
Il can do some things that the men
can't do, if that is what you mean. /
broke this cayuse after Pete had given
him up; and l can rope down and cut
out with the rest when we're short
handed"
Vandenberg nodded. II would put moth
ing beyond you," he said, with the calm
assurance of one whose art it is to discern
the possibilities in workable literary ma
terial. DO you know what you remind
me OFF,
The Tapping hat held on by a head
string, cowboy fashion, slipped to her
shoulders when she shook her head.
NO" she said.
1T is of something that you have
pre- ably never heard of-a figure in one
of the Sirius bronzes."
What are they?" She asked the ques-
ton artlessly, with a smile to match.
"A collection of Greek antiquities; the
best examples Of their metal work that
have come down to U.S."
When he had thanked her he ventured
to introduce himself and was not fiat
tered when his name evoked no flash of
recognition in the gray eyes. Clearly,
this sweet young savage did not read the
periodicals.
Hugo Vandenberg,' she echoed.
THAT is what Pete would call highfa-
lutin' name. You don't look 1t the least
little bit
The open-eyed lapse into personalities
took him aback. but before he could reply
she was smiling up at him ingenuously.
Il guess didn't mean just that, either"
she amended, quickly. ''But it sounds
more like a made name; like a name
you'd expect to find in the story papers:
Her Lost Lover, by Hugo Vandenbers,'
you know"
He plunged deep into the smiling eyes
at that, but there was no hint of guile in
them, and he took comfort in the thought
that 1t was no more than a random shot.
"You haven't told me your name yet"
he said, going from defense to attack
Haven't 1? They call me the little un'
at the ranch, but l suppose I'll have 10
give you my-my store name. How would
Madge do?-Madse Bushong?"
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