The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-03-04
CHAPTER X
Miss Vests REQUEST.

was no hint Of the response with
which. before, she had met my non
sensical sallies She stood there,
whIte-lipped unsmiling staring down
the dnstg road One hand was clench-
ed tight over some small object Her
eyes dropped to il from the distant
road, and then closed. with a quick,
indrawn breath
Her color came hack slowly What
ever had caused the change she said
nothing She was anxious to leave at
once, almost impatient over my de,
iiberate masculine way OF getting my
things together Afterward recalled
that had wanted TO explore the barn
for horse and some sort Of We
hicle to take US to the trolley, and
that she had refused TO allow me TO
look remembered many things
later that might have helped me, and
did not Az the time, was only com
pletely bewildered. Save the wreck.
the responsibility for which lay be-
tween Providence and the engineer Of
the second section, all the events Of
that strange morning We're logically
connected: they came from one cause,
and tended unerringly to one end
But the cause was buried, the end
not yet In view
Not until We had left the house
well behind did the girls face relax
its tense lines. was watching her
more closely than had realized for
when We had gone little way along
the road she turned TO me almost pct
ulantly. Please don't stare so at
me" she said, to my sudden confusion
7 know the hat is dreadful Green al
ways makes me look ghastly"
Perhaps 1t was the green was
unaccountably relieved DO you
know. few minutes ago you looked
almost pallid to me,r
She glanced at me quickly but
was gazing ahead We were out of
sight Of the house. now. and with
every step away from It the girl was
obviously relieved Whatever she held
In her hand. she never glanced at it.
But she was conscious Of it every sec
ond She seemed to come 10 a de-
cision about 1t while We were still IN
sight Of the gate, for she murmured
something and turned back alone. go
ing swiftly her feet stirring up small
puffs Of dust at every step. She fas-
tened something to the gate post
! could see the nervous haste with
which she worked When she joined
me again it was without explanation.
But the clenched fingers were free
now, and while she looked tired and
worn, the strain had visibly relaxed.
We walked along slowly in the gen
eral direction of the suburban trolley
lire. Once man with an empty
wagon offered as a lift. but after a
glance at the springless vehicle de-
clined.
"The ends Of the bone think they
are castanets as It is ! explained
"But the lady"
The young lady, however, declined
and We went on together Once. when
the trolley line was in sight, she got
a pebble in her low shoe. and we sat
down under tree until she found the
cause Of the trouble.
II don't know what should have
done without you" blundered.
moral support andand all that Do
you know, my first conscious thought
aftoi the wreck was Of relief that
you had not been hurt?"
She was sitting beside me where a
big chestnut tree shaded the road. and
! surprised a look Of misery on her
face that certainly my words had not
been meant to produce.
And my first thought" she said
slowly, was regret that l-that |
hadn't been obliterated. blown out like
candle Please don't look like thatl
] am-only talking
But her lips were trembling. and be.
cause the little shsms of society are
forgotten a. times like this. leaned
over and patted her hand lightly.
where il rested on the grass beside
me.
You must not say those things"
expostulated Perhaps. after all. your
friends"
Y had NO friends on the train =
Her voice was hard again. her tone
final. She drew her hand from under
mine. not quickly but decisively A
car was In sight coming toward MS.
The steel finger Of civilization. of pro-
priety, Of visiting cards and formal in.
Productions was beokoning us in. Miss
West put on her shoe
We said little on the car The few
passengers stared at us frankly. and
discussed the wreck. emphasizing its
horrors The girl did not seem to
hear. Once she turned 10 me with
the quick. unexpected movement that
was one Of her charms.
! do not wish my mother TO know
! was In the accident she said Win
you please not tell Rlchey about hay-
dne met me9'
! gave my promise Of course. Again.
when we were almost Into Baltimore
Fhe asked to examine the gun-metal
ss,s@i esAs sase, AID sat si.Gat With Z.
IN her hands, while told Of The early
mornings events on The 0ntatio
"sp you see ! finished. this grip.
everything have on belongs 10 fell