Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1910-01-20

is safe; I will take my life on it,
Dicksie sank back while McCloud
re-read the message. ''Oh, isn't that
relief?" she exclaimed But how can
it be? l can't understand it at all;
but he Is safe, isn't he? | was heart
broken when / heard he was killed.
Marion ought to know of this" she
said, rising. Il am going to tell her"
And may / come over after tell
Rooney Lee to repeat this to head
quarters?"
Why, of course, IL you want to-"
When McCloud reached the cottage
Dicksie met him. Katie Dancing's
mother is sick and she has gone
home. Poor Marion is all alone this
morning. and half dead with sick
headache" said Dicksie. But l told
her. and she said she shouldn't mind
the headache now at ALL"
But what are you going to do?"
Il am going to get dinner; do you
want to help?"
I'm going to help"
"Oh. you are? That would be very
funny"
Funny or not. I'm going to help"
You would only be in the way"
You don't know whether l should
or not"
II know l should do much better In
you would go back and run the rail
road few minutes"
THE railroad be hanged. I am for
dinner"
But l will get dinner for you"
You need not l can get 1t for my
SELF"
You are perfectly absurd, and If
we stand here disputing, Marion won't
have anything to eat"
They went into the kitchen disput-
ing about what should be cooked. At
the end of an hour they had two fires
going-one in the stove and one In
Dicksie's cheeks. BY that time it had
been decided to have a luncheon in
stead of dinner. Dicksie attempted
some soup, and McCloud found strip
of bacon, and after he had cooked 1t,
Dicksie, with her riding-skirt pinned
up and her sleeves delightfully."- rolled
back, began frying eggs. When Marion,
unable longer to withstand the excite
ment, appeared, the engineer. flushed
with endeavor, was making toast.
The three sat down at table togeth-
er. They found they had forgotten
the coffee, but Marion was not allowed
to move from her chair. When the
coffee was made ready the bacon had
been eaten and more had to be fried.
McCloud proved able for any part of
the program, and when they rose 1t
was four o'clock and too late, Nc
Cloud declared, to go back to the Of
flee that afternoon.
Marion and Dicksie, after time. at
tempted jointly to get rid of him, but
they found they could not, so the
three talked about Whispering Smith.
When the women tried to discourage
McCloud by talking hats he played the
wheezy piano, and when Dicksie spoke
about going home he declared he
would ride home with her. But Dick
sic had no mind that he should, and
when he asked to know why, without
realizing what flush fingered In his
face, she said only, no; If she had
reasons she would give none. McCloud
persisted, because under the flush
about his eyes was the resolve that he
would take one long ride that evening,
in any event. He had made up his
mind for that ride-a longer one than
he had ever taken before, or expected
ever to take again-and would not be
baked.
Dicksie, insisting upon going home,
went so far as to have her horse
brought from the stable. To her sur
prise, horse for McCloud came over
with it. Quiet to the verge of solem-
nifty, but with McCloud following,
Dicksie walked with admirable firm
ness out of the shop to the curb. Nc
Cloud gave her rein to her, and with
smile stood waiting to help her
mount.
She was drawing on her second
glove. You are not going with me-"
You'll let me ride the same road,
won't you-even If can't keep up?"
Dicksie looked at his mount. ut
would be difficult to keep up, with that
horse"
Would you ride away from me Just
because you have better horse?"
mo, not just because have bet
ter horse"
He looked steadily at her without
speaking.
why must you ride home with me
when / don't want you to-" she asked.
reproachfully. Fear had come upon
her and she did not know what she
was saying She saw only the express
sion of his eyes and looked away, but
she knew that his eyes followed her.
The sun had set. The deserted street
lay in the white half-light of a noun
tain evening, and the days radiance
was dying in the sky. In lower tones
he spoke again, and she turned deadly
white.
I've wanted so long to say this,
Dicksie. that might as well be dead
as to try to keep it back any longer.
That's why want to ride home with
you If you are going to LET mo" Ha