St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1910-03-12


in Idaho" remarked Vail, but III
swear never saw man or lad wear
ing sunbonnet."
bill lost his one and only sombrero
In reckless ride last week. He went
to the nearest ranch to buy or borrow
one, but the only superfluous headgear
they had was this sunbonnet, to which
he Is quite attached, as he is a little
fearful OF sunstrokes"
We'll. | must return to rhe canal
intend to be neighborly. judge"
"Of course! Let Tie see, come over
tomorrow to dinner"
Vail chuckled softly as he rode
away.
Il wonder If the Judge thought he
could string me that way have a
very firm conviction that Bill is Kate,
and, remembering my boyish horror of
male attire. the Judge headed her off.
l suppose he thought he had deceived
me with his evasive statement about
her trip abroad, and invited me to-
morrow, when he will take pains to
nave Bill, alias Kate. absent. l know
OF no reason why we should not meet
In friendly fashion. | know | admire
her thousand times more than ever
did for coming out here and wearing
any kind Of clothes for working pur-
poses. I'll just go over tonight,
whether | am welcome or not, and
stay to supper. Fancy the Sybarite
Kate cooking!"
| Late in the afternoon he rode up to
| the shack. and as he expected, BILL
clad in feminine attire, was in the
doorway. She was different girl from
the handsome. dangerous, cynically
expressioned Kate he had known.
| There were the same regular features,
the high-Dred figure, air and pose, but
the eyes were full of life and the mouth
| curved in almost gentle lines Her
| pale face was tinted with rudy gold.
He wondered what his reception
would be, remembering the angry part
ing.
Il am very glad to see you. Mr..
Vail" she said, courteously, with ex-
tended hand, as he came up to her
He instantly took the cue, addressed
her as Miss Rand and avoided all allu-
sion and reference to the past He was
glad it was to be this way. He wanted
to begin acquaintance anew with this
womanly Kate.
You must stay to supper--that's
| shall prepare it myself tonight"
| Don't you generally prepare it?" he
couldn't help asking.
| NO" she said casually. BILL. the
help, cooks, but he is away"
Vail decided to accept the little fc-
ton regarding Bill. and when the
judge came home and was informed
by his daughter that Bill had been
called away for two weeks. which was
just the length of time Vail was to be
in the vicinity, he never changed ex-
| preston.
Ruth" said the judge in reply.
Ruth" interrupted Vail in sur
prise.
She smiled.
Father calls me by my middle
name since we came out here. It was
my mothers name and he thinks am
growing to be like her"
] After supper, when the Judge and
Veil had smoked and visited, neigh
Dor came to talk planting to the
| judge.
Barry proposed to Ruth (as he now
liked to think of herr that they ride
down the course of the canal and she
readily accepted. He remembered how
well she used to ride and how well
her boyish slimness looked in the sad
die. But never in city parks could they
have had this glorious canter over the
wind-swept way on the open plains.
They came back in the glory of q west
ern moonlight. When near the shack
Barry drew rein.
shall we," he asked earnestly. be-
gin all over agafn?"
"Yes," she replied in a low tone,
that was what wanted to ask you
to do"
For the next two weeks every mo-
ment he could snatch from his work
Barry spent at the shack. Feeling that
he was deprtving the judge of Bills"
help ne put in some effective work on
the ranch. In his rides, walks and
talks with Kate Ruth" he felt sense
of intimacy he had never known when
with the Kate of olden days.
Darling" he said impetuously one
night after long silence. "can you
forget the past and my boyish superb
GRITTY? Can you learn to love me again
l-Kate?"
| Don't" she cried breathlessly. II
am not Kate!"
| He looked at her in bewilderment.
Il am Kate's younger sister. l was
away at school when you knew her.
but l used to love to hear about you
| from father didn't know at the first
that you mistook me for her. After
ward-well, l was afraid you would
not care for me, but you can't have
her! She's engaged"
Dear" he said, gently, II don't
want Kate. l want you, whether you
are Kate. Ruth or Bill"
'Bill?" she interrupted family.
| Il knew" he laughed. Bills sun
| bonnet gave him away"
| Big Electrical Project.
| It is planned to extend the New
! York Central identification to North
White Plains.