The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1911-02-23

night was upon the Eucharist. Yer
non had never in all her life heard
a sermon upon this subject before,
1t was like the answer to her
hearts unspo&en question-How shall
| go on? What must | do next?
1t filled her soul with so many tu-
multuous thoughts, it seemed a thing
of so vast an importance, that she
felt shaken through and through
hardly conscious of outward things
as she emerged from the little
building and went across the road
| to the place where she put on
and off the riding skirt which had
been made for her to wear over her
walking dress, that she might go
about the village unencumbered.
When she was ready, and was
leading the Sultana forth, she saw
saddle-horse waiting for her at the
gate. 1t was dusk under the shadow
of big tree, and she spoke to the
man who held the gate open for
her, in a voice that seemed to her
self TO come from far away.
Thank you, Brooke. | hope you
haven't been waiting long
ITS me-" said Jem. Il hope you
don't mind. | had to come here on
business, and l told aunt that /
would bring you back"
you are very kind. | did not
know you were home from Yeomin-
ster,' said Vernon, coldly and awk-
wardly.
q got back soon after lunch" he
replied gloomiy.
She submitted to be mounted by
him, and they rode away at a foot
pace up the steep hill together.
The sight of him brought back
the girls thoughts in sharp and un-
pleasant descent from the heights to
which she had climbed. She expert
enced that sense of being thrown
back upon herself which usually
has the prosaic effect of making
one lose ones temper Could there
be a less congenial companion to
her new thoughts, her freshly form
ed aspirations, than Jem Bardsley?
She rode along, struggling against
the feeling of annoyance which she
knew TO be uncalled for and un-
worthy.
Jem said nothing at all He and
she were riding side by side for the
first time, and probably he guessed
that his presence was never a source
OF pleasure to her. They were al
most facing the west as they breast
ed the hill, and over its top the
red ball Of the sun shot rays of
fire that illumined their faces, and
burned in the curliness of Vemon's
hair. Upon reaching the summit their
way would lead them almost in the
opposite direction: and when they |
stood there, as if with one accord, |
they checked their horses and re-
mained long minute, watching the |
slow dipping of the glowing thing,
which seemed TO their strained eye
balls to throb and bound as it spun
downwards.
Al last, with a long sigh, the girl
turned Sultanas head and they rode
on. Still no word was spoken. Yet
by rapid process the vexation was
dying down in her, and was being
succeeded by a sensation of quiet
which somehow seemed Like
the result of Jem's sympathetic ST.
lence.
Soon she began to reproach her.
self for being so bad a companion;
and when they reined in after a
long, sharp trot, she said, almost
apologetically-
Il have never asked you whether
you had a successful expedition"
We'll, had Jem admitted. Il
got those little cattle l went after
must show them to you. Pretty
little beasts"
Il should like 10 see them" said
the girl, more kindly than she had
eyer snnken To him hefnre