The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-07-05
-Ooo ooO-
Western. <.
Copyright scso, By Charles Scribner's Sons

He spread his hands. Existing, one way and another. There has always been my work
 dull boy" she quoted. You are excessively dull today, Howard. Hasn't it occurred to your"
 Thank you for expressing it so deli cately. It seems to be my misfortune to disappoint you always"
 "Yes," she said. quite unfeelingly. Then, with a swift relapse into pure mockery: How many times have you fallen in love during the one year, three months and eleven days? The charming Miss Dawson
 "You might spare her even if you are not willing to spare me. You know we'll enough there has never been any one but you, Eleanor; that there never will be any one but you"
 What pityr' she said in mock sympathy.
 "That I can't measure up to your re- quirements of the perfect man? Yes. 1t is thousand pities," he agreed.
 "No; that isn't precisely what l - meant. The pity is that seem to you to be unable to appreciate your many excellencies and your-constancy."
 'T think you were born to torment me- he rejoined gloomily. "Why did you come out here with your father? You must have known that I was here"
 'tNot from any line you have ever written.' she. retcrted. Alicia Ford told me; otherwise I shouldn't have known"
 Still you came. Why? Were you curious?
 ''Why should be curious. and what about-the Red desert? I've seen deserts before"
 'T thought you might be curious to know what disposition the Red desert was making of such failure as am" he said evenly. T can forgive that more easily than I can forgive your bringing of the other man along to be an onlooker.''
 Herbert. you mean? He is a good boy, nice boy and perfectly harmless. You'll like him immensely when yor come to know him better" k "You like him?" he queried.
 "How can you ask when you have just called him the other manT" t Underwood turned in his chair and faced her squarely. | ! "Eleanor, I had my punishment over a year ago, and I have been hoping you would let it suffice. It was hard enough to lose you without being compelled to stand by and see anoth- CT man win you. Can't you under stand that?'
 ! She did not answer him. Instead she whipped aside from that phase of the subject to ask question of her own.
 ! Whatever made you come out here. Howard?'
 "To the superintendency of the Red Butte Western? You did"
 "Ridiculous!'
 ''It Is true."
 "Prove it, if you can. but you can't" "I am proving it day by day, or try Ing to. I didn't want to come. but you drove me to it."
 ., "I decline to take any such hideous responsibility she. laughed lightly, and then, with calculated malice: Howard, if you were only as brave as you are clever, Why can't you be a man and strike back now and then?"
 Strike back at the woman I love? Pm not quite down to that, I hope, even if was once too cowardly to strike for her.
 Alvrn boft HHx7x ,A,S lo% me forget?"
 Because you must not forget. Lis ten. Two weeks ago-only two weeks ago-one of the Angels-er-peacem CTS stood up in his place and shot at me. What did made me understand that had gained nothing in year.
 "Shot at you" she echoed, and now he might have discovered a note of real concern in her tone if his ear had been attuned to hear it. 'Tell me about it Who was it? And why did he shoot at you?"
 His answer seemed to be indirection itself
 How long do you expect to stay in Angels and its vicinity?" he asked
 "I don't know. This is partly pleas ure trip for us younger folk. Father was coming out alone. and I-that is, mamma decided to come and make a car party of il. We may stay two or three weeks if the others wish it. But you haven't answered me. want to know who the man was and why he shot at you"
 Exactly, and you have answered yourself. If you stay two weeks or two days in Angels you will doubtless hear all you care to about my troubles. When the town isn't talking about what it is going to do to me it is gos- siping about the dramatic arrest of my would be assassin
 You are most provoking" she de clared. Did you make the arrestw
 Don't shame me needlessly. Of course didn't. One of our locomotive engineers, man whom I had dis charged for drunkenness, was the hero. It was most daring thing" And he told her Judson's story.
 Miss Eleanor did not need to vocaliZe her approval of Judson; the dark eyes were alight with excitement
 'IIow f1ner' she applauded. "Of course after that you took Mir. Judson aI-