The evening world., 1911-12-08


the two.
He was about Ferguson's age. and.
like the latter. he wore two heavy gupoe
There was about him. as he sat there
sweeping a slow glance over the e1e
and the man. "A certain atmosphere OF
deliberate certainty and quiet oldnSss
that gave an Impression OF readincoA
for whatever might occur.
Ferguson's eyes lighted with satisfac-
ton. The girl might be an Eastcrners
but the young man was plainly at horS1
In this country. Nowhere except W
the West could he have acquired the
serene calm that shone out OF his ever.
In no other part of the world could he
have caught the easy assurance. the
unstudied ~nonchalance. that seems the
inherent birthriglt OF the co~wpuncher,
Ben" said the girl. answering run
young mans glance. this man was
bitten by . RATHER. He came here ana
I treated him. lie says he was on his
way over to the Two Diamond for a
/ job"
The young man opened his lips slight
ly. stafford hire your" he asked.
I'm hopin' he does" returned Fer
Guson.
The young mans lips dropped mssr-
ingly.
II reckon you're wantin' JOB
mighty bad" he said. a.,
Ferguson smiled.
'Takin' your talk. o an eta6ord
Amt very good friends" he returned,
The young man did not answer. He
dismounted and led his pony to Q snail
corral and then returned to the porch.
carrying his saddle. -.
For an instant after the young man
had left the porch to turn his pony In
to the corral Ferguson had kept his
aAa nm NbA A~s.A AA >---- A.
the young mans toni . brought ham
out Of the chair. determined to accept
no more of his hospitality. II the
young man was no friend Of Stafford.
II followed that he could not feel we'll
disposed to q punchsr who had avowed
that his purpose was to work for ne
Two Diamond manager.
gus was on his feet, clin9ing %
one of the slender porch posts. prspass-
tory to stepping down to go to his poay.-
when the young woman came out. Uor ,
sharp exclamation halted him.
Your not going nowr" shs 80,
you have got 70 remain perfectly Qatst
until morning."
Tho brother dropped hs eddie 70 he
porch floor. grtnn!ns mildly at Fer
guson. You don't Q 10 b N
q hurry" he said. q wss tntsndang
to run your horse into the corral. What
! meal about Stafford don't apply 50
you" He looked up at his sister. sen
grinning. Il reckon no amt got NOAH.
Ing to do with NJ -
| The young Won IN biushed. ~ hone
not" she said In low voice. g
We're goin' to eat pretty soon." I'D
the young a II reckon that RATHER
didn't take your Appetizer" -
Ferguson flushed. 1T was plum ridic.
ulous. me bein' hooked by a RATHER" b
said. An Nv lived among them SO
long %"
II reckon you let him get awayr...
questioned tine young man evenly.
"If he's got away" returned Fergu-
son. hls lips Strengthening with satis-
faction, hos a right smart snake" Z"
He related the incident of the attack, =.
ending with praises OF the young
woman's skill. .-,i
The young man smiled at the refer
| ence 10 his sister. She's studied medi-
cine-back East. Lately she's turneaf
her hand to writin'. Come out here 70
get experience-looaI color. she calls it,."x
Ferguson sat back In his chair. QUIET
" digesting this bit of ~informationlI
Medicine and writing. What dd she
writer Love stories? FAIRY taller? ROW
names? lie had read several OF 'hess.
Mostly they were absurd and impossi-
bic,
Love stories, he thought, would be
easy for her. For-he said. mentally
estimating her-a woman ought to know
more about love than A man. AID as
for anything being impossible In a love
story. Why, most anything could hap
pen 10 people who are In love. "
supper Is ready" he heard her am
nounc from within. yov
Ferguson preceded the young man at
the tin wash basin. taxing a fresh towel
that the young woman offered him from
the doorway. Then he followed the
! young nan inside. The three took
places at the table. and Ferguson was
helped to a frugal. though wholesome
meal. 80
The dusk had begun to fall while they
were yet AT the table. n the younG
woman arose, lighting a Kerosene lamp
and placing II on the table. By the
time they had finished sons. darkness .
had settled. Ferguson followed the
young man out 10 tho chair On Tho