The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-10-09
BY IZOLA FORRESTER,
Copyright, 1911, by the Associated
Literary Press,)

tCopyrlght, wi, by the Associated
Literary Press)
Il don't want to GO
But you should want to. By every
law Of friendship and hospitality. you
should want to go, and you must. :"
Sewall leaned his elbows on the bar
gate, and met the defiant giances from
the other side, amusedly. Aren't We
neighbours"
Not through my fault"
Don't you like me for neigh
Dor. Miss Nan? Here I've come out
West. and been a steady dweIlcr at the
ranch here, learning all a tenderfoot
could reasonably be expected to In
six months and trying to live up to
your expectations OF me"
Il never had any"
Well. your general opinion then.
Here I've come into property. as you
say out here, through no fault of my
own. Uncle Dave Sewall saw fit to
hand over his place to me when he
passed along the hevaenly trail. be-
cause I bore his name. Was that my
fault? And l never kicked. / dropped
everything East. and came out here
like a lamb led to be sacrificed ana
tried my level best to turn rancher.
Didn't II"
Nan nodded her head reluctantly.
but did not speak.
And I've built brand new hunga-
low over yonder under the spruccs.
You said you knew she'd like the
spruces best. because the wind IN their
branches would keep her company
when / was away, remember
Again Nan nodded, but she did ROT
meet his eyes.
It's all finished now. The last nail
went in yesterday. and the last load Of
furniture came over from Mooreraft
Monday. Billy and I've been terribly
busy settling things for her. but 1t
needs woman's touch. I've put piano
In the sitting-room. but l don't know
whore to hang the pancake turHTr.
and that kind OF thing. i thought II
you'd ride over with me tonight at
shutdown, you could give the finishing
touch
when do you expect her p Men
voice was clear and steady. Net for
all the gold in the hills that she locked
out at, would she have let this man
know what the coming of his Eastern
bride meant to her.
Most any time. now. as soon as
she's ready
Where are you going to be mar
ried?"
. at ING noilIG idUAb- ting Hi'S~
sionary bishops a friend Of mine, and
he'll ride down any time l say were
ready
Nan turned quickly towards the
grazing ponies at the far end Of the
| corral. and whistled. The smaller
| one lifted its head. and came towards
/ them.
I'm go with you." she said, IF
must"
| But little talking would she do our
ing that last ride together All the
! way up from the valley where her
brothers ranch stood. not word
would she speak. 1t was Just sunset
land ali the peaks that held the valley
In their hollow. stood out In splendid
purple silhouette against the western
sky From the cottonwoods along
the water courses came the distant
| twfttering OF birds, and the faint,
musical call of the peep frogs from
the marsh Mans face was uplified
towards the West. He could see her
profile, half averted from him. and
the sweep of heavy brown hair be-
meath her boyish hat.
Six months he had lived there at
| the Mariposa ranch. learning the
business from her four brothers. one
| OF whom had been his chum at Yale.
~ w.stsrner II was Nan Rathbourn.
go. ~ f,rs+ dav sha had heard Of
80 ,i,ara yorr,s,ar who had In
Sn,.s ~ ~, Saw,aI outf,t she had
1900 h;,,, ~ ha a failure to be
r,,tu1sar And che Md treated him
accordingly ever since. He had taken
! hold of the work that lay before him
s,, 49, u ~ ns - TjnalIv ha had
s.,i,. ,,,s ,,ans. IN IN rho hills
u ud,, ', III. snr,ces c,unr 70 ledge and