The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1911-11-10
Suddenly he arose and made a hasty

suddenly he arose and made q hasty
toilet Then he came out. saddled
Stebblns and rode away down the
moonlt trail. When he came to the
place where the trails divided. one
leading straight to the town Of Per-
oition. another to the right leading to
Lone Tree and one to the left-the
Chincapin trail-he hesitated. and then
with sharp sigh he turned into the
Lone Tree trail and cuntered briskly
toward the home Of Miss Gertie Gibbs
Here he spent u pleasant evening lis
tening to Miss Gertie's vivacious chat
ter. enjoying the conventional music
she clattered from the tinny piano and
even Joining In the chorus Of that pop
ular melody Because Love You So
until old man Gibbs pounded on the
parlor door and requested silence that
he might snatch few hours rest be-
fore he arose to pursue his daily vo-
cation Of engineering the stagecoach
down to the nearest railroad station
Later in the evening Bert Fletcher
appeared, and close ut his heels came
Frank Blair. When the rivals found
Luke Prentice installed as court IA
vorite they unburdened themselves Of
large boxes Of candy and took 4
gloomy departure. Blair galloping back
to the Chincapin to tell his sister Of
the faithless Prentice. Estelle sneered
openly and then fitted off to bed with
out even a good night.
poc1- in Tho C{hbS bo,,oo u1,o proo
tice and Miss Gertie opened the boxes
of candy and enjoyed the contents
hugely. and when Luke departed Miss
Gertie tied handful of chocolates into
corner of his cleanest pocket hand
kerchief
Seven Wednesday evenings Luke
Prentice called upon Miss Gibbs. and
then the following seven Wednesdays
he rode down the Chincapin trail. but
in every instance. strange to relate. he
did not find Miss Estelle at home.
The Swedish housekeeper eyed him
blankly the seventh time.
II woden't t'ink Miss Blair be SEEM
youse. Her says her amt to home.
but her Isl" she explained with a
world Of pity in her light blue eyes.
Stebbins. muzzling the parched grass
In the dooryard. brought up his head
with jerk as Prentice passed through
the gate. Suddenly he halted and look
ed back at the ranch house where he
had known many pleasant hours pick
eted under the trees where the herb
age was green and succulent and
where Jumps Of sugar were rendered
him In Estelle's pink and white palm.
Luke dug his spurs in Stebbins'
tanks and tapped the reins about the
pony's ears. Get along, you son Of
Satanv' he muttered angrily. You
trying to make more kinds Of fool out
OF me than I naturally am? Hump
yourseIfv'
The pony started forward just as
shutter opened cautiously in second
story window and low whistle sound.
ed softly across the yard. A soft. Sc
ductiye whistle 1t was, and in the old
days 1t always served as an invitation
to partake Of a lump of sugar from
Miss Blair's hand. Luke did not hear
the whistle, but Stebbins did and In
stantly turned and shot through the
gate and galloped wildly toward the
house. while Luke sawed at the reins,
mad clean through at the notifying
spectacle he was making of himself
before the round eyed Swedish wom-
an who gaped at him around a corner
Of the house.
"She says she woden't be to home"
she mumbled excitedly as Stebbins cur.
veted and pranced and baked and ut
terly refused to leave the hospitable
Blair doorstep.
Then it was that Luke Prentice
brought forth a Mexican quirt from
beneath his saddle blanket and cut the
balky Stebbins once across the TANKS.
AS result he found himself sitting on
the ground ten feet away with a badly
wrenched arm. while Stebbins whin-
MED sharply near the front door.
Luke dragged himself painfully to-
ward convenient chincapin and
leaned YEARLY against the trunk and
closed his eyes. Instantly he forgot all
his troubles. When he opened his eyes
to consciousness again Estelle was
kneeling beside him binding his arm in
strong cool bandages while the Swed-
lsh woman held an ice cold cloth to
his aching head.
i can get along all right now. Sell
ma" said Estelle briskly. and when
the woman had departed her voice
dropped almost to whisper. I'm 40
sorry, Luke. 1t was all my fault, you
see whistled to Stebbins. | could
see he didn't want to go. He knew
better than his master what his mas
ter ought to do. Why didn't you come
and make me give you au lunation.
Luke? ! wanted you to just boss me
around. only you never. never would,
and thought maybe If made you
stay away from me we'd. both find
out There. I'm not going to say 1t
all"
Luke Prentice said his part with
such good effect that he rode away
from the Chincapin with radiant