Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1911-05-19
suddenly he arose and made a hasty

place where the trails divided, one
leading straight to the town Of Per-
ditlon, 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 cantered briskiy
toward the home Of Miss Gertie Gibbs.
Here he spent pleasant evening lis
tening to Miss Gertie's vivacious chat
ter, enjoying the conventional music
she clattered from the tinny piano and
VvtAh Joining in the chorus Of that pop.
ulaf melody Because I Love You So"
until old man Gibbs pounded on tlse
parlor door and requested silence that
be might snatch few hours rest be-
fore he arose to pursue his daily vo-
cation be engineering the stagecoach
down - The nearest railroad station.
Later in the evening Bert FIetcher
appeared, and close at his heels came
Frank Blair. When the rivals found
Luke Prentice installed as court ia
yorite they unburdened themselves of
large boxes Of candy and took a
gloomy departure, Blair galloping back
TO the Chincapin to tell his sister of
the faithless Prentice. Estelle sueered
openly and then fitted Off to bed with
out even a good night.
Back In the Gibbs house Luke Prem
tice and Miss Gertie opened the boxes
Of candy and enjoyed the contents
hugely, and when Luke departed Miss
Gertie tied a handful Of chocolates into
a 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.
"I woden't t'ink Miss Blair be SEEM
youse. Her says her amt to home,
but her lsv' she explained with q
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 ut the ranch house where he
had known many pleasant hours pick
eted under the trees where the herd
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 relns about the
pony's ears. Get along, you son OF
Satanp he muttered angrily. "You
trying to make more kinds of a fool Out
Of me than l naturally am? HUMP
yourself"
The pony started forward just as q
shutter opened cautiously In secons
story window and q low whistle sound
ed softly across the yard. A soft, Sc
ductive whistle It was, and In the ole
days It always served as an invitation
| to partake OF lump OF sugar from
Miss Blair's hand. Luke did not heal
the whistle, but Stebblns did and In
stantIy turned and shot through the
gate and galloped wildly toward the
house, while Luke sawed at the reins
mad clean through at the notifying
sDectncle he was making OF himself
before the round eyed Swedish WON
an who gaped at him around corner
OF the house.
"She says she woden't be to home,
she mumbled excitedly as Stebblns cur
veted and pranced and baked and ut
terly refused to leave the hospitable
Blair doorstep.
Then 1t was that Luke Prentice
brought forth Mexican qulrt from
beneath his saddle blanket and cut the
baIky stebbins once across the banks
N a result he found himself sitting on
the ground ten feet away with badly
wrenched arm, while Stebbins whln'
MED sharply near the front door.
Luke dragged himself painfully to.
ward convenient chlncapin 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-
ish woman held an Ice cold cloth to
his aching head.
81 can get along all right now Sci
ma" said Estelle brlskly, and when
the woman had departed her voice
dropped almost TO n whisper. I'm so
sorry, Luke! 1t was all my fault, you
see. I 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 mike mo give you an explanation,
Luke? / wanted you to just boss me
around, only you never, never would,
and I thought maybe II | made you
stay away from me we'd both find
out There, I'm not going TO say II
all"
Luke Prentice said his part with
such good effect that he rode away
from the Cbincapln with radiant
smile on his handsome face.
At the forks Prentice met two de-
Jected riders turning out Of the Lone
Tree trail. One was Bert Fletcher, and
the other was Estelle's brother, Frank
Blair.
Evening, said Luke happily. "How's
Miss Gertie Gibbsr
The two stared unhappily at each
other, and finally Fletcher blurted out
Angrfly:
THE little catl She's gone and mar.
ried the engineer down to the smelter
house. gave her ring last week"
he added vlciously
80 did l." said Frank Blair bitter