The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-05-01
CHAPTER XlV.-Contlnued.

CHAPTER xlV.-continued.
He hung almost gleefully upon her
actions in anticipation OF what the
fractions Bob was going to get And
Bob got 1t, on his mex whirl. or at
tempt, rather, for he was no more than
halfway around when the quirt met
him smack on rs tender nose. There
and then, in his bewilderment. sur
prise and pain. his fore feet. just skim
ming the road. dropped down.
Great" Daylight applauded. "A
couple more will fix him. He's too
smart not to know when he's beaten"
Again Bob tried. But this time be
was barely quarter around when the
doubled quirt on his nose compelled
him to drop his fore feet to the road.
Then. with neither rein nor spur. but
by the mere threat Of the quirt, she
Strengthened him out.
Dede looked triumphantly at Day
light
Let me give him a run?" she asked,
Daylight nodded. and she shot down
the road. He watched her out OF
sight around the bend, and watched
till she came into sight returning. She
certainly could sit her horse. was his
thought, and she was a sure enough
hummer. God. she was the wife
for a man! Made most OF them
look pretty slim. And to think
OF her hammering all week at
a typewriter. That was no place
for her. She should be a mans
wife, taking 1t easy. with silks and
satins and diamonds (his frontier no
don Of what beitted a wife beloved).
and dogs and horses, and such things.
But the quarry was doomed to pass
out Of his plans for a time. for on the
following Sunday he rode alone No
Dede on a chestnut sorrel came across
the back-road from Berkeley that day.
nor the day a week later. AS the
third week drew to a close and anoth,
er desolate Sunday confronted him.
Daylight resolved TO speak. office or
no Office. And as was his nature. he
went simply and directly to the point.
She had finished her work with him.
and was gathering her note pad
and pencils together to depart, when
he said:
"Oh. n more thing. Miss Mason,
and | hope you won't mind my being
frank and straight out. You've struck
me right along as a sensible-minded
girl. and | don't think you'll take Of
Tense at what I'm going to say. You
know how long you've been In the OF
fice-it's years, now. several OF them
anyway; and you know I've always
been straight and aboveboard with
you. I've never what you call-pre
suned. Because you were in my Office
I've tried to be more careful than II
If you wasn't in my of1ce-you un
derstand. But just the same. IT dom
make me any the less human. In
q lonely sort OF a fellow-don'
take that as 81 bid for kindness. What
mean by It Is to try and tel you
Just how much those two rides witt
you have meant. And now ! hope you
won't mind my just asking why you
haven't been out riding the last two
Sundays"
She played %nervously with a pencil
for a time. as If debating her reply
while he waited patiently.
This riding-he began; Its no
what they Co.. right thing.
leave it to you. You know the world
That's the trouble. It's what thu
world would have to say about mt
and my employer meeting regularl!
and riding in the hills on Sundays
dts funny, but it's so. l could ride
with one of the clerks without re
mark. but with you-no."
Look here. Miss Mason" said Day
light. II know you don't like thii
talking over of things in the Office
Neither do |. It's part Of the who'll
thing. l guess; a man amt supposed
to talk anything but business with hi
stenographer. Will you ride with M
next Sunday, and We car talk 1t owe
thoroughly then and reach some sor
OF a conclusion. Out in the hills
the place where you can talk some
thing besides business. | guess you'V'
seen enough of me to know I'm pretl,
square. IL do honor and respec
you. and. . . and all that, and
He was beginning to -four
der, and the hand that rested on tn
desk blotter was visibly trembling
He strove to pull himself together
81 just want to harder than anythin
ever in my life before. I'LL can
explain myself. but | do. that's al
Will ~you-Just next Sunday? II
morrow"