Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1912-03-01
CHAPTER xiv.-continued.

He hung almost gleefully upon her
actions in anticipation Of what the
fractions Bob was going to get. And
Bob got It. on his next whirl. or at.
tempt. rather, for he was no more than
halfway around when the quirt met
him smack on his 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 viii fix him. He's too
smart not to know when he's beaten"
Again Bob tried. But this time he
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 rum" 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.
ton of what beftted 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 q week later. AS the
third week drew to a close and anoth-
or 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. one 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 I 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
'fce-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-
.sumed. Because you were in my office
I've tried to be more careful than If
If you wasn't In my ofice-you un-
derstand. But just the same. It don't
make me any the less human. I'm
a lonely sort OF a fellow-don't
take that as a bid for kindness. What
I mean by 1t Is to try and tel' you
Just how much those two rides with
you nave meant And nov | 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 q time. as II debating her reply.
while he waited patiently.
This riding" she began; ITS not
what they call the right thing. |
leave 1t to you. You know the world.
That's the trouble. It's what the
world would have to say about me
and my employer meeting regularly
and riding in the hills on Sundays.
Its funny. but it's so. | could ride
with one Of the clerks without re-
mark. but with you-no."
Look here. Miss Mason said Day
light. Il know you don't like this
taking yer Of things In the Office.
Neither do I. IT, part of the whole
thing, ! guess; . man amt supposed
90 talk anything but business with his
.stsncgrapher. VIII you ride with me