The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1912-11-25

the river, Miss Hubbard saw the sun
swimming just above the peaks OF
oome distant mountains. She halted
6Br pony suddenly paulrs its hanR
Rightly, her ewes flIng With alght
concern q
"It twill b, suntown In an hou'
Ginger she said loud, speaking u
the little animal wdo slantcd his ears
back as though aware that this OBJ
nervation had been directed at MIN,
~and we must be fully ten miles from
the Lazy Ia She looked around re.
gretfully, reluctant 10 leave the river
trait, on which she had fingered for
the greatcr part OF the afternoon.
But we must be travelling" she con
tinued, gathering zip the reins with
sudden decision. DADDY will be
worried
She spoke sharply to the pony and
he Responded with rush that took
them hotll 10 the crest Of the slope
at The head OF the gully and ont uaon
= deNd, Fat eXrarse Of unfeatured
PLAIN.
Still reluctant to desert the river
with its painted bnues, It's weird,
fiant roeks and spires, its vegetation
It's tinkling waters for tie dead hot
sand os the plains Miss Hubbard
held her pony o the trail that lcd
along The fringe of trccs above The
bed OF Tie stream The trail over the
plains was shorter by several miles,
for .ae river SWINE around in he
shape CT giant horseshoe toward
tho clustcr OF Buildings belonging to
the Lazy l. ranch But Miss Hub
bard preferred TO ride near the fringe
of trceG where the matted mesquite
ruStled under the whipping tread of
her pony's hcofs, and the shade made
travel more comfortable
SHE had been riding half an hour
when she relt Gngers left shoulder
suddenly sink. Tic came to one knee.
pitching forward with his mu2zie
deep into the grass. and she slipped
out of he saddle and came around to
his bead, hor eyes wide with q sud
den fear Ginger struggled and
snorted tueging desperately at his
Left forceg, which presently came out
os 4 prairie-dog hole twisted into
horribly queer shape.
Miss Hubbard's face went white
"Oh." she exclaimed claspng her
hands over her eyes with shudder
OF pity And tAen again, in tones
that were eloepent with pity: 20
Ginger"
Sill resting lis weight upon one
knee. the poay turned his head and
looked al her. with an appeal in his
eyes that brought aadden moisture
into hor own lie struggled again to
rise. failed. aud then sank prone on
the grass, with a groan 50 nearly hu.
man in its despair that Miss Hub
bard again covered her face With her
Eande and sobbed aloud
Five minutes later, as she lneeled
in tho grass. pating and smoothing
Ginger sleek neck a pony loped
rv0nnd sharp bend in the trail and
came Suddenly to a halt near her
Then tall man swung down from
the saddle aud advanced with swift
strides. In the swift. leeting glimpse
that she had got or nm from the in.
staIit SHE had first seen him until he
was standiug over her. she had not
ssicceedcd in getting an impression of
his appearance. She knew only that
n Wa big, muscular. and active, and
that he had come at a ime when she
Lad hoen very near yielding TO tho
food of emotion that had threatened
hcr STAGE Ginger fail When she
looted pp at the man he was stand
fnn near her, his arms crossed over
HIS chest, one hand caressing his
chin lie even smiled slightly as his
gpze met hers
Nell" he said. drawing a little,
20 little that she was sure it was un-
aifected 1T amt 50 much Of pic
ME- IS it?'
'sP-pic-nlc?" she returned her lips
ansycring suspiciously, even in her
sudden slight resentment over what
SHE considered was unwarranted lev
NV on bis part. "Of course it isn't
pienic. Why" she continued, her =
eyes flashing a him through the
Dnisture in them, cant you see at
Glners leg is b-brohen?" Cd
,ssNcll." he said. looking down at 1
her qui2zicallH hut speaking moro
graycly, Il expect it is An that Ger
tainly amt no picnic, But it ain't 1
half so bad as II might have been +
aI don't soc how Il could be-be any /
worse, she said not looking at him
herause she was trying hard to con-
troll her voice to keep the tears out
~ expect it could be n whole lot !!
worsc. lie returned moving toward !,
the 1ony "Ycu rlieht heYe got your !
neck broke when lie tumbled That .
would sure hayo mldc Ma feel pretty /
lad 10 run across To@1n with :
her neck broke" I
I'm don't think you would have been
exrlfed- over that she de !
ciare1 experiencing q sensation of ir-
rsfsfio-, ovrr Tho gPrnup ga I'm that