Bisbee daily review., 1912-06-25


 rades did not allay their just indigna- | day of the week.
 His face was trsnshgured with joy snd they knew that something had happened to lift the cloud from his brow. It was Ben Hoieomb whose | careless dart found the Bullseye. You look as if the lady has tust said yes," he drawled, unfoic.ng A newspaper that was his share of the ! mail. sr
 she has!" responded Peter reck. Iessly happy. as he flung his hat on i:s accustomed leg.
 And named the day in the bargain!- ventured Latin from his corner.
 She hasl" repeated Peter dizziIy. The thirty first of September,"
 The thirty-first of what?" demand ed Ben quickly.
 '-Of September-three months off- right here on the calendar" Petsr Tapped the leaves of the big calendar until he disclosed the September sheet. and he ran his brown finger rapidly over the days. finally paused at the thirtieth. hesitating, and turning a white face to his friends.
 Tt isn't on the calendar" he said in a shocked voice. Tt isn't on this calendar-has anybody got an other one?"
 Tt isn't on any calendar, you ga- loot" shouted Crangle noisily. Haven't you ever heard that old rhyme about Thirty days hath September, April, June and November? Why, the lady was Ioshing you."
 Crangle was the only one who laughed In the white agonized face of Peter Barton. He looked from one to another of his mates and saw only pity in their glances. He reached up and swung his hat to his head again.
 T guess it was s mistske-she was playing joke on me-" he said thick ly and was gone. After few moments of tense silence they heard the chatter of the hoofs of the gray horse.
 T wouldn't believe it of her" nut tered Ben Holcomb to I,atling under cover of a newspaper. They had seen how 1t was with Peter and Boss Cages daughter.
 You don't suppose-you don't sup pose shes still hankering after that fellow from down Tucson way?" whis- pered Latin.
 'Dentman. you mean7"
 The other nodded. Miss Nan was some took with him, and when hs went away so sudden and we heard he was married, she looked mighty peaked for awhile"
 I'm afraid maybe she did mind, though we ought not to put 1t into words" said Ben chivslrously. Some how, I'm sorry she took 1t into her head to treat Peter that way" 'Tisn't like her to do ft-not if she knew it was going 10 hurt him." was L.atlin's reply.
 During the months that followed Peters proposal, he carefully avoided approaching Nancy Gage. On the big ranch that was an easy matter, and the few times they met each other un- ezpectedly Peter Barton's eyes were : turned steadily away, while he barred his head before the girl who had fiout- ed him.
 Nancy, at first merciless in the sting of her own love affair. assumed that he had understood and accepted her rude rejection of him. But when she met him time after time and saw the set gravity of his features ard the somberness of his gray eyes, she grew little fearful of what she had done. After awhile she found herself think Ing often of the stern-faced cowboy who avoided her whenever possible. After awhile her remorseful thoughts of Peter Barton quite crowded out her feeting fancy for the brilliant Dent self longing for an opportunity to apol- ognize to Peter for the wrong she had done him. once she rode out delib- erately with the intention of throwing herself in his way that she might havo g chance to ask his forgive aess.
 1t was the last day of September. ] anu lhS lay nat OA Nhu plains. She had heard her father tell Peter to ride over to Honey Creek post office for the weekly mail. and from her window sine had seen his we'll knit figure on the gray horse sweep away from the corral and out of sight. i She dressed herself in becoming rid ing dress of linen that matched her ! eyes, and without hat on her sunny 1 head, she mounted the cream-colored { pony and was away. I That was how 1t happened that Pe- l ter came across her on the shoulder of hill as he had on that May day when he had asked her to marry him. He had been whistling softly as he rode, and she had been watching his i lace with a strange wistfulness in her own when he suddenly looked up and
 saw her. Then the sound died on his ! lips and his face stifened like a
 grave mask and he lifted his hat Nancy Burton put forth hand and
 caught the bridle of the gray horse.