Perth Amboy evening news., 1912-01-03

no means the first woman he had
ktssed-remember, suspicious reader,
that he Was not from Philadelphia
hers were net the first ears Into
which he had poured passionate
protestations. He was neither bet
ter nor worse than most men, perhapa
he fairly enough represented the aver
age; but surely fate had something
better In store Tor such a superb wom-
an. A girl Of such attachments and
such infinite possibilities, she must
mate higher than with the average
man. Perhaps there was q subcon-
seriousness OF this tn her mind as she
silently waited to be overtaksn by the
rest of the party.
There were curious glances md
strange speculationa In that little
company as they saw her sitting her
horse alone. A few moments before
James Armstrong had passed. them at
q gaIlop, he had waved his hand as
he dashed by ana had smiled Mt them.
hope giving him 9 cextaip scsrce,y
sH4ff&Mfad hy the facts.
His desueaaer seaa mott 81 -ccrzcuaucS
With Enid's somewhat grave and some
what troubled prsssnt Hspect, Hhs
threw Oh her preoooupation tnstantly
and sastly, however, and tefnsd read
NY enough In ths merry conversation
at tin way
M. Robert Maitland. - Armstrong;
kss raid, had known him from : nux.
1ssss we're things In MIA career OF
which Aaitlsnd dtd net and eault rot
approve, but thar wsrs o. the past. he
reflected, ana ArmssTeng was aftsr
Ill = pretty good sort Mr. MAttlsnd'a
standards wsrs not at all those Of his
P~hi1aA~lphte brother. bus thsy wAs
very high. Els experiences of ma
had besn different; he thought that
Ar1nstrang. having certainly by this
time reached years q discretion. could
be aataly entrusted With the precious
treasure at the young Girl who had
been aaunnitted to his care. ana for
whom his affection grsw a. his knowL
edgs Of and aequaintanesship with hsr
Increased.
AZ for Mra. Maitland and tbs two
girls end the yoangster. they were
Armstrnng's devoted friends. They
kn~w nothing ahcrt liz past. Indeed
there wer0 things In It OF which Matt
land hinsslf wan Ignorant, and which
had they Been known to him might
have caueed him to withhold evsn bis
tentative s~equtsscsncs In the posstbilt
ties.
Most Of those things ere known
to old Kirkby. WHO With mastery
ekill. amusing nonchafancs and amaz-
ing profanity. albeit most Of It under
his breath lest he shock tho ladies'.
taolad along the four nervous. excited
brenehos that drew the big supply
wagon. Kirby wns Maitland's eldest
and rndst valued fTgand- He had been
the lnttsr's deputy shesiI, he had
been o cswboy and a Iumbernnaa, q
mighty hanter and d successful mainer.
and nov, although ke had acquired q
reasonable coHapstence, and Aad q nice
litglS wife and Z pleasant homo In the
mountain village at the entrance to
the esnon. be drove stage tor pleas
urs rather than for profit. He had
given cver his daily twenty-five mile
5aunt FROM Morrison to Trousdale to
other hands FOR s short space that he
might spend a little time with hts old
frfana and the family who ware all
greatly attached to him OF this outing.
Mnau Maitland q girl OF . kind that
Kirkby had never seen before, had
won the cid man's heart during the
wcsks spent on the Maitland ranch.
He had grown fond Of her, and ne did
not Think that Mr.. James Armstrong
saerstsd that which ks evidently 80
overwhelmingly desired. Kirkby WAS
wsli sions In ysars. but he was quite
capable OF playing . mans game Tor
.li ri1ax. ara ne intended TO play II In
sl1ts fnsExnces
Nobody scanned Enid Mattiandss
fans mora closely than he, sitting
bumped 1g On tins front seat OF the
wagon. onestsot on tao high break. his
hssd sunk aasaasz TO ths level Of h5s
Enea. his long whip III his hand. his
ksan ina snEDswhat aeree brown eyes
taking In every a#tasE If what ~ SO
Ens on abeat hzAa. Endaea there waa
but ssstIa that cauas before hlxn that
a1a KIEkbg did moi see