The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1912-03-16


If the signs had read Blasting!
Dangerous! Keep right on and get
your darned head blown Oft" she
would have refused to comply. And
| the fact that the man before her was
doubtless the engineer in charge of
the work, instead of laborer, nettled
| her. He was polite, but she saw by
his mouth that he could be firm.
You will turn back please he said
as he reached out a hand and caught
| her bride.
Let go, sir-let go!"
It was time for Mr. Percy's reYoIu-
tionary blood to boil and his heroism
| to come to the front
"Scoundrel, let US pass!" he shout
| ed, urging his horse forward.
His rein was seized, his horse turn
! ed and given a slap that sent it trot-
! ing down hill, and then the man with
the big black eyes raised his hat
again and quietly said:
Take the other road, please
Miss Doris gave him one awful
look, gritted her teeth and retreated.
| She was defeated, but only for the
time. The mans scalp should dangle
at her belt ere many more suns had
risen. Mr.. Percy was waiting at the
foot of the hill, and as the girl reach
ed him he began:
81 say, now
Say nothing" she snapped.
But, you know"
81 know you went off as mild as
lamb, and 1 shan't need your protec-
| ton on any future occasions!"
Mr.. Percy's ancestors had been
weighed in the balance and found IA
ounces to the pound The ride was cut
short, and Miss Doris sat down in
her shady bower to think of the man
who had turned her back. Oh, how
she hated him! Did she? Well, he
had made her obey him, but he had
nice eyes. He had been firm, but he
was almost handsome. The same
| voice that had commanded also struck
her ears pleasantly. He wasn't so
bad after all, but he had bossed when
he might have coaxed. That man
must be taught a lesson.
Miss Doris said nothing to her IA
Their or mother, or to the COOK or
gardener She didn't even record it
in her diary that she had determined
to do a desperate thing on the NOR
row. At ten o'clock in the forenoon
she mounted her horse and cantered
away for Bull hill. Same signs of
| Dangerous! Blasting!" The same Ia
lorers at the first turn sought to turn
her back. She gave them look OF
scorn and passed on, but she heard
them shouting after her. There was
no one at the second turn, but as she
drew rein a man came running down
the hill, waving his cap and shouting.
It was the man of the big black
eyes and the firm mouth. He intended
to head her off again. The light Of
battle shone in the girls eyes.
For heavens sake, ride for your
Iifei" shouted the man.
Miss Doris didn't make a move
There's a blast to be fired right
where you are!"
Still no move.
! The man reached her, dragged her
from her horse, and though she
fought and struggled he carried her
SO feet up the hill. Then came blast
that tore a thousand carloads of
rocks and dirt loose. For three min
utes the sky seemed to rain missiles
and was darkened with smoke. and
girl had been thrown down by the
conclusion. He was the first up, and
as he extended his hand to help her
he said:
81 trust you are not hurt yourself,
but look down there!"
MY horse?''
Blown to fragments"
And IL"
You would have been. 1 even think
you ought to have got a broken arm
| for your obstinacy!"
"Sir!"
eff you were three or four years
younger I'd say you ought to have
your ears boxed"
Sir, don't talk to me like that Oh.
you are bleeding! Your head is cut
open! You-you-''
They sat down on a rookie be
cause of a faintness-she because she
wanted to weep. She did weep. She
said she was a perverse, obstinate
girl. She said she ought to have been
hurt, too. She said-and he said
and the trembling men that came
down the hill to look for the remains
of TentIy Davis, engineer, found the
two holding hands. Only the other
day the father said to the mother:
well, I'm amazed at the way Dor
ris is getting over her pig-headedness.
, Do you think that she and Mr..
Davis"
, Jacob, attend to your pipe and
newspaper" chided the wife