The Mena weekly star., 1912-03-21
You ought to be- severely.

- ySut SeH III my place..
But am not in your place. and 7
can't put myself there. | do not wish
TO. II 1t be true, as you say. that Won
nave grown to-care so much for ma
and so quickly"
III 1t be true?" came the sharp in.
corruption as the man bent toward
her, fairly devouring her with his bold
ardent gaze.
Wen' since 1t is true" she admit
ed under the compuIsion OF his pro-
test That fact is the only possible
excuse for your action"
You find some justification for mo
then?"
NO. only a possibility, but whether
1t be true or not, do not feel that
way-yet."
There was a saving grace in that
last word, which gave him a little
heart He would have spoken. hut
she suffered no interruption, saying:
i have been wooed before, but"
True, unless the human race has
become suddenly blind" he said softly
under his breath.
But never in such ungentIe WAYS.
Il suppose you have never run IN
against a real red-blooded man like
me before"
If red-blooded be evidenced mainly
by lacking Of self control, perhaps |
have not. Yet there are men that |
have met that would not need to apol-
ogize for their qualities even to you.
Mr.. James Armstrong"
Don't say that. Evidently | make
but poor progress In my wooing
Never have | met with a woman quite
like you"-and in that indeed lay
some OF her charm. and she might
have replied In exactly the same Ian
guage and with exactly the same
meaning to him-'T am no longer a
boy. | must be fifteen years older
than you are, for I am thirty-tive."
The difference between their years
was not quite so great as he declared.
but womanlike the girl let the state
ment pass unchallenged
And | wouldn't insult your intel
hgence by saying you are the only
woman that | have ever made love to,
but there is vast difference between
love to woman and loving
one. have just found that out for the
first time | marvel at the past. and
| am ashamed OF 1t, but | thank God
that / have been saved for this OPP
portunity. | want TO win you, and
am going to do 1t. too. In many
things | don't match UP with the peo-
pie with whom you train. | was born
out here, and I've made myself. There
are things that have happened In the
making that am not especially proud
of, and / am not at all satisfied with
the results, especially since have
met you. The better know you the
less pleased | am with Jim Arm
strong. but there are possibilities In
me, rather believe, and with you for
God!"-the man flung out
his hand with a fine gesture of de-
termination. They say that the east
and west don't naturally mtngle, but
it's lie; you and l can beat the
world
The woman thrilled to his gallant
wooing. Any woman wocd have done
so; some Of them would have lost
their heads, but Enid Maitland was
an exceedingly cool young person. for
she was not quite swept on her feet,
and did not quite lose her balance.
Z like To hear you say things like
that she answered. Nobody quite
like you has ever made hove to me,
and certainly not In your way, and
that's the reason have given you
half way promise TO think about II.
] was sorry that you could not be
with us ON this adventure. bat now I
am rather glad. especially If the gwen
temper OF my way is to be Interrupted
by anything like the outburst Of few
minutes since
Il am glad, too" admitted the man.
For declare couldn't hslp IT, II l
lave to be with you either you have
Sot to be mine or else you would have
% decide that It could never be, and
,hen I'd so OF and fight 1t out"
Leave me to myself" said the girl
earnestly for little while: it's best
10; would not take the finest. noblest
aan on earth"
And l am not that
Unless l loved him. There is some
Aing very attractive about your per-
onality; don't know in my heart
whether 1t Is that. Or
Good said the man. as she hesi-
lated That's. enough" He gathered
p the retns and whirled his horse
suddenly in the road. Il am going
back. I'll wait for your return to
Denver, and then-
That's best" answered the girl
She stretched out her hand to him,
leaning backward II he had bsen q
different kind Of man he would have
kissed Il; as 1t was he took II tn hid
own hand and almost crushed It with
fierce grip.
Wen shake on that. little girl" ha
said and then without a backward
glance he put spurs 10 his horse and
galloped furiously down the road
No, she decided then and there. she
did not love him. not yet. Whether
she ever would she could not tell. And
yet she was half bound TO him. The
recollection OF his kiss was not al
together a pleasant memory: be had
not done himself any good by that
bold assault upon her modesty. that
reckless attempt TO rife the treasure
OF her lips. No man had ever really
touched her heart. although many had
engaged her interest Her experience