The herald., 1912-10-24
A TlMlD
LITTLE GIRL
By SUSAN YOUNG PORTER

" ''it dI' ~. -''H-. TOO. I-'.'+
/ maid."
/ The words wore spoken bv ogo ~
I those c,c-aut l,nkin4 fellows VIII. r.t
/ er spending som. jar Thousand l.lr
/ in college. think rIy n-yr arIstrcrl','
move to be maa' is y.U. ming They
argue that Will. ,a..l..>, /, prurl'u
/ them and they ar. 20. lazy 90 either
study or practice profession there
4 is something emIu"uuy Respectable IN
raising animals or Vegetables on their
. broad acres. Having purchased aud
/ stocked ranch they have their photo
/ graphs taken ia cowboy costume 10
send 10 their friends in the east and
/ thereafter consider themselves on the
same footing with the Lords Of British
landed estates.
/ Ned Perkins, the man who spoke the
above words. was one Of this type.
He was riding along with rifle and
a lariat slung to his saddle dressed aS
a wild westcrncr on the dramatic
stage, when he met little Mexican
/ girl with very black eyes, rose Ia
/ full bloom on each cheek and a pair
OF buds for lips who looked up at him
innoceutly and, making a courtesy.
said:
Good morning, senior"
Then to his question she replied that
she was going to the store a mile down
the road to buy dress
"You don't need anything prcttier
than the costume you have on he
said THAT skirt bedecked with gold
lace, that jacket adorned with the
same material, that Spanish headgear,
are exceedingly becoming. If you will
get up behind me | will turn about and
take you to the store. The distance Is
too long for you to walk"
She looked at him shyly without re
ply for some moments, when he dis
mounted, took her hand, led her to his
horse. she raised her little foot, he
took it in his hand and lifted her into
position behind the saddle. Then.
mounting himself, he started for the
store.
Perkins liked ranching well enough
except for the absence of feminine
companionship He had no trouble In
becoming companionable with little
Inez, whose father owned few cat
tie, but whose principal business was
gambling. There was something unique
about the girl, who was sixteen years
old. but unduly developed, as are girls
who inhabit tropical climates. 1t did
not occur to the young ranchman that
there was any harm In passing some
Of his time in her company, joking
with and jollying her to his own in
finite amusement.
He invited her to go with him to
dances that were held in the neighbor-
hood and noticed that none OF the
cowboys asked her to dance with them.
II was some time before he realized
that they regarded her as belonging to
him. and none of them would trespass
, on his domain.
1t was then that he began to under
stand the situation. He did not fear
any trouble in breaking with the girl
she was such gentle little soul-but
, II occurred to him that he might have
, trouble with her father or one OF her
brothers. From this moment he did
, not act the same toward Inez herself.
He tried to do so and thought he was
succeeding. but any woman can see
, such a change in a man.
Perkins was becoming tired OF ranch
ing. and he did not find that II was
likely to pay him. Besides, he was
, pining for his associations in the east
One day he made up his mind to go
, back there. He kept his resolution to
: himself: he did not offer his ranch
, for sale: he simply determined to leave
Il when no one would be aware or
, what he was going to do and not come
back. He could sell 1t without staying
3 there for the purpose.
, He formed this resolution not long
after he had begun to consider his
r companionship with the little Mexican
girl liable to cause him trouble. lnez
appeared no different than she had
been. In fact, he doubted n after all
, his going would make much difference
to her. True, no other man was atten-
, tive to her. They had all withdrawn
| when he began to notice her.
r The evening before his intended de-
parture-he was TO start at 2 o'clock In
7 the morning and ride ten miles to
I station. where he would take train
r he was with Inez till 10 o'clock. Mel
ther by word nor act did she indicate
that she suspected his departure. Be
fore starting for his ranch he said
. some very nice things to her, for his
heart smote him: then, holding her
, hand for few moments, he dropped
It and sailed forth. as he had done
T. often before.
, 1t was his habit to smoke pipe be-
fore going to bed. His favorite pipe
was a large merschaum bowl with
cherry stem. Taking the pipe from,
q rack. he found 1t filed with fresh to-
!, bacco. He was somewhat surprised.
but thought that perhaps he had filed
o it during the day. intending to smoke.
, but had laid II aside without doing so
| Putting the stem In his mouth. he was
, about to light the tobacco when he re-
membered that he had not smoked
since the noon meal and had not filled
It after smoking. Dropping the match.
!, he turned the contents Of the pipe out
on tho tahIa On tho ton was laVpr