The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1913-04-09

Young Chaplin started. You don't
mean that, really?"
Mrs. Keap nodded her dark head.
at was all very well for me to chap
eron Helen on the way out from the
east. butt isn't exactly regular toi
me to play that part here with other
young people to look after"
"But you understand. of course
Jean must have explained to you.
Mother was called away suddenly, and
she can't get back now. You surely
won't leave-you can't" Chaplin add
ed, hopefully: why. you would break
up Jeans party. You see. there's no
body around here to take your place."
But"
"Nonsense This is an unconven-
tional country. What's wrong with
you as a chaperon. anyway? Nobody
out here even knows what chaperon
is. And I'll be back as soon as can"
"Do you really think that would
help?" Roberta's eyes laughed humor-
ously.
I'm not thinking of the others. I'm
thinking of myself" declared the
young man, boldly. II don't want you
to go before return. You must not!
If you go, II shall follow you" He
grasped her hand impulsively.
| "Oh." exclaimed the chaperon.
"This makes it even more impossible.
| Go! Co." She pushed him away. her
color surging. GO to your old Eleven
X Ranch right away"
! "But I mean IT," he declared, earn
estly. Then. as she retreated farther:
Its no use, shan't go now until"
"You have known me less than a
week."
THAT is long enough. Roberta"
Mrs. Keap spoke with honest en-
barrassment. Listen! Don't you see
what situation this is? If Jean and
Helen should ever discover"
Jean planned it all; even this"
/ Mrs. Keap stared at him in Mortified
silence.
you do love me, Roberta?" Chaplin
undertook to remove the girls hands
from her face. when slight cough in
the hall behind caused him to turn
suddenly in time to see Berkeley Fres-
no passing the open door.
There, You see." Mrs. Heaps face
was trf gic. you see!" She turned
and fed, leaving the master of the
ranch in the middle of the floor, be-
wildered, but a bit inclined to be
happy. A moment later the plump
face of Berkeley Fresno appeared eau
tiously around the door-jamb. He
coughed again gravely
81 happened to be passing" said he
you'll pardon me?"
This is the most thickly settled
spot in New Mexico!" Chaplin declared
with an artificial laugh, choking his
indignation.
Fresno slowly brought his round
body out from concealment.
81 came in to get match"
"Why don't you carry matches?"
Fresno pulled complacently upon his
pipe. This" he unused. as his host
departed eliminates the chaperon,
and that helps some"
breaking the news to the boys.
There's something comm off," he
advised Willie. We've got another
foot-runner!"
II he had hoped for an outburst Of
rapture on the part of the little gun
man he was disappointed, for Willie
shifted his holster, smiled evilly
through his glasses. and inquired, with
ominous restraint:
Where is he?"
Being the one man on the Flying
Heart who had occasion to wear a
gun. Willie seldom smiled from a
sense of humor Here 1t may be said
that, deceived at first by his scholarly
appearance, his fellow-laborers had
jibed at Willie's affectation of swing
ing holster, but the custom had Ian
guished abruptly. When 1t became
known who he was, the other ranch
hands had volubly declared that this
was a free country. where a man
might exercise a wide discretion In
the choice of personal adornment;
and as for them, they avowed unani-
mously that the practice of packing a
Colts was one which met with their
most cordial appreciation. In time
Willies six-shooter had become ac-
cepted as a part Of the local scenery.
and, like the scenery. no one thought
of remarking upon 1t. least of all those
who best knew his lack of humor. He
had come to them out Of the Nowhere.
some four years previously, and while
he never spoke Of himself. and dis
couraged "reminiscences In others. II
became known through those vague
uncharted channels by which news
travels on the frontier. that back in
the Texas Panhandle there was a
limping marshal who felt regrets at
mention of his name. and that farther
north were other men who had su-
perstitious dread OF understood cow
men with spectacles
This here is real footrunner."
said Slower