The Washington herald., 1913-10-20
By GERALDINE SUMNER.

Clifford stood at the bays heads wher
the express pulled in at Richards juno
ton They always plunged a little. and
word from him would quiet them
So 1t happened he did not see Rose
Ashley until she came close to him.
''Clif, I'm so glad to be back" She
threw one arm around his neck and
kissed him impulsfVely. Did surprise
your
Cliffords eyes twinkled with humor.
He looked past her to the express agent
and the ticket seller. They were both
too busy to notice her arrival
Il didn't know It was you that was
coming" he returned.
You're not very cordial" She held
her long silk cloak about her, waiting
to be helped up into the surrey. but
clifford was soothing the uneasy bays
and did not leave them until the trair
had gone. He swung up beside her. hi:
mouth shut a bit hrmer than usual.
Il asked your mother not to tell you
was coming" she said presently, as
they left the village and long bridge
behind. Ahead lay the ascending road
up into the very heart Of the hill coun-
try. She loved these great shadowy
foothills In the late October air they
seemed robed In royal purple. She lifted
her face and breathed In the wonderful
fragrance OF the pines.
1t was just three months since her
visit up at the ranch. She had come
from a little college town in Ohio, one
Of q crowd of college girls. 1t had been
a splendid summer lark to them. the
month in the cattle country. And she
had fiirted with Clifford Harkness Joy
ously, audaciously. They had ridden to-
gether over trails he had known since
hoyhood. He had taught her wood lore.
things the colleges miss, secrets handed
down from the Indians Somehow she
had grown to think Of this tall, tanned
youngster differently from other men.
There was something about him that ap-
pealed to the Imagination, she told the
other girls. He was splendidly pagan
in his love OF the wilds and the great
silences, in his friendship with animals
and knowledge OF the forces OF nature.
Yet when they had been riding far and
had been caught in a thunderstorm, seek
ing shelter in deserted cabin, when he
had suddenly blurted out his love, she
had laughed at him.
You are splendid as a summer sweet
heart Cliff; but 1 hardly think 1 care
to marry you"
why not?"
II might grow tired Of all this, and it's
your life"
III you loved me you wouldn't tire of
it. You wouldn't care what place they
put us on Gods footstool so long as we
were together"
She had shaken her head like a wilful
child.
You're awfully dear. Cliff, but you
wouldn't be enough to hold me here con-
tented. I'm sorry."
Then why did you let me kiss you?
1 don't know how it Is down where you
come from, but here our girls don't let
a man kiss them like that unless they
mean business and will marry them"
The crudeness of 1t hurt her. He had
no finesse at all, she told the other girls,
ruefully. He was just big boy barba-
rian, and she was not at all to blame.
Besides, what he said was untrue She
had seen him kiss another girl almost
the first day Of arrival A girl who rode
up to the ranch on horseback, her face
tanned with wind and sun. eyes blue as
the Nevada skies and her name, they
told Rose, was Nevada Murray. She was
a rangers daughter and sometimes
helped her father.
clifford had been standing beside her
pony talking to her, and he reached up
to help her dismount. but she had made
the pony move back from him and had
laughed. And clifford, his hand on the
bride, had held her down to him and
kissed her cheek
He had passed Rose by without a sec
ond glance, and she had made up her
mind then to make him thoroughly aware
Of her existence.
But three months back East had taught
her many things. She missed the great
freedom and spacious grandeur of the
country around the ranch. She missed
clifford. Other men seemed trivial be-
side his frank, quiet nature. She told
herself she had been cruel to him, and
she would atone. All, but she would. and
gladly. She would give up everything
at home and live with him out at the
ranch.
Her brothers and married sister had
shrugged shoulders and smiled at hel
sudden decision, but she was her own
mistress. and they let her go back to her
purple hills and tall ranchman.
Clifford" she said. softly, after a long
silence. which he did not seem disposed
to break. I'm not going back"
clifford watched the tips of the bays
ears thoughtfully.
You said last summer that there
wasn't enough here to make you con-
tent"
II know, but I was wrong. I've
missed 1t all so. and-you."
She waited, but he was silent.
so, you see. I've come back. and
I want to stay. Cliff"
''Well. IL puts me in a mighty queer
position" said Cliff stolldly. Il think
mother should have told you. Any
way. / will because know you don't