The Newport plain talk. (Newport, Tenn.) 1909-1939, 1914-08-19

| But look."-she moved closer to him
here we are alone, and am not afraid
Of you'll"
! "Of course not" answered Bud, lcok-
ing across at her boldly. "Why should
you be--you amt afraid of moth
| ing!"
SIS that compliment" she demand
! ed eagerly. "Oh, then I'm SO happy
! it's the first you ever paid me! But
have been brave" she beamed, 80
far? Have been brave, like man?'
Sure have!" remarked Hooker I'M
personally, "but we amt there yet.
Only thing l don't like about you is
| you don't eat enough. Say, don't pick
up them crumbs-let me pare off some
more Of this ierked beef for you. Can't
! nobody be brave when they're hun
cry, you know, and l want to bring you
in safe"
"Why?" she inquired, as she accept
ed the handful Of meat. rs is on
Pills account" she yentured, as he
sat gazing stoically at the horses.
You were such friends, weren't your"
she went on innocently ooh, that is
why | admire the Americans so nue.
they are so true to each other!"
Eyes" observed Hooker, rolling his
eyes on her, were fine that way!"
Well / mean it," she insisted, as
she read the irony in his glance
Sure! So do II" answered Hooker,
and Gracia continued her meal in 81
lence.
/ "My!"fshe said at last: "this meat is
good! Tell me, how did you happen to
have it.on your saddle? We left so
suddenly, you know!"
She gaged up at him demurely, curl
Gus to see how he would evade this evil
dence that he had prepared in advance
for their ride. But once more, as he
had always done, Hooker eiuded the
cunningly laid snare @
Il was figuring on pulling out my
SELF he replied ingenuously
What? And not take me?' she
cried. "Oh, | thought-but dear me,
what is the use?"
She sighed and dropped her head
YEARLY.
81 am so tired!" she murmured de-
spondently; Shall we be going on
soon?"
| mot unless somebody jumps u.s.
returned Bud. Here, let me make
/ you bed in the shade. There now
as he spread out the saddle-blankets
temptingly-'you lay down and get
sonic sleep and I'll kinder keep a
watch"
"Ah, you are so kind" she breathed
as she sank down on the bed. Dent
you know" she added, looking up a,
him with sleepy eyes that half con
cealed smile, Il believe you like me
after ALL"
"Sure," confessed Bud. returning
her smile as honestly; don't you wor
ry none about mel like you fine"
He slipped away at this, grinning tc
himself, and sat down to watch the
plain. All about him lay the waving
grass land, tracked up by the hoofs Of
cattle that had vanished in the tracl
Of war. In the distance he could see
the line of fence and the ruins of a
house. The trail which he had fol
lowed led on and on to the north. But
all the landscape was vacant, except
for his grazing horses. Above the
mountains the midday thunder-caps
we're beginning to form; the air was
very soft and warm, and He woke
up suddenly to find his head on hi!
knees.
"Ump-um-m," he muttered, rising W
and shaking himself resolutely, "thi:
won't do--that sun is making mt
sleepy" D.
He paced back and forth, smoking
fercely at brown-paper cigarettes, and
still the sleep came back The thun
der-clouds over the mountains rose
higher and turned to black; they lei
down skirts and fringes and sudden
stabs of lightning, while the wint
sucked in from the south And then
with slash of rain, the shower was
uponthem.
At the first big drops Gracia stirred
uneasily in her sleep. She started W
as the storm burst over them; then, as
Bud picked up the saddle-blankets ant
spread them over her, she drew hin
down beside her and they sat out the
storm together. But it was more tt
them than sharing of cover, patien
enduring of the elements and the
sweep Of wind and rain. When they
rose UP there was a bond between
them and they thrust and parted nc
more.
They were friends there in the rush
of falling water and the crash of light
ming overhead. When the storm was
over and the sun came out they smiled
at each other contentedly without feaI
of what such smiles may mean.
II CHAPTER XVII.