Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-01-22

L.
a dazzling smile. IA
Phin could execute a dazzlinr
as well, and he proceeded n 80 r-ss
himself agreeable to Miss Fenw,es =
He knew that for some reaso. D..
Billy was in the bad graces n 4
pretty schooIteacher. but Peter ps ~
was very reticent about the wv
matter. As for Phin, he spent -
of his evenings studying book. =.
MaZie had heard of IL and dr.
that he was endeavoring to esrs...
himself to her level.
I'm nearly furnished sighed Ma.
as they turned into the main strss. !.
the little town.
Come in and have some ice crs.,.
invited Phin cheerily
They went, and Mazie's blua -
cleaned when she saw that Pbin n.
ris' pocketbook was not as emp,v :,
had been in former days. sorns i.
had whispered the story of the "a
ridden uncle who had left a. fortune |,
the handsome young cowpuncher ~
Phin had mounted higher in selsss
Mazie's estimation.
Still he wore the same old cjofh.s
"Phin,' said Maize suddenly. dr.,
ping her hand on his big brown ons !,
a friendly manner why don't "a,
ever come to see me any moreY
TOO busy smiled Phin uucomfe-.
ably. Besides, Peter BiIIy's aExsu
had the front seat, you know
Hes not sitting on the front ,e,,
now" retorted Maize, with spirit.
and he's some sore because be fsu
off," rejoined Phin.
I'm not to blame for that-really. am
I, now" Maize turned her corn6ove-
blue eyes upon Phin, and her under
lip trembled
Time had been when that demonstrs.
ton would have sent ecstatic shjyers
up and down Phin's spinal column.
Now he shuddered uneomfortabIy.
thinking what a blessing it was that be
had missed marrying Maize Fenwiek
81 am not to blame, am I. Phinr
quavered Maize, with fearful ewes.
I'm not good judge. Peter Billy
knows more about it than 1 do" said
Phin reluctantly. "You see, Maize, I
was way back in the thirteenth row.
You're only joking!" cried Mazis
angrily- 81 guess it won't be auy |
joke if that white faced nuKe over at
Dray's goes back to Cheyenne. She's
$ shes my girl said Phin slowly
and Maize hinched at the cold anger
in his voice and the hostility in bis
gray eyes. 81 reckon we won't talk
about Nan Drew"
Maize said never a word, but she
set her teeth hard and left the store
at once. BY the time Phin had paid
the bill and had reached the side {
walk Maize had mounted her pony
and flown back along the trail toward +
home.
Poor, selfish little girlI', muttersd
Phin uneasily.
On the way home Phin met Peter
Billy riding desperately toward the
town. He was wearing all his gala
attire, and there was a glad look in
his black eyes.
He stopped short at the sight Of
Phin
81 reckon it won't hurt none II ! tel
II
eagerly. II guess that there bunch Of
mine has come true! 1 won't be 10
bachelor next Year,
"You mean Mazie?" asked Phin. and
when the other held out his hand 4
Phin gripped it hard. How was Peter
Billy to know that the prize he dream
I'd he was getting was merely a poor
,inseled package stuffed with saw
lust?
So Peter Billy went joyfully on BIS
way, and Phin turned into the tran
hat led to Dray's farm, where Nan
Drew had been spending many nspW
He met her on the trail. She was
iding a cream colored pony and locs
ng bewitching in her brown ridns
lress, with a wide brimmed bat %
Ter golden brown hair. She had grown
lump and rosy, and a golden tan Gov
red her face and hands
shes my golden girl" whispers
hin, and then he felt suddenly scar
d at something he had to confess
IAN Drew.
Come with me to Little Green can
on; I got something to say to you
hid Phin seriously, so they rode there
lmoSt in silence.
And when they looked down on tns
reen. cuplike hollow in the bills fn.n
,aned over and took Mans h'''
and
''Nan Drew he said solemnlE
,st told somebody that you was W
irl. Is it true?"
Nan lifted lovely, long dashed eye
nd looked long into his loving 81.
les. Then she turned 70 him VIII
tile tender gesture of SURRENDER ass
lid:
"Of course am your girl. in'-
We never been any one else's.'
Gee. but I'm glad Peter BIZ!
veil dresser," remarked Phin ai'r
While. and, although Nan tried nan.
time to discover Phin's reason ~
aking such a remark. Phin nea.
ID her. Perhaps poor Peter p
light have guessed. or Maize hetss
90 A r,erlc1Q