The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1914-02-27

wild ride across the prairie. The pO-
MES actually paved the air as they
started forth. and then in Il spirit Of
r%ecklessness they galloped mAdly for
miles and miles. while Marthena held
her breath and Henry laughed AZ he
put one arm around her and drove the
ponies with the other hand.
Homer cried Henry as he turned
in between two rail- posts and with
q last clatter Of hoofs and scatter
ing Of sand and gravel the ponies
stopped at the broad porch of n pleas
ant ranch house that overlooked the
Bitter Tree valley with a glimpse of
the shining river at the bottom and the
everlasting hills beyond.
Henry made her go straight to bed.
and he carried her supper to her in
the little room that he had furnished
for her with all Of a mans clumsy
tenderness.
me. and we picked out the stuff. Larry
said he remembered that blue was
your favorite color. so we got every
thing blue and white. Larry chose
the pictures. He said the one of
St. Cecilia there looked like you.
Great fellow. Larry! Now. you close
your eyes and go to sleep. Get up
when you like and order what you
want for breakfast from Lee Sing.
Good night
With Henry's kiss on her brow
Marthena went to sleep with a little
smile or her lips and awoke to the
glory of Il perfect morning.
After she had leisurely dressed she
went down TO the veranda. where Lee
Sing. with many polite gestures. in
vited her to breakfast. While she sat
there she heard the mad clatter of
hoofs and saw 4 horse galloping
around the yard. From the distant
corral came o shout rs one two. three,
more horses leaped the gate and fol-
lowed the first unframed animal. Three
cowboys mounted OF horses pursued
the runaways. with lusty shouts and
lariats held ready for action.
Marthena wondered vaguely If Larry
Barnes was one Of these cowboys who
rode so fearlessly and SO gracefully.
She went to the edge Of the veranda
and waved her table napkin at the vi
cious black horse that paved the steps.
and he scattered away to fall a victim
to the lariat of the most graceful rider
Of them all, a bareheaded giant with
blue-black hair and n skin bronzed
like an Indians.
Then Marthena, when it was all over
and the horses had been driven back
into the corral. realized that she had
displayed unwonted enthusiasm. She
had not only waved her napkin fran
tically at the victorious riders. but she
had cheered them on to greater ef-
forts. so that she went back to her
seat with scarlet checks and shamed
eyes,.
A step sounded behind her and she
looked up to see the graceful. brown
checked rider who had flashed white
teeth at her as he captured the black
horse.
There was Il strange familiarity
about him that puzzled her.
"Don't remember me. Marthena p he
asked. holding out a big hand.
"Oh. LArry-Larry Barnes" cried
Marthena. What have you done to
yourself? / didn't recognize you"
II hope the change is for the better"
said Larry gravely.
1T is. Oh. it isl cried Marthena,
with such evident admiration in her
tone that both Of them suddenly laugh
ed outright in the pure Joy Of youth
and perhaps in the discovery of some
thing that both Of them had lost.
"Henry's gone to Chico" said Larry.
sitting down on the railing Of the
veranda. and he has delegated me to
give you your first riding lesson.
Cherry is the prettiest little pony you
ever saw. Marthena. and Henry and l
picked out the saddle the other day.
and
THANK YOU for helping Henry
choose the things for my ROOM" said
Marthena gratefully. And she won
dered why Larry blushed 50 ~furiously
dAlu C1dHSeu Tie SuDJcCI. Ole AeIL VcFy
kindly toward him.
"WeIl. SIS" said Henry that night at
supper. you look as rosy as can be.
How do you like the sagebrush?
Its heavenly!' cried Marthena so
heartily that Henry laughed aloud, and
Larry. who had been invited to supper.
blushcd deeply.
'"Then you don't want to go back to
Sharon?" teased Henry.
Never exclaimed Marthena. 'Ill
tell you when ! do. Henry"
"Ill wager that will be never" said
Henry. but he said it to himself so that
no one could hear. He had read the
signs Of reawakened interest In the
betraying eyes Of his sister and Larry
Barnes. and he was very glad. Larry
was a capital fellow, and Aunt Hep
| sey's letter about Lionel Forbes had
been disquieting.
Three months afterward Marthena
and Larry came in from a long ride
with the glory Of perfect happiness