Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1914-12-31

OF STRENGTH
(Copyright.)
BY IDA SPEED.

They were about half q mile away
when they saw the cowboy at the wire
fence waiting for them.
He had dismounted and was stand.
Ing by his pony feeling a little w
for about the first time In his COW.
punching existence.
Bonita was so young. He could see
from there how erect she sat her little
blue pony, and he knew how fetching.
ly she could look at one from beneath
that t~urned-down Mexican hat.
All the long afternoon she'd been
glancing at him thus, and after that
something caught in his strong, mus
cular throat-after that she would be
his beyond the power Of law or pa
rental persuasion.
He could see her little gauntleted
hand now raised above her head in sa-
lutte. He waved back and presently
jerked loose the three strands of wire
which here stapled into the crooked
cedar post and stood on them while
she rode out of her fathers ranch
properties.
Let EN- up, JIM" said the homely,
bald-headed man who had accompanied
her this far. This let's me out. It's
me for the ranch"
"Good-by-oh, and thank you,
Badly" said the girl, smiling at him.
Wei do as much for you some day"
BE good. and If you can't be good,
be pretty" admonished Jim, as he
mounted.
"Adios.' called Badly, ignoring his
friend, land good luck to you," and
jabbing his spurs into his pony he
was gone in the direction whence he
had just come.
The man and girl rode on toward
the south. He looked her over af-
fectionately.
She rode true western fashion, we'll
back In her saddle, heels down, and
toes pointed out. Behind her a bundle
was tied by the leather thongs of the
saddle.
Beauty" he said caressingly. did
you have trouble gettin' away from
Mil and stepmother?"
mot a Bit" she said, and tossed her
head. Badly called to me to come
ahead If | was goin' to Uncle Ben's to
stay all night and he'd ride as far as
the south pasture fence with me. And
he did" she laughed. intoxicated with
the bravado of their plan for elope-
ment.
"Baldy's a good old BUTTON" said
Jim. delightedly.
They rounded ar undulating bit of
prairie and In the distance, to the
right, a windmill came in view.
We'll go by the shack" he said.
land you can rest a while"
But before they reached it, there
we're two hours of riding in the beat
ing July sun.
They had turned toward the west
now and sometimes Jim held his big
cowboy hat before her face to shield
her eyes from the glare.
The heat waves rose and danced on
the surface Of the shrubbery, the crick.
cts and locusts chirped in ~unceasing,
monotonous strain.
Then the exuberance of Bonita's
spirits died out gradually until she
was only a tired little maid with sun.
burnt cheeks and lips almost blistered
In the intense heat.
He tried to cheer her with plans for
the future and many yarns of the sort
which hitherto had held her spell.
bound.
Sometimes an irresistible yearning
toward her swept over him, and he
reached out for her hand on the bride
rein and crushed 1t in his own big,
rough paw. Once he rode rear enough
to bend owe and kiss her cheek.
When they reached his shack at last
Bonita had become difident.
She protested feebly that they ought
not to go In, but she was tired and hot
and allowed herself after all to be
lifted down from her saddle and al.
most carried in the house.
y It was a one.room shack OF rough
lumber, with a lean.to kitchen in the
rear.
There was a bed in n corner with
a decent quilt and two pillows with
snowy slips. The floor was brushed
clean, and two empty cracker boxes,
in lieu of chairs, was all the room con.
tanned, except a small zinc trunk.
Jim went for a fresh bucket OF
water, and as Bonita stared about her,
the last remnant Of romance slipped
away and she was seized with a com
plete revulsion Of feeling.
She pictured the big, low-ceiled
rooms Of the ranch house Of her ia.
ther, the dainty muslin curtains, the
piano, the comfortable rocking chairs,
and the new velour-covered davenport
folding ' ID Of which she and Nil had
been SO proud.
Jim returned with the water. for
want of a chair, the weary girl had
dropped down on the side of the bed
and h~alfreclined against a pillow. He
dipped up a dripping cupful and gave
It to her. setting the bucket on one Of
the boxes.