The evening world., 1914-04-22

- - ss.s:l si.' -1sss ' =:
.. az - - - ~! 3: - Esxs .''; Nc
SpAsxAp -, wltA WAioh % win
nim eaeel ne hed enly Asr common
pIaoc Sreoeg - her eommonplacs
truths did NOT make Sis frSnS dsssr.
ticn cf her any easier 70 bear.
Ont myi On. dear, oh. dear. OH,
0eafI' s0e oo6oed. and tie teaFv -
conscious that ?
We commonplAoA even IN her gy4eE
ee nad ben % buoyant, lfs had
until Nan camA Ben never "a -
sctly told her that he cared moro
Tor her than for any Of the TN
women OF his acquaintance, but w
had looked It. He frequently ro1ota
out Of HE way to eat with them. AID
ne had given her presents at ChriGoes
mas.
The reins we're loose on The pouyso
neck. ana he was going his own raft
ana direction. when the familiar cow
boy whoop made her raise her heSasS
Ben Evans was salloping toward her.
and already too close for her TO poto
move all traces Of her tear. thovsh.
she quickly did her best. .cds
HIS face. which had been alignt
with friendly smiie, sobered,
"whats the matterf what's Aax.y
She Dit her lip hard and turned
Tell me. Edie." he demanded -
iicitously. and laid his hand upon
her arm.
tears afresh. III
mo. %,Nothins-oh. I don't know." ~
OF course you do. You amt tAs +,
girl to cry for nothing
But she had too much woman's PRIDE
TO tell him the truth II he was too
dense. too little interested to gues6.
ITS tho cattle"-sne kept her face
from him-"we'rs losing them"
'Rustlers."
The sreasers. you thinkr IN
She shook her head.
They're going too fast for that
Tho sreasers only kill for beef. Some
ones running them or"
Ben's face was . mixture of many
emotions.
who do you think Il tsp
Who do you think II would boz"
demanded Edith bitterly. There's
sonly ono person that wants 20 break
U.S."
Look here, Edis," he eaurh. her
arm and demanded ansriiy: YOU
don't think I've had any hand In N
or knew anything about it?'
She looked At him sQuarely. rs&
mo, Ben. not q minute. You know
too we'll what this little bunch Of
cattle means 70 US. You've seen me
ridin' these mesas and arroyos sum-
mer and winter. Just like Q hoy. DOM
anything TO help dad. now he's got u
You know what Il 10 70 r,de VIM
the wind acorchins you. blowing reAt
hot like Il came out OF a furnace. tke
sun fair drysn' up tho blood in yosse
veins. and your eyes half blind ana
bioodshot from the glare.
And you know what Il n 10 rtAa
IN winter with your hands 30 numb
you can't hold the bride reins or fsei,
your feet In the stirrups."
You bet I know" ne replied. with.
emphatic sympathy. and you're the
nervisst Girl in the country. Edie. IA
chance. You-ail deserve to make
your stake and I'm mighty slad thst,
you didn't think knew anythinG
about the cattle You been losin.' NV
won't say I never rustled none. lng
maybe I have. but rustiin' from &c
r say. that's downright
IT like to think that you conadsss
me--us that" With . touch q CIV,
"what!"-hs turned in his sada,s .
and looked at her in astoniahmsntE !
you haven't been thinlsin' that
don't look on you folks - my
we haven't seen much Of you
lately" Edith replied. very busy
STRENGTHENING her stirrup that shS
need not meet his eye. I'VE waited
Sunday dinner twice"
"a done that"
You used to come 20 resular
kinda got In the way Of expectP
you" Her voice shook little, but
Ben did not seem 10 notice II.
~ was n pretty steady boardsr
there for while" he admitted ua.ir
s co1.e, d; n nous you shouldn't
His Indifference hurt her 80 much
that she could think OF nothing more
to say. and they rode for nearly ha}fy
mile In silence before he asked:
How long since the count on yosso
cattle didn't come out right. EdieI; :.
About ten days, or two weeks" m
He frowned In thought. .r,a,
II was . week, ton days-yes. two
weeks ago, that Spiser had sent KanSS
sas Ed to ride this particular ranRo
and brand. That yellowback COW.
puncher was Just the petty lareeay,
thief he would send to do trick o.,
the kind. 0lOTi
I've got TO quit you here"-Ihs,
brought his horse to q standstill-'ONk9
tell your dad I'll keep my eyes openS
and u learn anything I'll send him
word"
"All right. Ben" she said with an
effort. and added In a kind OF aeDss
2eration. II s'pose you couldn't come,
YOURSELF" 9ifW
Cant PROMISE might-but"r~-g
with a short laugh-"Spirer's ridin'
herd on me pretty close lately. Pvws
liable to get my time II I don't look
out"
He knew. and he knew that Fatty
knew. why Spiser was riding heSdS
on him. but he could not resist The
temptation to boast to Edith Of .h{4
attachment to Nan. even while more
than dimly aware of the stab II gave
her. ~
ct Be Continued) "