Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1914-01-30

H0AA LA-@ ST.
wonderful. l feel better already"
Cant you come and spend your va
cation down here:'' asked Phin eager
". "They take lady boarders over to
Dray's ranch. They learn to ride po-
MES and get brown as berries. You
better come down here, and I'll teach
you to ride"
perhaps l wilI.v cried Nan. at
sounds very attractive"
.'Now I've got to go back to. the
ranch and tell Keeter | must have a
few days off. l reckon I'll get in chey-
enne some time late tonight"
= >
It was three months later when Phin
Morris. riding down the trail toward
Onderdonk Creek, overlook Maize Fen
wick riding her little calico pony.
stranger reproached Maize, with
a dazzling smile.
Phin could execute a dazzling smile
as well, and he proceeded to make
himself agreeable to Miss Fenwick.
He knew that for some reason Peter
Billy was in the bad graces of the
pretty sc~hoolteacher. but Peter Billy
was very reticent about the whole
matter. As for Phin, he spent many
of his evenings studying books, and
Maize had heard Of it and dreamed
that he was ~endeavoring to educate
himself to her level.
"I'm nearly famished." sighed Maize
as they turned into the main street Of
the little town.
Come in and have some ice cream"
invited Phin cheerily.
They went. and Mazie's blue eyes
cleaned when she saw that Phin Nor
ris' pocketbook was not as empty as it
had been in former days. Some one
had whispered the story of the bed
ridden uncle who had left a fortune to
the handsome young cowpuncher, and
Phin had mounted higher in selfish
Mazie's estimation.
Still he wore the same old clothes.
"Phin.' said Maize suddenly, drop
ping her hand on his big brown one in
a friendly manner. why don't you
ever come to see me any moreT'
"Too busy" smiled Phin uncomfort-
ably. Besides. Peter Billy's always
had the front seat, you know"
"He's not sitting on the front seat
now" retorted Maize, with spirit.
"And he's some sore because he fell
off, rejoined Phin.
"I'm not to blame for that-really, am
I, now?' Maize turned her cornfower
blue eyes upon Phin, and her under
lip trembled.
Time had been when that demonstra-
ton would have sent e~cstatic shivers
up and down Phin's spinal column.
Now he shuddered uncomfortably,
thinking what a blessing it was that he
had missed marrying Maize Fenwick.
81 am not to blame. am l, PhinY
quavered Maize, with fearful eyes.
SIN not a good judge. Peter Billy
knows more about it than do" said
Phin reluctantly. you see, Maize, /
was way back in the thirteenth row.
you're only jokingI' cried Maize
angrily. 81 CUES it won't be any
joke If that white faced nurse over at
Dray's goes back to Cheyenne. She's
"She's my girl said Phin slowly
and Maize finched at the cold anger
in his voice and the hostility in his
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 grill" muttered
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.
II reckon it won't hurt none If tell
you that she's sent for met he cried
eagerly. Il guess that there bunch of
mine has come true. | won't be no
bachelor next Year,
"You mean Mazie?' asked Phin. and
when the other held out his hand
Phin gripped it hard. How was Peter
Billy to know that the prize he dream
ed he was getting was merely a poor
tinseled package stuffed with saw
dust?
So Peter Billy went joyfully on bis
way, and Phin turned into the trail
that led to Dray's farm, where Nan
Drew had been spending many happy
months.
He met her on the trail. She was
riding a cream colored pony and look
ing bewitching in her brown riding
dress, with a wide brimmed hat on
her golden brown hair. She had grown
plump and rosy, and a golden tan COW
cred her face and hands.
"She's my golden girl" whispered
Phin and then he felt SuddpnlV scar