The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-05-03
TRAIL MATES.
BY IZOLA FORESTER.
copyright. 1912, by Associated Lit
erary Press)

! iuSTt n iHiSuedi, Sdiu MIA WICK
/ eddy. as she accepted Howelrs aid
/ in mounting. He hardly heard her
Ahead, just disappearing up the long
! winding trail. were two figures on
horseback, Nitas big sister, Beth
Rathburn, and young Crittenden
\ There surely was q misdeal Howell
swung into his saddle and rode be-
side the trail mate that chance had
| given him, totally unconscious Of her
own appealing charm and most excel
lent horsemanship.
And ahead of them lay a ride OF
three hours-three hours Of ineyl-
table tete-a-tete mpanionship. How
ell knew that in those three hours
lay all the chances of happiness he
possessed, He had accepted Critten-
denis invitation to spend two weeks
at his ranch merely on the hope Of
meeting Beth Rathburn again. This
after she had fatty refused him twice
during the winter season. But. some
| how man fashion. he had reasoned
IL he could only find her out in these
gorgeous mountains he might be able
to touch the real inner nature he be-
lieved lay beneath her gtrllsh frivoi-
ity and waywardness.
This had been his first chance
after two days, for a quiet, intimate
talk with her. and somehow, Pob
! Crittenden rode in his place beside
her at the crucial moment
My girth needs tightening, A."
Nitas voice recalled him to his duty.
The girl leaned over and watched
him as he cinched un. And then she
looked beyond his bowed head. Off
toward two figures barely visible at
turn of the winding path up the
valley
Suddenl she spoke impulsively.
''t'f1- awfuliy sorry you did not get
Beth but you can't any more. you
know. Bob's terribly Jealous. and
really he has the say-so now"
Howell's eyes darkened. They we're
good eyes, gray and earnest. He
looked up at the tender expressive
face with quick suspicion.
You mean?"
They're engaged" said Mia. Sim
ply. Last night. on the veranda.
Beth told me when she came to bed.
Oh. please--please hold him"
Z Howell made a lean toward the
bride. but the pony plunged and
backed. half turning about. and
rearing From the ground where it
stood there vriggled a snake back
into the mesquite Mia was holding
with one hand to the saddle horn,
and gripping the rens with all her
force, trying 10 keep her seat The
pony brake suddenly, and ran madly,
while Howell swung into his own
saddle and save chase.
The race lay in an opposite dtrec-
There was no chance TO call for help.
StraightaNay up the mountain path
went the pony, and fIowell's lips
were pressed close az he watched tho
uncertain sWaying Of the slender
figure on-the- high Mexican satitife.
She seemed hardly more than child
n her riding suit of gray corduroy,
her halr blowing hack from her
e.a}tpeE virjA fl4a-4-- Sonnet hing woke
10 I,fe At that tense moment in How
ellis heart something that heat back
the anger and hurt pride at Beth
Coquetry Putting his spurs TO his
horse ne gained steadily on the
frightened pony and rode alongside
last as Nita WAS falling There was
no chance Ia check the pony All he
could de was to catch her as she
fell. whilc he slipped off his OWE
B6rse- So for a minute he held her
IN his arms like q hurt child. and
wondered why she did not faint In
stead, she smiled UP at him with the
same laughing mischief IN her long
dashed brown eyes.
I'm not burt a hit Mr. Howell
You don't need to hold me any long
err
"Therc's sure to he nervous
shock" sad Howell. grayely Are
you sure YOU can stand alone?"
TRY me- she laughed. He lifted
her up To his own saddle The pony
had stopped q short distance away
and was cropping grass. Aren't we
lost ?" she added
"Completly. I haven't any idea
B Of .s~os le vTstar 10 tn
j l shall hobble the horses and make a
tepee of poles and go hunt a bear
That's the usual procedure, isn't II >
We're real trail mates, now"
She smiled half uistfully.
Il am hungry. Aren't you. Mr..
! Howell ?"
First name Ia Paul"
II might have called YOU by Il 4
you had been my brother-ln law,
she rejotned demurely, slipping 10 the
ground
II intef1d is be Beths hrother-ln
law. so YOU may as we'll start In"
He was looseniug The eirths on the
/ horse. and spoke with decision. Nitas
eyes sparkled with amusement She
seated herself on the ground and
studied the contour of his head. At
eighteen every point in a man tells
it's own story. She had been in love
T with. HQWe'i Tor Gays. as lnuCn IN love
as she ever would he. She was not a
girl like Both. full of sentiment. and
/ fond If admiration. The man she
loved must be a good pal. a comrade
true as well as "a husband and sweet
! heart The trail was a long one she
knew, with many turnincs. Some
how, she had thought Paul Howell
was spiendidly fitted 10 he a TRAN
mate.
, Not half an hour ago you intended
to he my hfotherin-law,' she said
naively
You have grown mp in that half
hour from a little girl to a woman;
don't YOU realize that? | do" He
! left the horse. and threw himself
down beside her. when that pony
broke away and ran with you, and
death was a ity-Nita, look at
met knew that I should follow you
To the end of the new trail, no mat
ter where it led. And it has led us
here"
He waited for an answer. Nita
looked past him. out at the splendid
panorama Of mountains that spread
below them. The Crittenden ranch
looked like a toy block house far
down in the valley. The cattle on the
bread plateau across the valley were
! like N0ahs ark animals,
She turned her head after long