Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1915-09-01

4 den, cowboy, supposed to be interested
q in Q saloon at Aeekers Mil. where Nor.
cross II bound. Berrio guides Norcrosa
I 20 his destination. ? f''' y
CHAPTER III.
A Forsstsr's Secret.
#srT HE trail, hardly more than {
wood road. grew wilder and
lonelier as they climbed. Cattle
fed on the hillsides in scattered
J: bands like elk. Here and there q small
cabin stood on the bank Of stream
but for the most part the trail mounted
the high slopes in perfect solitude.
The girl talked easily and leisurely,
reading the brands Of the ranchers, re-
!. vealing the number Of cattle they own
ed. quite "a a young farmer would
have done. She seemed not to be en-
barrassed in the slightest degree by
Il the fact that she was guiding strange
man over q lonely road and gave no
outward sign Of special interest in him
till she suddenly turned to ask. What
4 kind OF I slicker-I mean raincoat-
h did you bring r :s.- IL. q. "
brought any. I've q leather shooting
Jacket however,"
She shrugged her shoulders and look
ed up at the sky. Were In for q
storm. You'd ought % have a slicker,
no fancy 'raincoat,' but real old fash
Toned COW puncher's oilskin. They
make business Of shedding rain" ~.'
She rode on for few minutes in 81
lence, as IL Disguised with his folly.
but she was really Worrying about
him. poor chapy she said to her
self. HE can't stand chill ought
to have thought Of his slicker myself.
He's helpless as baby f55Es@% .
They we're climbing fast now. wind
1 ing upward along the bank of q
stream, and the sky had grown sud
denly gray. and the woodland path
was dark and chill. The mountains
were not less beautiful. but they were
decidedly less amiabSe. and the youth
shivered, casting an apprehensive eye
at the thickening clouds.
VI Berea perceived something OF his dis
may and, drawing rein, dismounted.
Behind her saddle was tightly rolled
bundle which. being united and shaken
out, proved to be horseman's rain
proof oilskin coat. "Put this ont" she
commanded. <.f.4
"Oh. no. he protested. Il can't take
4 your coat" i X
YES you can! You must! Don't you
worry about me. I'm used to weather.
Put this on over your jacket and all.
]; You'll need it. Rain won't hurt me,
but it will just about finish you"
The worst Of this lay In its truth,
and Norcross lost all his pride of sex
for the moment A wetting would not
dim this girls splendid color nor re-
duce her vitality one degree, while to
J him it might be a death warrant
you could throw me over my own
4 horse" he admitted In a kind of bitter
admiration and slipped the coat on,
shiveAng with cold as he did SO.
You think me poor excuse for q
4 trailer. don't your he said ruefully as
the thunder began to roll. ...rg
You've got to be all made over
new" she replied tolerantly. ''Stay
here year and you'll be able to stand
anything" I ~ .as& -,..s: :,..-, .,,..}
Remounting, she again led the way
with CHEEKY cry. The rain came dash.
ing down in fltful, misty streams. but
she merely pulled the rim of her som:
brero closer over her eyes and rode
steadily on, while he followed, plunged
in gloom as cold and gray as the
storm @5s'h 4 O. .
These mountain showers don't last
+ long" the girl called back, her face
shining like rose. We'll get the sun
In few minutes" (, 49,
II And so 1t turned out. In less than
an hour they rode into the warm light
again, and in spite Of himself Norcross
returned her smile, though he said: 81
feel like a selfish fool. You are
soaked" r.. =. - s.
80. never take cold" she returned.
I'm used to all kinds of weather
Don't you bother about me-"
Topping a low divide. the youth
caugh. glimpse of the range to the
southeast, which took his breath
Isn't that superb?" he exclaimed
tits like the shining roof Of the
world!'
Eyes, that's the Continental divide"
size confirmed casually, but, the lyrical
note which he struck again reached
her heart. The men she knew had so
few words for the beautiful in life.
She wondered whether this mans Ill
ness had given him this refinement or
whether it was native to his kind.
"1'm glad he took my coat" was her
thought.
She pushed on down tie slope. rid
ing hard, but it was nearly 2 o'clock
when they drew up at Meeker's house,
which was long, low, stone struc-
ture built along the north side Of the
road. The place was distinguished
not merely ,by> its masonry. but also
by it's picket fence, which had once
~ :. !.