Carrizozo outlook. [volume] (Carrizozo, N.M.) 1910-1945, 1915-01-29

LURE OF STRENGTH
BY IDA o.
Copyright

They were about half n mile away
when they saw the cowboy at the wire
fence waiting for thom.
He had dlsmountod and was stand.
ing by his pony feeling n little nervous
for about the first time in his COW.
punching existence.
Bonita was so young. lie 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 turned-down Mexican hat.
All the long afternoon she'd been
glanclng 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.
lie 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 staplcd into the crooked
cedar post and stood On them while
she rode out Of her fathers ranch
properties.
Let 'em up, jim" said the homely.
bald-headed man who had accompanied
her this far. "Thir lets me out. It's
me for the ranch"
"Good.by-oh, and thank you,
Badly" said the girl, smiling ut him.
Wen do as much for you some day"
BE good. and II you can't be good,
be pretty" ndmonished Jim, as he
mounted.
"Adios," called Badly. ignoring his
friend, and 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. lie looked her over af-
%fectlonately.
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 caresslngly. did
you have trouble gettln' away from
Nil and stepmother?"
Not a bit" she said, and tossed her
head. Badly called to me to come
ahead II | 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 n good old button" said
Jim, delightedly.
They rounded an undulating bit OF
prairie and in the distance, to the
right, n windmill came In view.
Wei go by the shack he said,
"and you can rest a while"
But before they reached It, there
were 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 s%hrubbery, the crick.
cts and locusts chirpod In unceasing.
monotonuus strain
Then the exuberanoe of Bonita's
spirits died out gradually until she
was only a tired little maid with sua.
burnt checks and lips almost blistored
In the intense heat.
lie tried 10 cheer her with plans for
the future and many yarns of the sort
which hitherto had held her spell.
bound.
Sometimes an Irresistible yearnlng
toward her swept over him, and he
reached out for her hand on the Bride
rein and crushed II In his own big,
rough paw. Once he rode neal enough
TO bond over and kiss her cheek.
When they reached his shack az last
Bonita had become dlnident,
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.
II was a one shack Of rough
lumber, with "A lean.to kitchen in the
rear,
There was n bed IN one 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 n fresh bucket OF
water, and as Bonita stared about her,
the last remnant of romance slipped
away and she was seized with a CON.
plete reyulslon of feeling.
She pictured the big, low-ceiled
rooms Of the ranch house OF her IA.
Their, the dainty muslin curtains, the
piano, the comfortable rocking chairs.