Durant weekly news. (Durant, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 190?-1944, 1915-01-22

VI birds I'm roosting with"
WHO is hey" laughed Ruth. ns they
gnzed out at the rising hills.
Hes marked down as Sir Donald
Faversham. and he's from the Brit.
lsh Isles. Tom Kane rejoined. HE
Is here for his health. they say. sup
pose that's why he has TO wear them
white ankle warmers on his legs"
"Those are called spats. Tom" said
John. smiling. THAT eyeglass Is
monocle."
Docs he see through itT inquired
Kane. with apparent anxiety. II reck.
oned he was near sighted, for spoke
to him a while ago and he didn't even
see me-"
Oddly enough. Ruth blushed at this.
Sir Donald had seen her, and she had
been made aware OF II instantly; not
that Sir Donald had been In the slight.
est offensive lie had merely silently
testified by respectful glances his APP
probation Of the arrival OF a very pret-
ty woman.
John Dorr saw the blush and inter
preted It rightly. He, too. had OBJ.
served the Englishman's sudden inter
est in the lovely girl. For the first
time he felt n sharp twinge OF jeal-
ousy. He had so long been alone In
Ruths regard that he had not ana
lyzed his own feelings toward her.
He determined that Sir Donald Faver-
sham should not impose his company
on them.
The very next morning, when Ruth
and John came out from the hotel
ready for stroll. Faversham lay In
wait for the old cook and asked him
for n match for his cigarette. Tom
reached into his waistcoat pocket and
pulled out a bunch OF block matches,
which he handed out with an air OF
doing a service to some one he could
not see. Sir Donald looked at the
queer matches. not knowing the pecul-
iarities OF the western sulphur article.
and In spite OF himself Kane had TO
instruct him to pull or one OF the
matches and strike It. When Sir DON
aid choked and sputtered over an In
halation of birthstone Tom looked pro
foundly concerned.
They're leetle strong for some
people," he remarked pityingly.
"Strong!' answered Faversham, wip-
ing his eyes. 81 should jolly well say
they were!'
Their conversation had attracted
Ruth's attention. and she and John
both looked back. John smiled faint
ly, but Ruth was indignant.
"Tom did that on purpose" she said
"Tm ashamed OF him"
How 1t happened only Sir Donald
could have told, but within three min.
utes he was exchanging remarks about
the scenery with them all. And
there's an awfully jolly bit just over
the other way" he said to Ruth.
The ice was broken. and Ruth
promptly accepted the implied invita-
ton to see this specially lovely scene
and Sir Donald led the way, talking
With her. After an instants hesita.
tion John and Kane followed.
The acquaintance thus made was
destined TO have a great bearing Oh
the lives of both Ruth and John. II
had ripened into n genuine liking on
Ruth's part before the dance that night
was over
The next morning John and Tom met
Ruth walking with Sir Donald about
the hotel grounds. and the young man
could not help showing I'm both voice
and manner that he was little pleased
that Ruth should have so suddenly
taken up with a stranger.
Remember. she's only a girl" Tom
warned him. feeling his mood. "She's
been brought up In the mountains. and
she's as friendly as pup. | don't like
the way the man puts petticoats on his
feet and I'm used TO being looked at
with two eyes. but Ruth Is all right
You must remember that young as she
is and inexperienced. she has a good
lot OF common sense"
II suppose it's foolish of me-" John
answered. But I'm used TO activity.
and this dawdling about doesn't suit
me and that makes me generally cross
and unreasonable. II l only knew
what Wilkerson was doingl II Everett
" oud only Gomez
The wish was fulfilled that afternoon
when George Everett turned up and
was warmly greeted by both Kane
and Dorr. After few words he asked
for Ruth.
you can see that she's all right"
John answered quietly. pointing to her
as she came up the steps with Sir
Donald. Both were in tennis garb, and
Ruth was delightfully."- flushed.
Sir Donald made a few pleasant re-
marks and then excused himself. His
quick senses told him that Everett
had come on business and that he
would be one too many.
II don't know that have anything
new and startling to tell you." Everett
told Ruth in answer 10 her question.
II know a dozen places where l can
raise the money to finance your mine,
but we must have the deeds. papers
and surveys first And they're gone.