The Lamar register., 1915-03-10
LURE OF STRENGTH

BY IDA SPEED.


fence waiting for them.
He had dismounted and was stand
ing by his pony feeling little nervous
for about the first time in his COW
punching existence.
Bonita was so young. He could see
rom there how erect she sat her little
blue pony, and he knew how fetching
~ she could look at one from beneath
that turned-down Mexican hat.
All the long afternoon she'd been
CHANGING 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.
He 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 stapled into the crooked
cedar post and stood on them while
she rode out OF her fathers ranch
properties.
Let EN- up, Jim" said the homely
bald-headed man who had accompanied
her this far. This let's me out It's
me for the ranch"
"Good-by-oh, and thank you,
Baby" said the girl. smiling at him
Wen do as much for you some day"
BE good. and If you can't be good,
be pretty" admonished Jim. as he
mounted.
"Adios," called Badly, ignoring his
friend, land good luck to you" and
jabblng 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. He looked her over af-
fectionately.
She rode true western fashion, well
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 caressingly. id
you have trouble gettin' away from
Nil and stepmother?"
Not Bit" she said, and tossed her
head Badly called TO me TO come
ahead If I 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 brayado of their plan for elope-
ment
"Baldy's a good old button" said
Jim. delightedly.
Badly asked II thirty miles wasn't
n long ride for me to stay in the same
notion" she declared. showing her
dimples But | reckon won't back
out now. Even II see Bill Perry when
get to town." she added, with a touch
Of the seasoned coquette in spite Of
only eighteen summers to her record
Jim looked at her keeuly lie was
always uneasy when she talked like
that Bonita's face was inscrutable.
Oh, but 1t was fun to keep him
guessing!
This was no boy, but a six-foot man
of Drawn and strength. decade her
senior in years. and century In ex-
perience.
Besides. had she not taken him away
from Mildred. her older sister. whom
he had first come to the Ok ranch to
see? Had she not stopped him from
riding dangerous horses. and from 9th.
er bad habits?
They rounded an undulating BIT OF
prairie and in the distance. to the
right, windmill came in view.
Wen go by the shack" he said,
land 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 shrubbery. the crick-
cts and locusts chirped in unceasing,
monotonous strain.
Then the eXuberance of Bonita's
spirits died out gradually until she
was only a tired little maid with sun
burnt cheeks and lips almost blistered
in the intense heat.
He tried to cheer her with plans for
the future and many yarns OF the sort
which hitherto had held her spell
bound.
Sometimes an irresistible yearning
toward her swept over him. and he
reached out for her hand on the bride
rein and crushed 1t in his own big.
rough paw. Once he rode near enough
to bend over and kiss her cheek.
When they reached his shack at last