The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-01-05
LURE OF STRENGTH
BY IDA SPEED.

They were about half mile away
when they saw the cowboy at the wire
'ence 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
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
glancing 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 'em 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,
Badly" said the girl, smiling at him.
Well 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, "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. He looked her over af.
fectionately.
She rode true western fashion, well
back in her saddle, heels down, and
toes pointed out. Behind her bundle
was tied by the leather thongs of the
saddle.
Beauty" he said caressingly, "did
you have trouble gettin' away from
Mil and stepmother?"
mot Bit" she said, and tossed her
head. Badly called to me to come
ahead if l was goin' to Uncle Ben's tc
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 good old BUTTON" SAID
| Jim. delightedly.
"Baldy asked if thirty miles wasn't
a long ride for me to stay in the same
notion" she declared, showing hel
dimples. But | reckon / won't bacl
out now. Even if | see Bill Perry wheI
/ get to town." she added, with toucl
of the seasoned coquette in spite o
only eighteen summers to her record
Jim looked at her keenly. He was
always uneasy when she talked like
that. Bonita's face was inscrutable.
oh, but it was fun to keep hin
guessing!
This was no boy, but six-foot mai
of Drawn and strength, decade he
senior in years, and century in ex
perience.
Besides, had she not taken him ava.
from Mildred, her older sister, whom
he had first come to the 3k ranch t
see? Had she not stopped him from
riding dangerous horses, and from 9th
er bad habits?
They rounded an undulating bit o
prairie and in the distance, to tn
right, windmill came in view.
Wen go by the shack" he said
"and you can rest while"
But before they reached it, Their
we're two hours of riding in the beat
ing July sun.
They had turned toward the ives
now and sometimes Jim held his bi
cowboy hat before her face to shiel
her eyes from the glare.
The heat waves rose and danced o.
the surface of the shrubbery, the cricl
cts and locusts chlrped in unceasins
monotonous strain.
Then the exuberance of Bonita
spirits died out gradually until sh
was only tired little maid with SUI
burnt cheeks and lips almost blistere
in the intense heat
III He tried to cheer her with plans fo
the future and many yarns of the sol
| which hitherto had held her spell
bound.