The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1915-02-26

Chris has been dancin' every time.
but has never got around to Dee.
"Mr. Christy." says Dee. If they'll
play for US I'll teach you the turkey
trot mex time" And she smiles at
him and the musicians too.
.Thanks." says Chris, THROWN away
his cigarette. "but I've got this num-
Der. Try me again"
She turns away to hide the way her
lips is quiverin'.
Lawson steps UP.
Miss Dumont." he says, may have
the honOr?"
was glad he accented honor. liked
him better than l did Chris right then.
But don't you know before the dance
broke up Chris asked her to waltz with
him. and she did.
l tell the whole outfit goodby at
breakfast the next mornin' and make q
sneak. You know how it is the day
after. l was sleepy, and we was goin'
to round up and brand the next week.
Some OF the boys had to drive the Wis
itors and musicians to the railroad;
others helped to clean up at the house.
Chris had been down tinkerin' with
the engine since before day. intend
ed to help him. but when ! got down
to the tank he was inside the shack
and didn't see me. He had an old cot
out at one side Of the engine house
screened by Il clump Of mesquite. !
dropped down on it.
could see a blur of green made by
the Bermuda grass on the bank of the
tank and the droopin' willows that
bend to the waters edge. There was
no sound but the creak Of the wind
mills and an occasional unpretty word
that Chris let go at the engine he was
tryin' to fix. The ranch house was a
quarter Of a mile away, so l was sur
prised to see through my half closed
eyes a white spot against the green.
This kinder woke me up, and at the
same time Chris said an awful word
and hurled his monkey wrench through
the door Of the engine house.
There was a big splash and a little
scream. Chris come runnin' out on
the bank.
did it strike you?" he says, with
more excitement in his voice than l
had ever heard before.
mo" says Miss Della Dumont, hold
in her handkerchief to her face. "it
only splashed mud and slime on my
clean white linen. And I suppose the
curl has all come out of my hair and
my face is wet and dirty. No. it didn't
strike me-" she repeats. AREN'T You
sorry that it didn't?"
"Why. no." says Chris. and there
raj laughter in his voice now. "Why
should I want to hurt you?"
: Because" she says. that seems to
have been your sole aim in life durin'
the last week-that, and maxim me
ridiculous. l want you to know that !
have not forgotten your failure to &C
cept my apology when I tried to re-
move your saddle and got it all Scared
up. l shall never forget your rudeness
when l asked you to dance with me"
II couldn't stand my partner up.
could II" asks Chris. innocent. Il
asked you to try me again." he says.
''And. besides. Lawson was there. He's
one of your gallant scouts"
Eyes, he is" she says. but l sacri-
feed his friendship in dancin' with
you afterward. He said If l had had
one ounce of independence would
not have done it."
."Well. I don't know that you would"
says Chris. thoughtful.
At that she hOiled Oyer.
you brutey she says quick and fu-
rious. "You are the most insultin'
man I'VE ever known. All the rest
have seemed to want to please me. I'll
tell you why l danced with you. though
1 scorned to tell Lawson. 1t was be-
cause Eve asked me to overlook. your
-peculiarities."
The way she said that last word
made old Chris vince a little.
"She told me you practically owned
this ranch and had been backin' Ed
all this time; that without your money
it could not run. She is afraid tascross
you, but I'm not. Because you are
good lookin' and conceited you believe
all women are attracted to you"
ana now you've tOlO We WHAT ]
am and what l Think says Chris. cool
and calm. maybe you'll tell me how
you happened to come down to the
engine house this mornin'."
~ was leavin' today" she says. "and
! could not 60 until I had seen you.
4 wanted to tell you that If this was
my ranch you shouldn't stay on it a
day: no. not an hour. hate you.
loathe and. detest you! You dog"
But before she got the last word out
be had her in his arms. He kept push.
in back the little curl that falls against
her face and kissin' the spot be
meath 1t. .. :.
why. you little cat" he says de-
lighted. You have got q temper.
Thank goodness you are not one. Of
the spineless kind. This is all you
lacked to make you perfect in my
sight. I'd begun to despair OF your
havin' any spirit. I'd almost made up
my mind I'd have to lose you. but Q
now! Why. it's my ranch" he says.
and you shall stay on it-always"
She was strugglin' hard to git away
from him.