Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1915-03-09

the engine since before day. Intend
ed to help him. but when ! got dowr
to the tank he was inside the shaci
and didn't see me. He had an old col
out at one side Of the engine house
screened by a clump Of mesquite.
dropped down on II.
could see blur Of green made BY
the Bermuda grass on the bank Of the
tank and the droopin' willows thai
bend to the waters edge. There was
no sound but the creak Of the wind
mills and an occasional unpretty word
that Chris let 60 at the engine he was
tryin' to fix. The ranch house was
quarter Of mile away, 80 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 big splash and little
scream. Chris come runnln' out on
the bank.
did 1t strike your" he says, with
more excitement in his voice than ]
had ever heard before.
"No," says Miss Della Dumont, hold.
in her handkerchief to her face, III
only splashed mud and slime on my
clean white linen. And 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 1t didn't?"
"Why. no." says Chris, and there
was laughter in his voice now. "Why
should 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. want you to know that !
have not forgotten your failure to &c.
cept my apology when tried to re-
move your saddle and got 1t all SCARED
up. I shall never forget your rudeness
when I asked you to dance with me-"
II couldn't stand my partner up.
could I" asks Chris. innocent. 81
asked you to try me again." he says.
"And, besides, Lawson was there. Hes
one Of your gallant scouts"
"Yes, he is" she says, but 1 sacri-
feed his friendship In dancin' with
you afterward. He said If had had
one ounce of independence l would
not have done It."
"Well. l don't know that you would"
says Chris, thoughtful.
At that she boiled over.
"You brute" 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
I scorned to tell Lawson. It was be-
cause Eve asked me to overlook your
-peculiarities."
The way she said that last word
made old Chris vince 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 to cross
you, but I'm not. Because you are
good lookin' and conceited you believe
all women are attracted to you"
"And now you've told me what l
am and what think" says Chris. cool
and calm, maybe you'll tell me how
you happened to come down to the
engine house this mornin'."
II was leavin' today" she says, "and
! could not go until I had seen you.
I wanted to tell you that If this was
my ranch you shouldn't stay on 1t a
day; no. not an hour. hate you. |
loathe and detest you! You dog"
But before she got the last word out
he 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 catg be says de-
lighted. "You have got 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 now
now! Why. It's my ranch" he says
land you shall stay on it-always"
She was strugglin' hard to git away
from him.
"You beautyw he says. low and
raressin'. "You darlin'! My, how I can
love you!"
He kept holdin' her that way and
kissin' her face and hair because she
would not give him her lips.
"Stop" she says Mt last. "Stop hold
In my arms this minute"
There was somethin' in her tone that
made him let her go and step back a
little. expect he thought she was
goin' to slap his face-I did.
I'm goin' to tell you what she done.
She puts her arms around his nee
and holds up her lips to be kissed.
hear him draw sharp breath.
"You old dogw she says when be
gives her chance to speak.
Funny what difference that word
'uld" made!