The Press., 1915-03-17

your favorite color, so we got every thing blue and white. Larry chose the pictures. He said the one o1 St. Cecelia there looked like you Great fellow, Larry! Now, you close your eyes and go to sleep. Get UT when you like and order what you want for breakfast from Lee Sing Good night
 With Henry's kiss on her brow Marthena went to sleep with little smile on her lips and awoke to the glory of a perfect morning.
 After she had leisurely dressed she went down to the veranda, where Lee Sing, with many polite gestures. in vited her to breakfast. While she sat there she heard the mad chatter o1 hoofs and saw horse galloping around the yard. From the distant corral came shout as one, two, three more horses leaped the gate and fol lowed the first untamed animal. Three cowboys mounted on horses pursued the runaways, with lusty shouts and lariats held ready for action.
 Marthena wondered vaguely if Larry Barnes was one of these cowboys who rode so fearlessly and so gracefully
 She went to the edge of the veranda and waved her table napkin at the vii cious black horse that paved 'he steps, and he scuttered away to fall victim to the lariat of the most graceful rider of them all, bareheaded giant with blue black hair and skin bronZed like an Indians. 4
 Then Marthena, when it was all over and the horses had been driven back into the corral, realized that she had displayed unwOnted enthusiasm. She had not only waved her napkin fran ticaIly at the victorious riders, but she had cheered them on to greater .ef- forts, so that she went back to her seat with scarlet cheeks and shamed | eyes. e.- A step sounded behind her and she looked up to see the graceful, brown checked rider who had flashed white teeth at her as he captured the black horse. There was strange familiarity about him that puzzled her.
 Don't remember me, Marthena ?" he asked. holding out big hand. "Oh, Larry-Larry Barnes!' cried Marthena. What have you done to yourself? I didn't recognize you.''
 ''I hope the change is for the better" said Larry gravely.
 'It is. Oh, it isv' cried Marthena. . with such evident admiration in her tone that both of them suddenly laugh ed outright in the pure joy of youth and perhaps in the discovery of some thing that both of them had lost.
 "Henry's gone to Chico" said Larry, sitting down on the railing of the yeranda, "and he has delegated me to give you your first riding lesson. Cherry is the prettiest little pony you ever saw, Marthena, and Henry and I picked out the saddle the other day, and"-
 "Thank you for helping Henry choose the things for my room." said Marthena gratefully. And she won- dered why Larry blushed so furiously and changed the subject. She felt very kindly toward him.
 "Well. sis," said Henry that night at supper, 'you look as rosy as can be. How do you like the sagebrush
 Its neavenly!' cried Marthena so heartily that Henry laughed aloud, and Larry, who had been invited to supper, blushed deeply.
 '"Then you don't want to go back to Sharon?" leased Henry. f.
 "Never" exclaimed Marthena. "Tll tell you when I do, Henry"
 "I'Il wager that will be never.' said Henry, but he said it to himself so that no one could hear. He had read the signs of reawakened interest in the betraying eyes of his sister and Larry Barnes. and he was very glad. Larry was a capital fellow, and Aunt Hep- sey's letter about Lionel Forbes had been disquieting.
 Three months afterward Marthena and Larry came In from a long ride with the glory of perfect happiness shining in their faces. Henry, stand ing on the veranda smoking his pipe, smiled tenderly as they came up the steps.
 Blessings. my childrenr' he said heartily. for he had read that day in a paper from Sharon that Lionel Forbes had married a girl from the city. and he knew that Marthena would receive the news with indifference.
 Marthena. standing in her little bed room that night amid all the pretty blue and white furniture chosen by the two men who loved her devotedly, smiled through her tears as she knelt down to say her prayers.
 "Its wonderfulr' she murmured. "It's marvellous how the path of duty leads one to love and happinessw