Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1915-09-17
The Impossible
Man
How He Became Possible
BY CLARISSA JACKIE

Mona Renton looked at her uncle
with wide, Mortified eyes.
"Marry a man l have V seen?
Impossiblel" she cried Indignantly.
Silas Renton frowned, but his voice
did not lose its quality of patience.
"But, my dear Mona, | have told you
that William is an exceptionally fine
young man, and your marriage to him
would save the business from ruin.
His father has promised that"
"WhyY" demanded Mona.
Mr.. Renton gazed out of the window.
Jim Barstow loved your mother,
Mona, and failed to win her. I be-
lieve he wants his son to marry your
mothers daughter. In fact, he told
me SO when l went to seek a loan from
him.
ITS a bargain-a cold, cruel business
transaction, Uncle Silasl' cried the girl
passionately. But you have been so
good to me, like a father and mother
in one, that l cannot refuse. Tel Mr..
Barstow l will marry his son, but out
of all the world, uncle, / am sure that
this William is the one man l would
not voluntarily choose to marry"
"The impossible man, ehT" smiled
Mr.. Renton, drawing her toward him.
1.-THE impossible mani" agreed Mona,
shuddering.
And when the next day came she
had persuaded her uncle to permit her
to spend a month upon his ranch in
Montana.
when l return l will meet Mr.. Will
liam Barstow,' she pleaded. And so
she was allowed to go, planning to
visit several school friends by the way.
1t was several weeks after her con
yersation with her uncle that she ar
rived at the Double Circle ranch and
was welcomed by motherly Mrs. Pc
tiers, wife of the boss.
Mona went directly to bed and was
awakened early the next morning by
the sound of voices under her window
Boss Peters was talking to some one
a man with n lazy, drawing voice and
a deep toned laugh.
Mona crept from bed and went t.
the window. Behind the ruffied dra-
peries she could remain unseen.
A tall, loose limbed young man lean.
ed against a big black horse while he
lazily rolled a cigarette.
Its this way, Billy" protested Boss
Peters. you've got to tend to you
knittin' oil out you go"
Billy laughed genially and pushed
his hat back on his thick brown hair.
Mona liked him at once. Here was
the typical, handsome cowboy Of ro-
mancei
Very well. Peters," laughed Billy.
Just give me another mess of knit
ting and I'll tend to it."
The men went away together, and
presently Mona saw Billy riding away
down the trail.
Il should like him." thought Mona
as she dressed for breakfast. ~ must
ask Mrs. Peters about him."
But Mrs. Peters was exasperatingly
vague about Mona's cowpuncher.
BILLY, did you say, Miss Renton3'
she asked. I'm sure | couldn't say,
for most every other ones named Bill
ly something or other. There's Billy
TiInms and little Billy and old Bill and
Billy Barto. 1t might be Billy Barto.
He speaks slowly and is always laugh
ing. 1t might be him."
Mona blushed and changed the sub
ject. Why should she be curious about
this stranger?
After breakfast Boss Peters brought
around a cream colored pony.
You ride cross saddle, Miss Renton?"
he asked.
YES" said Mona as she came down
to pet the pony. Isn't he a dear?
He looks good enough to eat!"
Mrs. Peters. in the doorway, laughed
and told Mona that she herself looked
good enough TO eat.
"In that white linen skirt and blouse
and white felt hat you'll charm the
birds off the trees" predicted the boss
wife.
Mona laughed and rode away, a
straight, slim, soldierly figure, her
wide gray eyes fixed on the trail ahead.
her cheeks growing pink with the ex-
ercise in the clear air.
She forgot all her cares-the inan-
cial troubles of Renton & Co., which
her engagement to young Barstow had
magically changed to prosperity-her
engagement to a nan she had never
seen, for William was away on a hunt
ing trip.
81 know ! shall hate him!' sighed
Mona as she suddenly remembered the
Barstows.
The cream colored pony stepped into
a gopher hole, and Mona few over his
head to fall prone upon the sagebrush,
n ankle twisted under her body.
She screamed once when she tried
to move and then tainted away.
Mona opened her eyes to gaze into