The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1915-03-20

struck into tAe hills. Men at whose
houses they paused to ask dipper of
water, or to make an inquiry, gravely
advised that they had better light and
stay all night In the coloring for
ests, squirrels scampered and scuIried
out Of sight, and here and there on the
tall slopes they saw shy-looking cail-
drsn regarding them with inquisit1ve
eyes.
The guide led them silently. gazing
in frank amazement, though with defer
entail politeness, at this girl in cord
uroys, who rode cross-saddle, and rode
so well. Yet. it was evident that he
would have preferred talking had not
dihdence restrained him He was
young man and rather handsome in a
shaggy, unkempt way. Across one
cheek ran a long scar stin rel, and
the girl, looking into his clear, intelli-
gent eyes, wondered what that scar
stood for Adrienne had the power
of melting masculine difhdence, and
her smile as she rode at his side, and
asked, What is your name?" brought
an answering smile to his grim lips
'sJoe Holman, ma'am," he answered;
and the girl gave an involuntary start.
The two men who caught the name
closed up the gap between the horses,
with suddenly piqued interest
"HoIlman!" exclaimed the girl
Then, you" She stopped and
flushed. 81 beg your pardon she
said, quickly.
That's all right" treasured the
man. 81 know what ye're a-thinkin',
but hain't takin' no offense. The high
sheriff sent me over. I'm one of his
deputies
'Were you"-she paused, and added
rather timidly-''were you in the court
house?"
He nodded, and with a brown fore
finger traced the scar on his cheek.
Samson South done that thar with
his rifie-gun," he enlightened. He's
funny sort of Teller, is Samson South"
Howe" she asked.
wall, he licked US, an licked us so
plumb damn hard we was skeered ter
fight ag'in, an then, Std of tramplin'
on US, he turned right round, an
made me a deputy: My brothers
corporal in this hyar new-fangled mi
lishy. I reckon this time the peace is
goin' ter last. Hits a mighty funny
way ter act, but pears like it works all
right"
Then, at the ridge, the girls heart
gave a sudden bound, for there at the
| highest point, where the road went up
and dipped again, waited the mounted
figure Of Samson South, and, as they
came into sight, he waved his felt hat
and rode down to meet them.
"Greetings!" he shouted. Then, as
he leaned over and took Adrienne's
their welcome" His smile was IN
changed, but the girl noted that his
hair had again grown long
Finally, as the sun was setting, they
reached a roadside cabin, and the
mountaineer said briefly to the other
men:
you fellows ride on I want Dren-
ME to stop with me a moment. Well
join you later
Lescott nodded. He remembered the
cabin Of the Widow Miller, and Hor-
ton rode with him, albeit grudgingly.
Adrienne sprang lightly to the
ground, laughingly rejecting Samson's
assistance, and came with him to the
| top of a stile, from which he pointed
to the log cabin, set back in its small
yard, wherein geese and chickens
picked industriously about in the sandy
earth.
A huge poplar and a great oak
nodded to each other at either side Of
the door, and over the walls a clam
! bering profusion of honeysuckle vine
commended with a mass of wild grape,
/ in joint effort to hide the white chink-
| ing between the dark logs. From the
crude milk-benches to the sweep Of
| the well, every note was one of neat
ness and rustic charm. Slowly, he
said, looking straight into her eyes:
This is Saily's cabin, Drennie."
He watched her expression, and her
| lips curved up in the same sweetness
of smile that had first captivated and
helped to mold him
Its Iovely!" she cried, with frank
delight Its picture"
waltz he commanded. Then, turn
| ing toward the house, he sent out the
long, peculiarly mournfuI call of the
whippoorwill, and, at the signal, the
| QOOI Op6n6U, anu OH Tie luESSHO1U
Adrienne saw a slender figure. She
had called the cabin with its shaded
dooryard picture, but now she knew
she had been wrong. 1t was only a
background. 1t was the girl herself
who made and completed the picture.
| She stood there in the wild simplicity
that artists seek vainly to reproduce
in posed figures. Her red calico dress
was patched, but fell in graceful lines
to her slim bare ankles, though the
first faint frosts had already fallen.
Her red-brown hair hung loose and
in masses about the oval of face in
which the half-parted lips were dashes
| OF scarlet, and the. eyes large violet
pools She stood with her little chin
tilted in a half-wild attitude of recon
hotter, as a fawn might have stood.
One brown arm and hand rested on
the door frame, and, as she saw the
other woman, she colored adorably.