Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1915-08-12

~@/HF
The Girl Behind Him Was a Wondrous
Part OF This Wild and Unaoeountable
Country.
she spoke with an intensity of interest
which led Mrs. lancy TO say privately:
Pears like that young Hunger amt
goln 10 forgit Sc if he can help It."
What makes you think he's lun-
ser:'"
Don't hat to think one look at him
IS enough"
Thereafter a softer light-the light OF
pity-shone in the eyes Of the girl.
'Poor fellow He does look kind o
peaked But this climate will bring
him up 10 the scratch" she added. with
optimistic faith I'm her beloved hills.
A moment later the downcoming
stage pulled in loaded 10 the side lines
ana everybody ON it seemed TO know
Berca McFarlane. IL was hello here
and hello there and how are We be
tween. with smacks from the women
ana open cries OF Pass it around" on
the part Of the men. till Norcross mar
yelcd at the display.
"She seems a great favorlte,' he OBJ
served 10 Yancy.
"Who-Berrie? She's the whole
works mp at Bear Tooth Good thing
/ she don't want 10 90 10 cOngress-she'd
! lay Jim Worthy on the shelf"
Roreas popularity was not so re-
: I,- r,nrv,. .f ro1afvfpr
II. She took it all as sort Of joke-a
good. kindly Joke She shook hands
with her male admirers and smacked
/ the checks OF her female friends with
an air Of modest depreciation. "Oh.
YOU don't mean IT," was one OF her
phrases She enjoyed this display Of
affection. but il seemed not 30 touch
her deeply. and her impartial. humor-
Gus acceptance Of the courtship OF the
men was equally charming, though
this was due. according 20 remark 70
the claims OF some rancher up the
line.
She continued 70 be the theme OF
conversation at the dinner table and
yet remained unembnrrassed and gave
back quite rs good MS she received.
III ! was Cliff" declared one lanky
admircr, I'D be- shot if let you out
Of my sight. 1t amt safe"
She smiled broadly. II don't feel
scared"
"Oh. you're an right It's the other
feller-likc me-that gets hurt"
The northbouud coach got away
first. and as the girl came out to take
her place Norcross said. Wont you
bave my sent with the driverT
She dropped her voice humorously.
NO. thank Won can't stand FOR Bilrs
clack"
Norcrjss understood she didn't rel
lsh the notion OF being so close TO the
frankly amorous driver. who neglect
eel 10 opportunity to be personal.
Therefore he helped her to her seat
inside and resumed his place in front.
Bin. now broadly communicative,
infinitely detailed his tastes i'm food.
horses. liquors and saddlers in mono
logue which would have been tiresome
10 any one but an imaginative young
eastern student Bin had "A vast
snowledge OF the west. but distress
Ing habit Of repetition.
In this informing way some ten miles
were travcrsed. the road climbing ever
higher and the mountains TO right and
left increasing in grandeur each hour.
till OF a sudden and in deep valley
on the bank of another swift stream
they came upon a squalid saloon and
a minute postofiice. This was the town
OF Moskow
Bill numbering down over the wheel,
took a bag OF mail from the boot and
dragged it into the cabin. The girl rose,
stretched herself and said: "This stag
in is slow business. I'm cramped. I'm
going TO walk on ahead"
"May | go with your asked Nor.
cross.
"Sure thingl Come along"
As they crossed the little pole bridge
which spanned the flood the tourist
exclaimed: What exquisite water
It's like melted opals."
Comes right down from the snow,
she answered. impressed by the poetry
Of his simile.
lie would gladly have fingered, IFS
tenlng 20 the song OF the water, but as
she passed on he followed. The oppo
site hill was sharp and the road stony
but as they reached the top the young
easterner called out, See the savinsw
Before them stood a grove of cedars
old, gray and drear, as welrdly impress
sive as the cacti I'm Mexican desert
Torn by winds, SCARED by lightnings
deenly rooted. tenacious as tradition