The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-09-13

either case. This is living, after the desert and its loneliness. I discovered one thing out there, however, myself. It was a surprise. My way back an cestors must jhave been pirates"
 Mine grew roses in southern France"
 q am glad they eventually came to I"Are you so fond of candy, MT. Win throp?
 'sNo."
 ,"Neither am l." -
 "I'm. glad they came, just the same. simply can't helplit."
 Overland - MT. Summers doesn't take life very seriously, does he" asked Louise.
 "Not as seriously as life has taken him at odd times"
 ''You brought Collie in your car, didn't youT
 "Yes"
 He's much better"
 'fYes. But he's pretty shaky yet. He's little queer, in fact. As we came up the canyon he asked me to stop the car by the cliff near this end that place where the sunlight comes through a kind of notch in the west. thought he was tired of the motion of the car, so we stopped, and he lay back looking at the cliff. Pretty soon the sun shot long ray past us, and it fair ly splattered gold on the canyon wall. Then the shaft of sunlight went out. It will shine again. he said, as if I didn't know that. Collie's pretty sick man."
 Later Winthrop and Louise joined the others at the veranda. Louise ex- cused herself. She searched a long time before she found another rose. This time it was a Colombo bud, full, red and beautiful She stepped to Col lies window. "Boyg she called softly.
 White and trembling, he stood in the long window looking down at her 'I'm glad you are home again." she said.
 He nodded and glanced away.
 Boy" she called again, "catch! And she tossed the rose He caught fl duu pICSccu IL tO HIS 1pS.
 Evening, placidly content with the warm silence, departed lingeringly.
 Boyar, the black pony; shook his head with silvery jingling of rein chains. His sleek Hanks glistened in the moonlight ~ Louise curbed him gently with hand and voice as he stepped through the wide gateway o1 the ranch.
 At the edge of the Old Meadow the girl dismounted, allowing Boyar to graze at will.
 She climbed to the low rounded rock her erstwhile. throne of dreams, where she sat with knees gathered to her in her clasped hands. The pony paused in his grazing to lift his head and look at her with gently wondering eyes. The utter solitude of the place, fal above the viewless valley, allowed hel l thought a horizon impossible at s.the Moonstone rancho. Alone she faced the grave question of making an un alterable choice. Collie had asked hel | to marry him. She had evaded direct reply to his direct question. She knew I VI AO SoNu NSo'Sh why ouc |, marry him. She knew of no better reason why she should not. She thought she was content with being loved. She was, for the moment 1 "Got a match, kidY'
 Louise raised her head. Some ont was afoot on the Old Meadow trail She could hear the whisper of dried grasses against the boots of the mel as another voice replied, Sure. Her, you are" And Louise knew that Collie was one of the men.
 About to call, she hesitated, strange ly curious as to who the other mar might be and why Collie and he should foregather in the Old Meadow at night
 Never mind" mumbled the frs speaker. T thought I wanted te | smoke, but I don't I want to tall first-about the Rose Girl l (To Be Continuod.l