The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-06-12
Breaking In
Miss Willy
Story of a Girl on a
Ranch
By cLARIsSA MAcKIE


many months and had made money
How she made it her friends in the
quiet town where she lived did NOT
know and she did not enlighten them
When she was at work she was alb.
sent from Mertonville and returned al
long intervals, usually tired as she was
at the present time.
Just why Miss Moore kept her pro
fession or her business a secret was
also a mystery. Some said that II
was because she was ashamed Of 1t;
some that she did not care to tell 9th
ers how she made 80 much money lest
they all go into the same line and thus
subject her to competition. Whatever
was the cause, one thing was certain
her reticence excited the curiosity of
every woman in Mertonville.
However these things were. VIII
helmina had come back home from one
OF her trips, longer than usual, looking
as II she had been keelhauled Her
doctor gave her tonic. but 1t did not
seem to suffice. He recommended
horseback riding, but she said she did
not see how such exhausting exercise
could rest her. Then he suggested GO
ing into the country, where she could
live an out of door life and breathe the
fresh air.
Wilhelmina's uncle owned big ranch
In the west, and the moment her doc
tor suggested an out of door life she
fhnlEpht oh IA
him, sit on the veranda and do moth
ing. So she wrote her uncle asking If
he would permit her to go to him and
received a reply extending an invita-
ton, but at the same time warning her
that she would find few associates
such as she had been accustomed to.
most of them being cowboys. who
were very rough lot She might
come any time she liked and remain
till she had got well rested. As soon
as she received this letter she packed
such articles as would be appropriate
for ranch life and In due time arrived
at her destination.
The moment Miss Wilhelmina Moore
appeared in Scraggy Greek every man
on the Big outfit declared that of
all the tenderfoot maidens out of the
east none had ever been so green, SO
timid. so exasperatingly afraid of
horse as the girl they dubbed Miss
Willy.
I'm plumb disappointed" muttered
Dade Holcomb after dinner the next
day. II thought maybe she'd be the
kind of girl Teller could enjoy teach
ing few lessons In broncho Dustin o.
something of that sort"
Bob Linton grinned.
"You might suggest it to Miss Willy"
he said. Perhaps she really would
enjoy broncho busting"
"Oh, shut upl" snapped Dade. "Im
not taking any chances with those
slim, pale, scary eyed females who
shudder at sight of gun and faint
dead away II, one goes Off promiscuous
like"
"You might feel the same sensation
If you were introduced to crowded
subway station at the rush hour In
New York." retorted Bob. ~ under
stood from Mrs. Besse that her niece
had been Ill and was here for rest"
"Too much societyp shifted Dade.
Miss Willy can't throw rope around
me now. Pm not in the market when
these society tufts are around"
"Sour grapes" laughed Bob as they
parted company. he to ride on to Scrag.
gy Creek postoffice for the mail and
the newspapers and Dade to go over to
the south range to relieve one of the
line riders.
"This here Miss Willy girl ought to
be broken In to western ways" re
marked Hannibal at supper that night
Il was cleaning my gun this after.
noon, and she come upon me sudden
around the corner of the barn. When
she saw the gun she jumped like a
rabbit and beat 1t for the house.
Scared to death she was"
Il suppose If we shot up the ranch
she might get used to It," remarked
Dade thoughtfully. mo use talking.
boys; Miss WHY'S got to be broken in
or there won't be no loving on the
Big Y"
Bob here was holding her knitting
wool this afternoon while she was
winding it on a ball. Our little Bobby
will soon be house broke" sneered
Fenton.
Bob flushed holly and lighted his pipe
in grim silence. All through the meal
he had been thinking of Willy Moore's
tired smile, her wonderful black dashed
gray eyes, the soft contour of her col
Orless cheek. She was a slim, graceful
girl. with quantities of fair hair, which
she wore In a thick braid down her
back
"She dresses like a cowboy and acts
like timid New England schoolmarm,"
went on Dade. 'I've a good mind to
lend her Black Satan and tell Miss
Willy that he's the gentlest pony west
of New Hampshire"
Don't" warned Bob Linton as he
went out into the night.
The men around the table stared
after him.
Suddenly Dade laughed
''Plumb locoed," he declared.
But his remark was followed by an
uncomfortable silence.
The next day Dade did offer Black
Satan to Willy Moore.
"Sure he won't harm you" protested
Dade as Willy laid a slim white hand