Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-02-02

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Uncie Duke uiun't nuke me. Il never
lool; ut you, or speak to y0u-or live
IN the same mountains with you."
II don't think when fellow cares
for you us much as | DO, and gets out
of patience once in a while, just be-
cause he loves II girl the way II red
blooded man can't help loving her, she
ought to hold il against him forever.
Think she ought to. Nani" he demand
ed after pause. She was sewing and
kept silence.
II think" she responded showing
her aversion In every syllable, before
man begins to talk red-hlo0d rot, he
ought TO find out whether the girl cares
for him, or just louthes the sight Of
him"
He regarded her iixedly. Paying no
attention to him. but bending In the
sunshine over her sewing. her hand fly
| Ing with the needle. her masses Of
brown hair sweeping back around her
pink ears and curling in stray ringlets
that the wind danced with while she
worked she intlamcd her brawny cOus-
ms ardor afresh. you used To care
for me, Nan. You can't deny that"
Her silence was irritating. Can your
he demanded Come, put up your
work and talk it ont. didn't use to
have to coax you for word and IL
smile. What's come over your
"Nothing has come over me, Gale. l
did use to like you-when | first came
back from school. You seemed so big
and fine then, and were so nice to me.
did like you
"Why didn't you keep on liking me?''
Nan made no answer. Her cousin
persisted You used to talk about
thinking the world of me-" she said Of
last; then saw you one Frontier day
riding around Sleepy Cat with car
rage full of women"
Gale burst into huge laugh. Nan,
face flushed. She bent over her work
"Oh, that's what's the matter with YOU
Is it?" he demanded joculurly. "Yo,
never mentioned that before"
THAT isn't the only thing" she con
tinued after pause.
"Why, that was just some Frontie
day fun. Nan A mans got to be lit
tie bit of sport once In while, hasn'
he?
"Not if he likes me-" She spoke witt
an ominous distinctnesS, but under hel
breath. He caught her words ant
laughed again. "lshaw | didn't thlnl
you'd get jealous over 4 little thin.
like that, Nan. When there's Il cele
bration on in town, everybody's friend
~ with everybody else. If you lay {
little thing like that up against HE
where would the rest of the neu gel
OF? Your strawberry-faccd Medicine
Bend friend is celebrating in towr
most of the time"
, Iltl IUNt tUl itN W iIIit' W ii'tl {
falsehood :" she exclaimed holly. Look
ing at her. satisfied he laughed whole
heartedly again She rose, furious
ITS falsehood," she repeated "ant
| know it,"
~ suppose" rct0rted Gale, rcgardinl
her loosely, you asked him about it..
He had never seen her 50 angry. SIN
stamped her foot. "IIow dare you sa.
, such Il thing One of those womel
was at the hoSpital--shp is there yet
, and she is going TO die there. She toll
, Uncle Dukes nurse the men they knew
+, and whom they didn't know 1T tia
/, place And Henry de Spain, when h
heard this miserable creature had hccI
taken to the hospital, and Docto
E Torpy said She could never get wei
told the sister to take care OF her an
, send the bills to him. because he knc,
her father and mother in Medicin
Bend and went 10 school with her thci
> when she was n decent girl. Go an
:, hear what she has to say about Henr
a de Spain, you contemplate falsilier.
a Gale laughed snrdonicaly. THAT
! right. like to see Il girl stick to he
!, friends. De Spain ought to take car
;, of her Good story
".And she has other good stories. too
;. you ought to hear" continued Nan III
. dlsmayed. "Nlost of them about yo
:, and your fine friends in town. She tol
4, the nurse It's you who ought to lie pa,
;, ing her bills till she dies
:, Gale made Il disclanling face and
: dcprecating gesture. NO, no, Nan
:, let De Spain tnke care Of his own. I
, q sport yourself, grille, right now" II
>, stepped nearer her. Nan retreate
crO BE CONTINUEDl