The Ordway new era., 1917-06-15
CHAPTER vIlI-Continued.

s.
yandervyn had arranged to be gone
a week There was no cause TO dls-
cuss the time of his return, and as Ma
rie seldom mentioned him, Hardy was
not often annoyed by the vision of the
handsome young fellow interposing be-
tween himself and the girl.
From day to day it could plainly be
seen how the rides in the pure noun
tain air and the delight of the girls
companionship were bringing back
strength and vigor to the officers
tropic-weakened body. Soon healthy
red appeared under the tan of his
cheeks. The lines of severity and re-
pressed grief began TO smooth away.
On the morning of the seventh day,
when he rode over to join Marie for
ride out TO the butte on Wolf river,
ten years seemed to have dropped from
him Even when he lifted his hat to
the girl and exposed the silvered hair
at his temples, he looked nearer
twenty-five than thirty. He had
shaved off his pristly mustache!
Positively. captain" she bantered,
"you startle me. You are growing so
young! First thing I know, l shall
be feeling myself n grandmother in
contrast"
"Impossible," he calamity replied.
"You are the Spirit of Youth. Being
with you is what makes me seem so
much younger than 1 am. Yet l shall
never see thirty-two again"
you're barely of age this morning ~
she said, smiling at his shapely clean
shaven lip.
in that case you must humOr my
calIowness by pretending you need
my aid to mount"
She put one small booted foot in his
hand, rose with the lightness of n
feather and perched herself sideways
on her mans saddle. Unused to such
strange behavior. the pony began to
buck. Hardy sprang to seize the beast
by the head. Marie waved him aside,
and proceeded to give an impromptu
exhibition of her skill as horsewom-
an. With one knee crooked around the
horn of her saddle. she kept her diff
cult seat like circus rider, until the
pony subsided.
you've ridden tc hounds" stated
Hardy as the girl swung astride and
they started off down the valley.
She smiled with qualification. reg
gle never notices such things; but
you The first time 1 saw a side
saddle I thought it ridiculous"
On their way down the valley they
met no one. for the families of the
police had moved back to their old
camp site opposite the agency. Marie
suggested that they climb the butte.
With subtle coquetry, she gave Hardy
the privilege of assisting her up the
lodges, though, had she chosen, she
could have outclimbed him. They
mounted to the top of the highest crag,
where they sat down on the bare rock
to view the plains and mountains
through Hardy's glasses. The utter
stiffness ana solitude. the immensity of
the cloudless blue dome above them,
the great sweep of the landScape-all
tended to quiet the excitement of their
lively ascent. A hush fell upon them.
Marie let the hand that held the
glasses sink into her lap. She gazed
of up the river. dreamy-eyed.
After prolonged silence Hardy
murmured in half-whisper: How
alone we arei The world is youpg-lt
is the beginning of time. And In all
the new. young world, you and / are
aione-Marie"
1t was the first time that he had
ever used her given name in speaking
to her. She started from her day
dream, the color deepening in her
cheeks. In tbs same moment she be-
came aware that she had been looking
Mt moving object.
'Lookl' she said, lifting the glasses
20 her eyes. "That must be the head
and shoulders of man. He is rid
ing along on the far side of the ridge
I'M Indian; his head is muffled In a
blank *
"Marie!" softly repeated Hardy.
The girl sprang to her feet. "He
has disappeared-but we are no longer
alone In the world. Captain Hardy.
Let us 60 down."
With instant repression of his dis
appointment, Hardy took the glasses
z and offered his hand to assist her down
the nrst ledge. She ignored the offer.
Nor did she permit him to help her at
z all during the descent.
Her pony leaped away with the usual
5aEping start Of bronco. The mare
stspped clear Of the low scrub near
H. ftu edge, ont upon the sandy level
- tAa coulee bottom. She was in the
r. - - 49, 49,, su>><. : &~~s< 49, -.