The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1917-01-24


Of the agency business, and now, pend
ing the absence Of Vandervyn and Red
bear. had nothing 10 do except instruct
the police in his ideas of cleanliness
and discipline.
Marie never looked more charming
than when on a horse. She took her
new friend for a long ride around, one
of the mountains. Every cliff and
rock and piney slope was familiar to
her. She pointed out all the grandest
and most beautiful views, and showed
herself even better versed in the lore
of the wild than she had seemed to
be posted ON the culture and graces
Of polite society. After that there was
no break in her friendly manner toward
the captain for several days. Ere
quently they took other rides, over or
around the nearest hills and noun
tains
Nandervyn had arranged TO be gone
ii week. There was no cause to dis
cuss the time of his return, and us 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 1t 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
u 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 OF his brlstly mustache
Positively, captain" she bantered.
"you startle me. You are growing so
youngi First thing 1 know, l shall
be feeling myself 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 / am. Yet l shall
never see thirty-two again"
You're barely of age this morning !"
she said, smiling at his shapely clean
shaver lip.
In that case you must humor my
callowness by pretending you need
my aid to mount"
She put one small booted foot In his
hand, rose with the lightness Of
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 a horsewom-
an. With one knee crooked around the
horn of her saddle, she kept her diff
cult seat like a circus rider, until the
pony subsidized.
you've ridden to hounds" stated
Hardy as the girl swung astride and
they started on down the valley.
She smiled with qualification. Reg
gle never notices such things; but
you The first time | saw "A side
saddle | thought 1t 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
lcdgrs. 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 AID mountains
through Iardy's glasses. The utter
stiffness and solitude, the immensely Of
the cloudless blue dome above them,
the great sweep of the landscape-nll
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 u prolonged silence Hardy
murmured In u half-whisper: How
alone we are! The world is young-it
is the beginning Of time. And in all
the new, young world, you and l are
alone-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 the same moment she be
came aware that she had been looking