The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-05-05
EVENING STORY
Poor Dear Emily.
GRv Lola Eorester.O


Greeley homestead with customary
regularity thru Emily's girihood ana
young womanhood. And Emily heipeo
them start off in life with tact ana
cheerfulness. Tho she had 'cnances'
she cast them aside and hiked NE
highway in a state of solitary enjoy
ment and freedom that left the family
stunned with helpleSsness. .
II don't see why 1 should marry
she would say buoyantly. I've never
seen any man whom l would Wanl
to spend my life with. ! am perfectiy
contented and happy. Why are you
all in such a hurry to get rid of me-"
Therefore it came as a shock wheh
Emily announced that she had drawn
as first prize in a contest a nome
stead out in Idaho.
Il am sure it must be a very charm
ing place to live in" said Emily, hap
PLY. II think l shall put ip goats,
Angora goats. The government says
they eat the underbrush, and think
they are decidedly picturesque II
you get tired of them, you can use
them for doormats. 1 shall go IN
for all kinds of intensive farming and
do everything except take summer
boarders."
But you can't live out there alone"
said Mr. Greeley. blandly. BE rea-
sonable, my dear Emily"
with a big dog and revolver,
can live anywhere" replied Emily,
calmly. You will remember, father
dear, that on mothers side of the
family 1 have pioneer blood in my
veins, even if you do come from an
F. F. V. 1 firmly believe in Provi-
dence, and if Providence has seen fit
| to drop three hundred acres of virgin
woodland and otherwise at my feet,
I shall pick them up and say thank
you -
Just three weeks later, Emily took
her departure, accompanied only by
Tink, her big collie, and a brand-new
automatic. Four days later she step
ped off the train at Arapahoe, Idaho,
and sized up the aggregate of local
talent visible to the naked eye. There
were three carryalls, one blackboard
and four packing cases occupied the
baggage truck. Five individuals sat
thereon, alternately chewing or snok-
ing and gazing past her with intent
at the far horizon line of mountains.
| 1t was not Arapahoe's custom to
exhibit curiosity over female stran-
gers, yet Emily was good to look upon
in her trim linen suit.
rs there such a thing as hotel in
| this place." she asked of the five col
lectively. Where is a person suppos-
ed to put up, and does anybody know
where Ballyho Gulch is?'
| There was a stir of interest among
the five Spike MacDouga1l rose and
planned, courteously. that Arapahoe
had no official place for housing
| transient guests, and that the gulch
was matter of sixteen miles north
west, but that. if she wanted to, she
| could probably put up at the Kenton
place. four miles out of town Spike
added, modestly, that he'd take her
over in the carryall, and they could
manage the two trunks on top of the
carryan- The packing cases would
! a
Emily hardly heard him. Her at
tention was fixed on a man who came
at dead gallop down the wide, dusty
street. He was tall, broad-shouldered
and heavy set. Even the pinto was
heavy set, his legs bowed under him.
and he had wary eyes as he drew up
short at the hitching rail in front of
the pine board station. The newcomer
and Emily looked each other over with
calm. approving scrutiny before he
sauntered into the telegraph office.
| She caught his deep baritone voice
perfectly, as he gave his message
You can wire back east to those
sons of guns that that land transfer
up at the gulch has been declared H.
legal by the court here and it don't
hold good. I am prepared to protect
my rights on it in any and all ways.
Sign it Scott King"
Emily'S hazel eyes narrowed and she
pursed her lips. AS she climbed into
casually who the young man was on
the strawberry pinto.
That's King, former owner of the
Caribou ranch up in the Ballyho
Gu1ch. He lost it one night in a poker
game with some strangers. and they
turned it over into cold cash with an
eastern syndicate running some adver-
Using scheme. 1t amt worth much
only that Scott is terrible set on getting
It back, and it looks like the court is
on his side"
Yet Emily went on her way. know
ing full well that it was the Caribou
ranch that had come to her thru a
stroke of Providence.
Three months later she rode up the
mountain trail from the sulch besid
Scott King. She rode cross saddle. not
as she used to ride on the roads
around Boston. 1t was a tanned.
health Emily who sat her saddle with
surety and confidence and listened to
Scotty's arguments with a smile
TITS no place for a woman to live
alone" he said. I've stood all this
nonsense about your being a free and
capa BILE individual who can look after
herself quite as long as I'm going to.
You used me for a doormat ever since
you came here. Emily, and took my
land away from me"
II didn't take away from you T.
won it in a fair, legal contest" re-
sponded Emily calmly, land I'm quite
capable of taking care of myself ]
think your timber men are bluffing If
they try any midnight excursions over
my line, cutting out my best trees
they'll get all that's coming to them.
I've stretched barbed wire now where
they don't expect it, and fix up every
other little feminine contraption for
safety that 1 can think of. If any of
them come to harm I can't help il
I've warned them"
Scott looked at her helplessIy. She
had no idea what she was up against
he thought All of Ransome's ium-
Der gang that had warred against
him for four years to get a grin IN