The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1917-01-11
CHAPTER WII-continued.

a week. There was no cause u us
cuss the time of his return, and as Ma
rio seldom mentioned him, Hardy was
not often annoyed by the vision OF the
handsome young fellow intcrposing De-
tween himself and the girl.
From day to day it could plainly De
seen how the rides in the pure noun
tain air and the delight of the glrl )
companionship were bringing Oach
strength and vigOr to the ollcer
tropic-weakened body. Soon healthy
red appeared under the tan OF MS
cheeks The lines of severity ana re-
pressed grief began to smooth away
On the morning Of the seventh day.
when he rode over to join Marie TOT
n ride out to the butte on Wol rlNer'
ten wears seemed to have dropped lroll
him. Even when he lifted his nat 10
the girl and exposed the silvered halr
at his temples, he looked nearer
TWENTY-FIVE than thirty. He had
shaved off his bristly mustache!
positively, captain" she bantered'
you startle me- You are growing so
Young! First thing / know, shall
be feeling myself grandmother IN
contrast"
"Impossible," he gallantly replied
"You are the Spirit of Youth. Beng
with you is what makes me seem so
much younger than l am. Yet snail
never see thirtY-tWO again.
You're barely of age this morning !!
she said, smiling at his shapey clean
Shaven lip.
'1n that case you must humor my
callowness by pretending you heed
my mid to mount"
she put one small booted foot in MS
hand, rose with the lightneSs OF a
feather and perched herself sideways
o. 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 to hounds stateC
Hardy as the girl swung astride anc
they started off down the valley.
She smiled with qualification. Reg
gle never notices such things; bu
yOu- The first time | saw a side
saddle | thought it ridiculous"
On their way down the valley the!
met no one, for the families of th'
police had moved back to their olt
camp site opposite the agency. Marie
suggested shat they climb the butte
With subt:: coquetry, she gave Hard,
the privilege of assisting her up th'
Iedges, though, had she chosen, sh
could have outcIimbed him. The,
mounted to the top of the highest crag
where they sat down on the bare rocl
to view the plains and mountain
through Hnrdy'S glasses. The ute
stiffness and solitude, the immensely o
the ClOudlcss blue dome above them
the great sweep of the landscape--aI
tended to quiet the excitement Of thei
lively ascent A hush fell upon then
Marie let the hand that held tn
glasses sink into her lap. She gaze
off up the river. drcamy-eyed.
After prolonged silence Hard
murmured in half-whisper: "lION
alone we are! The world is young
is the beginning of time. And in 1t
the new, young world, you and l AZ
alOne-hlarie."
1t was the first time that he ha
ever used her given name in spcakin
to her. She started from her da.
dream, the color deepening in ht
cheeks. In the same moment she ~
came aware that she had been lookin
at moving object.
Look" she said, lifting the glass,
to her eyes. "That must be the hes
and shoulders of Il man. He is ri
ing along on the far side of the ridge
an Indian; his head is mutlled in
blanket"
The girl sprang to her feet. 81
has disappeared-but we are no long
alone in the world, Captain Hard
Let us go down."
With instant repression of his di
appointment, Hardy took the glass
and offered his hand to assist her dow
the first ledge. She ignored the offt
Nor did she permit him to help her
all during the descent.
Her pony leaped away with the usu
Jumping start Of bronco. The ma
stepped clear of the low scrub ne
the rill edge, out upon the sandy lev
of the coulee bottom. She was in t
act of breaking into Il trot when i!
riders hat whirled from his head a
he pitched sideways out of the sadt
as if struck by lightning.
moment later the report Of the sh
reached Marie. She glanced over h
shoulder and saw Hardy outstretch
on the ground, haccid and inc
With a suddenness that almost thr,
her pony off his nimble feet, S
wrenched him around. The mare h
stopped within two strides, and twi
ed her head about to look at her fall
master. The manner in which he h
fallen showed that the shot had co
from up the coulee. Fllnging hers
from her pony, she plucked Hard