Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1917-04-19
CHAPTER VllI-contlnued.

49,
Vandervyn had arranged to be gone
q week. There was no cause to dis
cuss the time of his return. and as Ma
RE 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-wcakened 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
a 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
al his temples, he looked nearer
twenty-five than thirty. He had
stnved of his bristly mustache!
positively, captain" she bantered,
",ou startle me. You are growing so
young! First thing I know, I shall
b. 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 I am. Yet shall
never see thirty-two again."
"You're bnrely of age this morning T.
she said. smiling at his shapely clean
shaven 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 q
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 MS horsewOm-
an. With one knee crooked around the
horn of her saddle, she kept her diff
cult seat like u circus rider, until the
pony subsidized.
you've ridden to hounds" stated
uarly as the girl swung astride and
they started off down the valley.
She smiled with qualification. reg.
gle never notices such things; but
vou- The first time l saw a side
saddle l 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
lodges. though. had she chosen, she
sould have outclimbed him. They
mounted to tie 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 and solitude, the immensely OF
the cloudless blue dome above them
Die great sweep Of the landscape-all
scnded to quiet the excitement of theil
lively ascent. A hush fell upon them
Marie let the hand that held the
glasses sink into her lap. She gazed
off up the river. dreamy-eyed.
After a prolonged silence Hardy
ulurmured in half-whisper: "Hov
alone we are! The world is young-i1
y the beginning Of time. And in al
the new, young world, you and I are
llone-Mnrie."
1t was the first time that he hai
sver used her given name in speaking
10 her. She started from her day
aream, the color deepening in hel
cheeks. In the same moment she be
came aware that she had been looking
1T a moving object.
"Look!" she said, lifting the glassel
10 her eyes. '.That must be the heat
AID shoulders Of man. He is rid
ing along on the far side of the ridge
m Indian; his head is muf1led in ,
blanket"
Marie !" softly repeated Hardy.
The girl sprang to her feet. N
LAS Misrepresentation we are no longe
slone in the world, Captain Hardy
Set us 60 down."
With instant repression Of his dis
appointment, Hardy took the glasse
aud offered his hand to assist her dow
the first ledge. She ignored the offel
b. Nor did she permit him to help her q
hll during the descent.
Her pony leaped away with the usua
Jumping start Of q bronco. The mar
stepped clear Of the low scrub neu
he rin edge, ont upon the sandy Lew
q the coulee bottom. She was In til
~ ~ h-~sisHS into Q trot when be