Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1919-06-26

IKE THIS girl.
Suddenly, in the middle of the after.
noon the girl looked UP and asked:
will your mother worry? Did you
send her a telegram, too?"
My mother?" he said in a strange.
cold voice. MY mother never wor-
l doubt if she even knows where l am
these days. I've been west for a long
time. Father died and mother mar
ried again since | left home. l don't
suppose she would even hear of the
accident. There's no n to care where
| am" There was a bitterness in the
young voice and a hardness on the
over the beauty of the afternoon for
Jean.
oh" she said. looking at him ear
nestly. "Oh, don't say that! I'm sure
someone cares"
There were tears in her eyes. He
looked so noble and good to her, and
her heart went to him utterly in
his loneliness. In that moment she
knew that she cared with all her heart.
that she would always care. 1t was
strange and wonderful, but she felt she
would always care!
He looked at her with wonder again
! a1d a yearning that he could not
hide.
II believe you would care!" he ex
! claimed.
She smiled through a sudden mist
Of tears.
YES 1 should care, l couldn't help
it," she said. "You have done so much
for me you know, and know you so
we'll" she hesitated; 81 don't see
how anybody who belonged to you
could help caring" Her cheeks were
rosy with the effort t o say what she
meant without aeeming unmaidenly.
His brow darkened.
Belonged" he said bitterly. BE
longed! Yes, that's it. don't be-
long! don't belong anywhere:"
His voice was so different and SO
harsh that it almost frightened her.
She watched him, half afraid as he
| brought his horse to a sudden stop and
looked about him. Then he changed
the subject abruptly:
"This is a good place to camp for
! supper and rest" he said, as IL he had
quite forgotten what they had been
saying.
He swung down from the saddle,
| hobbled his horse, and came around to
her side to help her alight; but stood a
moment looking earnestly, tenderly in
to her eyes, and she looked back g.
| him trustingly, wonderingly, with the
wnrshipful homage a woman's eyes
eau hold for the man who has won
her tenderest thoughts. She did not
know she was looking that way, bless
yod. no! She would have been filed
with confusion IL she had known it.
Il was unconscious. and the man knew
so and treasured her look the more
for that.
81 believe you do care, now" he said
in e-:yoice filled with a sort Of holy awe
that made the girls heart leap up and
the color fame into her cheeks.
Then before she could answer o
think to be embarrassed, he lifted her
%reverently from the saddle and put her
on the ground.
He hobbled hor horse, u~nstrapped
Ithe peck Of provisions and wen. of to
gather up firewood, but when he, re-
turned she was sitting where he put
her under the trse, her face buried in
her hands, her Nender form motion
less.
He stood for a moment and watched
lher, then came over and knel: down
beside her, and taking her hands gen
lily from her face. looked into the
dewy depths of her sweet eyes and
spoke.
"Don't!" he pleaded gently. Lets
have supper now, and then wen talk it,
ali out. win yon come and help me
make a are?"
There wns s%onSething in his strong,
tender glance that helped her TO rise
to his call. A lovely smile grew in
her eyes. She let him help her t. her
feet, and casting aside the reserved
shyness that had fallen over her like q
misty ven, she ran here and thore,
gathering sticks and. helping to make
the IRE blaze; talking merrily about
the supper they were preparing just as
abe had done al day: but her heart
was in q tumulk OF wonder.
Holt shot . couple OF rabbits and
put them to roast before the fire. Jean
set herself to toast the soggy corn
bread and make It palatable.
Their merry lsaghter rang out again
and again rs they prepared. their sim
nfa meal. They we're like two children