Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-05-06
BY TINCIE E. ROE

Here was romance in Its most vital and
appealing form. Yes. he felt himsel.
lucky.
SO he took up his life and his duties
with vim. He rode early and late
took notes and gathered data Tor his
first reports. and set up for himsel.
In Lost Valley a spreading antsgonism
II he rode herd on the range lands
the timber sections, there were thos,
who rods herd on him. Not movement
of his that was not reported faithfully
to Courtrey, not "a coming or going tina
was not watched from start 10 finish
And the cattle king narrowed his eye
and listened to his lieutenants with
growing disapprovai.
wyiaekie Bob. ''iomesteadin'T'
W,ylackie shook his head.
"Aint goin' accordin' to entry" NJ
no signs of tillin'. He ain't fencin', nol
out"
"Cattle7"
mo. Nor horses"
Hogs, then?'
Damn 1t maybe it's sheen /" and tn,
cheeks.
Don't think so. Seems like he's afte,
somethin', but what 1t Is 1 can't MAKE
But II was not long before III.
Stronghold solved the mystery, TO,
kenset rode boldly in one day and in.
troduced himself
It was mid afternoon, for the cabi,
N !a,ia tne glade h lay q long way from tn
ay silent as death n the summer sur
a., The indian serving we-.-u were off
the depths somewhere, the few vaauero
ieft at home were out about the spread
ing ing ,eorrals' and all the men tha
Coryan early In the days.
onIy Ellen, pale as % Sfower he
sweet mouth dropping sat listlessly O,
the hard beaten earth at the easter
side or the squat house where IN
spruce trees grew, her hands folded Il
her lap. q sunbonnet covering the goide,
mass OF her hair. -
At the sound of his horses hoofs O
the stone. .fagged yard henset saw he
start half rise. fling a startled look a
adWsSt nirn ana then sink back. as II even tn
auVent OF a stranger was Of slight i'm
pIort Iipt IN the heavy current Of her du
He came in close drew I'D, and. wit
ms nat In his hand. sat smiling down a
to p smile % than henset sst 1t u was more natura
Inc girl, for she was scarce NOR.
looked up at him and he saw at once
SNen unoer the disfiguring headgea
@ enas mere was breaking heart la
trsnnh1 upsn Tor sli eyes. The very droop an
Mrs, eourtrey?" he asked gently.
,1u -. tne words, the smile. the unusus
courtesy or the removed hat. Ellen ros
from her chair, a tall slim wisp of {
a,,rns' wUmsn' whose blue-veined hands wer
Almost transparent
yes, she said, and waited
That little waiting. calm unr,e,os
maoe him think sharply OF Tharon las
wno had waited also for his accountini
II am Kensct," he said "ot over Il
| homer" "uspaho a
co. No." said Ellen. hes gone in +
a. There was world of meaning -,
Yes? Now that's too bad. IT'S take
me a long time to come and na,
rnIud udGIulariy wished to see him. Do "
" WY .,nH' no." said Ellen a bit reluctan,
~ no sir. l guess not"
dropped the rein. az
fred. Captain?" he asked wb,n,
th shcaHy rubbing tho sweaty name viii
,he animal drew a long wbistiin
p ppreath and In turn rubbed the stick
nm orn, oaho on its forehead ON Kenset
Looks like he's. thirsty" said Ellie
presently. There's n trough ro,,e
g0maer onS rat at tn back" and she waved
t,e, kenset led Captain round back wher
nylng spring sang and gurgied into
section of tree, deeply hollowed n,
covered with moss. a''
when he came back to the shade IN
WOMAN had brought from some nea
M Mpaee second chair. and he .dropne
ride. "e"S ifoH MS Ion
+, He laid his hat on the earth besId
nun and smoothed the sleek, dark haI
PACK from his forehead. ""'
a Ellen sat still and watched him wit
She was finding him strange. sb
| looked at his olive drab garments =, q
me trim leather leggings that enca se
ms ms lower limbs. at his smooth hands' q
on ors ia b,isce, hrs and lastly at the dark shieI
.Law?" she asked succinctly
i'm Weil." smiled Kenset, after a fash
She moved uneasily in her chair M,
fnr fne man ma had a sudden feeling Of pit,
=. Not as you mean. Mrs. Courtrev.
io.SSt service, IL you know what m 40 .
NO.. said Ellen, II don't know"
~, ~ ID SIMPLY q service for the conser
he explained gently, but he saw that =,
was not making 1t clear. '''
-, The saving Of the trees" he wen, nm
tne care of the forests" vi
On, she said, relieved.
We look after the ranges. protsct Oh,
woods from fire, and SO on ''''' '''
LOOK after tn ranges? How7"
"pes "Ppeguiate grazing. grant permits"
yes" And seeing that at last he ba,
GSaugnt her interest, kenset talked quiet
for an hour and told her more ina,
ne had vouchsafed any other In Los
Valley about his work. ''
Gradually, however. he fell to talkin
TO amuse her. for he saw the emptines
behind the big blue eyes. the aohinI
neither love nor hope.
AS the sun sank lower toward tn
west Ellen took or the atrocity Of cali
co and starch, and he saw with wonde
the amazing beauty of her ropes OF hair
When no ceased talking the silence be
came profound, for she had nothing 4
say and speech did not come easy I,
her anyway. He did not know that n
the windows and behind the doorjamb
OF tho deep old house were ciustere,
almost dozen dusky women and chill
dren, drawn from all over the place an,
listening In utter silence.
Unconsciously he had drifted back I,
his life in the outside world. encouraR re,
by the absorbing interest OF the paI,
eyes that never left his face He toi,
theatres on Broadway, Of college pranks
and frolics. ranged over half the CONT
nent In little story and snatch OF de-
scription.
me Ne'tner me one moucer Geo now now me shadow,
dropped In majesty behind the mights
wall.
1t took the sound of running horses
many of them, coming up along IN,
slopes, TO bring Kenset back TO the pres
reach swiftly for the bonnet and cial
II on her head.
Mrs. Courtrey," said Kenset, hurried
ly, this has been the first real talk
hox hal ~ ~ ia