The Dolores star., 1920-11-26

wicked mission. the little mis-. looked
al MIN In friendly fashion and ouerIed !.
what's your nameY
Bryce's hand hesltated. .Rrrcs
cardigan" lie answered grurrlv.
I'm Shirley Sumner" she yentured
Let's be friends"
when did you come 10 live IN
Sequoiaf" he demanded.
Il don't live here. I'm lust r,s,,,,r
mere with my aunt and uncle We,re
staying at the hotel, and there's no.
BODY to play with. My uncle's name
's fenningon. Sos my aunts. He's
out here buying timber, and we live
In Michigan
her gaze wandered past Bryce to
where his Indian pony stood with her
head out Of the window of her box.
stall contemplating her master.
"oh, what dear little horse ~
Shirley Sumner exclaimed. "wbose
Is her
"'TaL,'t he. It's a she. And
she belongs to me-"
"Do you ride herr"
mot very often now. I'm getting
too heavy for her. so Dads bought me
a horse that weighs nine hundred
pounds. Midget only weighs FIVE
hundred" He considered her a mo-
ment while she gazed In awe upon
this man with two horses. "Can you
ride pony?" he asked, for no reason
TINT he was aware OF.
She sighed. shaking her head re-
signedly. 1--WE haven't any room to
keep pony at our house In Detroit"
she explained, and added hopefully ::
But I'd love to ride Midget. sup
pose I could learn TO ride If somebody
taught me how"
He looked at her again. At that
period of his life he was Inclined to
regard girls as a necessary evil. For
some immutable reason they existed.
and perforce must be borne with. and
It was his hope that he would get
through life and see as little as posi-
BILE Of the exasperatinG sex. Never
theless, as Bryce surveyed this win
some miss through the pallngs, he was
sensible OF sneaking desire to find
favor in her eyes-alsO equally sensi-
Bile OF the fact that the path TO that
desirable end lay between himself and
Midget.
swell, suppose II you want n ride
I'll have to give 1t to you." he grum-
bled, although I'm pretty busy this
morning."
"Oh, think you're so nice" she de-
clared.
A thrill shot through him that was
akin to pain; with difficulty did he
restrain an Impulse to dash wildly
into the stable and saddle Midget In
furious haste. Instead he walked to
the barn slowly and with extreme
dignity. When he reappeared, he was
leading Midget, little silverpoint
runt Of klamath Indian pony, and
Moses, sturdy pinto cayuse from the
cattle ranges over In Trinity county.
"I'lI have to ride with you" he an
nounced. Cant let tenderfoot like
you go out alone on Midget"
All alutter with delightful antici'
patton, the young lady climbed up on
the gate and scrambled into the saddle
when Bryce swung the pony broadside
to the gate. Two hours of his valua-
able time did he give that morning
before the call of duty brought MIN
back to the house and his neglected
crop of carrots. When he suggested
tactfully, however, that 1t was no"
necessary that his guest and Midget
separate, difficulty arose. Shiriey
Sumner refused point blank to leave
the premises. She liked Bryce for ms
hair and because he had been so kinu
to her; she was stranger In Se1uo'a'
and now that she had found an agree
able companion, 1t was far from her
Intention to desert him.
So Miss Sumner stayed and helped
Bryce weed his carrots, and since us
n voluntary laborer she was at least
worth her board. at noon Bryce
brought her in TO Mrs. Tully win
request for luncheon. When he went
To the mill to carry In the kindlihs
for the cook, the young lady returned
rnther sorrowfully to the iio'e'
Sequoia, with fervent promise 10 see
him the next day. She did, ana Bryce
took her for long ride up ih'o .ie
Valley of the Giants and showed 'c'
his mothers grave. They put so'''e
flowers on the grave, and wheh 'heS
returned to town and Bryce was uii,
saddling the ponies, Shirley drew
MIdgets nose down to her ana k'ssei
IT. Then she commenced to weep
rather violently. y,
"Whnt are you crying ABOUT
Brvce demanded. Girls were so haru
to understand. :,
arm 20 going h-h-h-home tomorrow
she howled. and
he was stricken with dismay anu
bode her desIst from her vain repln,
ings. But her heart was brokeh' anu M
somehow-Bryce appeared to act au.o, =
maticnlly--he had his arm aroun' %
her. "Don't cry. Shirley" he pleaaeu'
.Tt hreaka nv heart to see you cry