Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1920-01-15
The Star Trail
II
By IZOLA FORESTER


Copyright 1919. by the Mcclure N.ys.
paper Syndlcate.)
II Walt nad not been young and
trusting he'd never have answered the
advertisement, but when you've spent
your life in western Nebraska per-
sonally conducting squads of cattle
from range to railroad station. and
thereafter riding with them ana
punching them into submission to an
all-wse Providence, you're apt to be
an receptive condition for romance
Walt was From the first day when
he found the advertisement he knew
the star path his feet must tread. He
was sitting on baggage truck in the
cool shadow of the Three Bears ex-
press office. peacefully sleeping. Runty
the agent, laid over his face IA copy
of the Omaha Eagle. When Walt wax
ened his glance wandered idly over its
want columns. 1t was down among
the Personals" Walt read ii over
carelessly at first, then carefully, look
ing up once to gaze at the demure but
forbldding face behind the telegraph
office window. Then he read over the
ad again.
WANTED - YOUNG EASTERN WIDOW.
blonde, twenty four, wishes to correspond
with western ranchman not over thirty.
Object matrtmony.
He held the newspaper firmly in both
hands. There was no reason why he
should not answer the appeal He
didn't have a ranch all his own, but
Bill and he had been good partners
with the Triple Star outfit The house
wasn't so bad-three rooms and a
lean-to. He'd fix it up for her, chuck
all the old clutter he and Bill had put
up with, and send up a load of mail
order honeymoon things for her TO
make her know she was welcome.
Here Walt took a second look at the
unfriendly face at the window, but the
girl never turned her head or noticed
his existence. Presently he sauntered
around into the station doorway and
leaned over the little partition at the
ticket office. Could he have a tele-
graph blank, please? Cherry did not
glance up at all, just passed one to
him coldly. He spent half an hour
writing his message, took long drink
from the water cooler and handed the
telegram to her to count up.
"Send 1t off any time it's handy" he
remarked, trying to be nonchalant
also. Cherry ran her pencil over it.
Dear Madam: Seeing your ad in Omaha
Eagle am hereby presenting myself with
In
money in bank. but credit hereabouts and
with mail order firms Height six foot one
fare Waneonta. Neb
might message?" asked Cherry,
PLEASANTLY as she drew her pencil
through Dear Madam"
Walt resented her air of aloofness
and lack of curiosity. He hauled out
a plgskin wallet and extracted vel
low bill.
"Send II now and get it there this
afternoon. ! don't care what 1t costs.
Any corrections to suggest?"
Cherry's blue eyes looked him over
slowly. in one sweeping summary of
his apparent shortcomings as an ideal
sutton, and shook her head aggravat-
ingly with certain little curl TO her
short upper lip. Some months previ-
Ously she had been courted assIdu-
ously by Mr. Ramsdell, and being the
only attractive and desirable girl In a
radius of forty miles she had failed TO
take his offer at its proper valuation.
Walt waited grimly until she had dis
patched the message, then rode away
with new aggressive tilt to his hat
and sinking feeling in his heart at
the desperate step he had taken.
In the days of aiting for his an
swer he haunted the telegraph office.
Cherry was likewise postmistress, and
Bill warned him Of his danger
'Tts just as dangerous hanging
around some female you've been once
attached to as 1t Is getting measles the
second time | wouldn't put II past
Cherry bit to try and get ahead of
the eastern widow and think she's do
ing something mighty smart"
But Cherry held serenely to her own
course of action. Instead of being
scornfuI she became sympathetic and
rather remorseful When she found
Walt poring palnruIy over hiall1
order catalogue that guaranteed to
furnish a honeymoon equipment at so
much per room she aided him instead
of laughing. Walt found himself de-
ferring to her taste In snowflake cur
tains and golden oak sideboards. II
was Cherry who suggested cutting out
the monograph and putting In studio
willow set instead and low book
case. Walt had hesitated over red
velvet set
at isn't becoming to blondes" she
said ihoughtfully.
Waits gaze Travelled to Cherry's
brown. short curls and wide, brown
eyes, alert as O squirrels and for one
instant he thought Of how she would
look surrounded by the studio willow