The Belding banner-news. (Belding, Mich.) 1918-1973, 1920-01-07

Wcut &uSTtSu ZIG otftS o'o tHSiS
Was a Note in Her Voice That
Sounded Strange to Him.
strange to him. "There are only two
of u.s."
"But Mr.. ForsythT
"He is not here. He may not come.
VIII you saddle the horses and let
us get away?"
II was evident to Dave that for some
reason Edith wished to evade Forsyth
this afternoon. A lovers quarrel. no
doubt. That she had preference for
him and was revealing 1t with the
utmost frankness never occurred to
his sturdy, honest mind. One of the
delights of his companionship with
Edith had been that Ii was real COM
partnership. None of the limitations
occasioned by any sex consciousness
had narrowed the sphere of the frank
friendship he felt for her. She was
to him almost as another man, yet
in no sense masculine. Save for a
certain tender delicacy which her
womanhood inspired, he came and
went with her as he might have done
with a man chum of his own age. And
when she preferred to ride without
Forsyth it did not occur to Eden that
she preferred to ride with him.
They were soon in the country, and
Edith, leading, swung from the road
to a bride trail that followed the
winding of the river. AS her graceful
figure drifted on ahead it seemed more
than ever reminiscent of Reenle
Hardy. What rides they had had on
those foothill trailsi What dippings
into the great canyons What adven-
lures into the spruce forestsl And
how long ago it all seemed This girl.
riding ahead, suggestive IN every curve
and pose of Reenie Hardy. His
eyes were burning with loneliness.
He knew he was dull that day, and
Edith was particularly charming and
vivacious. She coaxed him into con-
versation a dozen times. but he an
swered hbsent-mindedly. At length
she leaped from her horse and seated
herself, facing the river, on a fallen
log. Without looking back she in
dicated with her hand the space be-
side her, and Dave followed and sat
down.
"You aren't talking today" she said.
"You don't quite do yourself justice.
What's wrong?"
"Oh, nothingl" he answered, with
laugh, pulling himself together. "This
September weather always gets me.
l guess / have a streak of Indian; 1t
comes of being brought up on the
ranges. And in September, after the
first frosts have touched the foliage"
He paused, as though it was not nee
essary to say more.
'Yes, / know" she said quietly.
Then, with a queer little note of con-
fidence, Don't apologize for it, Dave"
"Apologize?" and his form straight
ened. Certainly not. One
doesn't apologize for nature, does he?
But 1t comes back in Septem-
ber."
He smiled, and she thought the sub
conscious in him was calling up the
smell of fire in dry grass, or perhaps
even the rumble of buffalo over the
hills. And he knew he smiled because
he had so completely misled her.
1t was dusk when they started
homeward.
Forsyth was waiting for her. Dave
scented stormy weather and excused
himself early.
What does this mean7' demanded
Forsyth angrily as soon as Dave had
gone. do you think will take Sec
ond place to that-that coal heaverf'
THAT is not to his dlscredlt," she
said.
straight from the corrals into good
society" Forsyth sneered.
Then she made no pretense of COM
posure. 'If you have nothing more to
urge against Mr.. Eden perhaps you
will CO."
Forsyth took his hat. At the door
he paused and turned, but she was al
ready ostensibly interested In a maya
zine. He went out into the night.
The week was busy one with Dave
and he had no opportunity to visit the
Duncans. Friday Edith called him on
the telephone. She asked an incense
quential question about something
which had appeared In the paper, and
from that the talk drifted on until II
turned on the point of their expedition
Of the previous Sunday. Dave never
could account quite clearly how II hap