The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1921-02-16

| "There amt none." positively.
"Where ia 1t you live. anyhow"
"Over on the Cottonwood: bout SIX
~ miles north. up near the reserva.
tion. HI! But it's lonely up there:
b, not another white man In thirty miles,
you are ranching?"
"Just startin'. you might say rum
min few head on a free range"
"But you've got a house, place
to live in?"'
"Sorter shack-yes; a corral an a
sod stable: that's, bout all. I'd be
dandy. wouldn't l. ter ask girl to 60
out there an live? No. sir; that amt
my style; It wouldn't be decent"
She did not speak for some time, her
eyes rowing about the room and then
returning to rest on his face. There
was no smile on her lips. yet some
how she did not look sulIen or In.
different.
"And that was why you said nor
You came hack to explain? 1t wasn't
because you disliked me. then? Be
cause you despised me for doing such
Il thing?"
"What. me? should say not.
There want nothing done that want
all right. don't blame you mite.
You ought to git married"
do you really think SOP
"Yes. I do; this amt no place for a
single woman who wants to be decent.
to live In. Besides, you're old enough"
allow old am ?"
Seventeen. maybe: amt much on
guessing ages-specially women"
Il am nineteen" she paused her
teeth cleaning as she smiled. II wish
you would tell me about yourself"
He glanced up at her surprised and
twisting his hat about In his hands.
THAT won't take long" he said So
berry. II amt got much history, so to
speak. was born in Kentucky an
run away when I was seventeen.
Been out in this country ever since.
soldering most 81 the time. and then
| punching cattle for the Six Stars.
Saved n little money and started IN
to so it alone. That's about all the
story"
with lot left out. Why did you
leave homer" '
ooh, they wanted me to go on In
school and be II lawyer"
you finished high schoolY'
| ~Cnro vvhuf mazda x,o,, thtrl, ho
She lHughed.
"Oh. just word or two: you've got
| into the habit of talking like these
people out here. So have l. for the
matter of that. When you live with
them for years, It's bound to twist
your tongue. can speak good Eng.
lIsh when try"
AN the thing yer want to do most
Is to get away from Ponca"
EYES,"
"fer sure don't hold no grudge
against me for what happened to-
night?" f ~
Her lips and eyes smiled.
why, of course not. II was too
ridiculous for anything After you had
hled out ! put my head down on the
table there and laughed until l had
tears In my eyes. The expressions
on those faces when picked you out
would have made dog laugh" ~
Shelby wanted to say something, but
MS mind seemed to be utterly blank.
He could just stare at her dumbly.
The silence became SO embarrassing
that he finally got awkwardly to his
feet. -
Tm-rm awfuily glad you took It
that way" he suffered. "You see.
l don't know much about girls and so
l was afraid you might be mad. I'll
nave to go now, think. Miss"
I'm very sorry, but I'm glad you
came. Goodbye. Mr.. Shelby"
He took the Outstretched hand. con.
scious OF the warm pressure even as
ne fumbled at the latch of the door.
His eyes were downcast and his face
fiamed; nor did he breathe easily un.
III he was again outside, alone In the
darkness Of the night.