The Ordway new era., 1921-11-25

tear open the envelope when the tall
straight figure of Jimmy Fayne ap
peared before her. He had on riding
clothes, and there was rawhide quir
in his hand.
You scared me, jimmy laughe'
Miss Elizabeth. a trille nervously. e
didn't know you We're anywhere
around -
Beg pardon" Jimmy smiled. MAY
1 sit down beside you?'
"Yes."
He sat down beside her and began
thoughfully TO flick the toe of one OF
| his shining boots with the tip of his
quirt. She knew what he had come to
say, before he said it:
"Once more looking pleadiugly into
| her eyes-''wou't you marry me and
make me happy forever afterward?'
She turned the letter over in her lap
in order that Fayne might not see, ac-
cidentally or otherwise, the address.
Jimmy" she finally said, "rd like
to have little more time to think
about it. Things like this oughtn't to
be decided in hurry"
You've already had months Or
were they years-or ageSI Why do
YOU keep putting me of like this, Eliz-
abeth?'
AS l told You, Jimmy, l don't
lie interrupted almost sharply: 81
know you don't love me. But you'll
learn to-after you've seen how much
l shall adore you
He made move as though TO take
her into his arms, and she shranb
from him; he had done that same
thing, and she had done that same
thing, dozens of times before.
With unseeing eyes Elizabeth watched
Mrs. Dale step from her motor M the
porte-cochere and 90 into the house.
Jimmy Fayne too, saw Mrs. Dale,
but he was wholly unaffected by the
sight of her; Mrs Dale. somehow, did
not object to his seeing the girl quite
as much as she had once objected.
Jimmy" after a long silence had
passed between them, "l-l'm afraid /
amt the right woman for you.
If you knew, for sure, that l once took
a rifle gun and killed man with it,
would you-would you still want me?'
Fayne laughed as though mt good
joke.
You kill man? Why, / couldn't
believe it. But if you had killed man,
or dozen men, tit could hardly
make any difference to me. If you did
do it, you did it because there was
nothing else TO do; I'm sure of that.
We won't mention it again, if you're
willing. 1 neither criticize nor attempt
to understand your hill codes. Marry
me, won't you, Elizabeth."
III I did" asked Ben Littleford's
daughter, would you help my people
back in the hills?"
Educate 'em? Yes! Every blessed
one of EN-
''Freely?'
"YeS!'
Once more Elizabeth Littleford tried
TO decide. Fayne's eyes grew more and
more hopeful as he watched her lips.
He became impatient.
Tell me-" he begged.
The girl took up the letter she had
just received from Bill Dale.
"As soon as l read this" she mur-
INJURED, 'I'l tell you, Jimmy. If you
don't mind, please look the other way
for minute"
She tore off one end of the envelope,
drew out the single sheet and unfolded
1t. Her eyes narrowed; her face
flushed, and then became just a little
pale. Her underlip quivered as she
folded the sheet and put it back Into
the envelope.
Il can't marry you, jimmy" she told
him.
Without another word she arose and
left him. She hastened to the house,
hastened upstairs, and went to her
room.
Half an hour later Mrs. Dale found
her lying face downward on her bed.
and beside her lay crumpled sheet
OF paper. Mrs. Dale picked up the
sheet, Strengthened it out, and read
this, in the bold handwriting of her
son:
Believe me, l am very appreciatiye
of your invitation. But / am having
Christmas with your mother, here in
my own country"