The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1922-05-19

rage.
The range-rider grinned gayly at
him. He was having the time OF his
young life. He did not even regret his
flfty-fve-dollar suit.
"Life's just loaded to the hooks with
disappointment. Ole" he explained,
and his voice was full or genial SYM
patty. "Pll bet dollar Mex you'd
sure like to beat me on the head with
two-by-four. But / don't reckon
| you'll ever get that fond wish gratified.
We're not liable to meet up with each
other again pronto. Today we're here
and tomorrow we're at Yuma. Arizona.
say. for life is short and darned
fleetin', as the poet fellow says"
He waved a hand Jauntily and
turned TO go. But he changed his mind.
His eye had fallen on young woman
standing at French window OF the
house opposite. She was reckoning to
him imperiously.
The young woman disappeared as he
crossed the street, but In a few mo-
ments the door opened and she stood
| there waiting for him. Clay stared He
had never before seen a girl dressed
| like this. She was In riding boots.
breeches and coat. Her eyes dilated
while she looked at him.
"WyomingT she asked.
Arizona" he answered.
"All one. Knew 1t the moment I saw
you tie him. Come In" She stood
aside to let him pass.
That hall, with its tapestried walls.
its polished floors. and oriental rugs,
was reminiscent Of "the movies" to
Clay. Nowhere else had he seen a
home so stamped with the mark Of
ample means.
"Come in" she ordered again, lit
tie sharply.
He came in and she closed the door.
'rm sopping wet. I'll drip all over
the floor"
"What are you going to do? You'll
be arrested, you know" She stood
straight and slim as boy, and the
frank directness of her gaze had
boys sexless unconsciousness.
There came to them from outside
the tap-tap-tap-tap of a policeman's
night stick rafting on the curbstone.
Hes calling help"
81 can explain how 1t happened"
mo. He wouldn't understand. They'd
find you guilty."
To a manservant standing In the
background the young woman spoke.
Jenkins. have Nora clean up the floor
and the steps outside. And remember
i don't want the police to know this
gentleman is here"
Eyes, miss"
"Comei" said the girl to her guest.
Clay followed his hostess to the
stairs and went up them with her, but
he went protesting, though with
chuckle of mirth. "He sure ruined my
clothes a heap. / amt fit to be seem"
The suit he had been so proud of
was shrinking so that his arms and
legs stuck out like signposts. The
color had run and left the goods
peculiar bilious-looking overall blue.
She lit gas-log in a small library
den.
Just a minute, please"
She stepped briskly from the room.
In her manner was a crisp decision, In
her poise a trim gallantry that won
him instantly.
"I'u bet she'd do to ride with" he
told himself in a current western
| Idiom.
When she came back 1t was to take
him to a dressing room. A complete
change of clothing was laid out for
him on couch. A man whom Clay
recognized as a valet-he had seen his
duplicate In the mOving-picture thea
ters at TucsOn-was there to supply
his needs and attend to the tempera-
ture of his bath.
Stevens will look after you" she
said; when you are ready come back
to dads den."
His eyes followed to the door her
resilient step. Once, when he was a
boy, he had seen Ada Rehan play In
"As You Like It." Her acting had en-
tranced him. This girl carried him
back to that hour. She was boyish as
Rosalind, woman In every motion of
her slim and lissom body.
At the head of the stairway she
paused. Jenkins was moving hurriedly
up to meet her.
ITS a policeman. miss. 'E's come
about the-the person that came In.
and e's talkin' to Nora on the steps.
She's a-jollyin' I'm, as you might say,
miss"
His young mistress nodded. She
swept the hall with the eye of a gen.
eral. Swiftly she changed the position
of Turkish rug so as to hide spot
on the polished floor that had been
recently scrubbed and was still moist
Then she opened the door and saun-
tered out.
"Does the officer want something,
Nora 7" she asked lnnocently. switch
ing the end of a crop against her rid
ing-boots.
"Yes, miss. There's been q ruffian
batIn' up Swedes an tyln' 'em to posts.
This officer thinks he came here" ex-
plaiaed Nora.
"Does he want to look In the house?''
ME