New Britain herald., 1923-02-02

vas over Dswnlight was iR disgrace
 forever, the gounElinEs had won .
 nsme by finishing two heats out al
 thres nese and nose with silkskin,
 while nothing in ihe entries had kept n sight of LighlRing,
 Its been a great day she said
 happily as she walked through the dust with sin down 10 the eOFFals to talk it over with the boys. and te pet the shining beauties, one by one. ''nawnlight, poor girl" she said nltyinslF, ''Nhy is it that you are cursed with such a vile temReFs" kut Brisl0n took them all, victor and Nanauished alike, into the shell ter of his wise care and dusk found them hlanketed and close -herded in
 iheir corral, their names, and John
 aaRnah's on the lipe Of an the range- land
 Once more had the Ross of Para. disc proved his passion for the hest in its line"
 With the coming of twilight Val vanished from Perly's Waiehful eyes into the Teeesses of the Hudson House 10 brink and preen with the girl from ID north, io emerge with the first stFumming of the fifdles across the road al llunnewell's, sweet as dark flower in her white dress with the red sash. the Spanish shoes, the rose behind her ear,-whieh same big bud had ridden wrapped in wet cotton in a little wooden hos in the hnndle-and with the red feather fan hung to her brown wrist by a ribbon.
 In the middle of the bunch from faradise-all save Dirk whose first watch it was at the corrals-she en. tered the great room Of the store where everything movable-save and except the bar-had been removed. and she was proud as any queen rid. ing between her loyal subiects-proud with the pride Of Paradise.
 CHAPTER VIII.
 \ Rusiler's Hand.
 Hnnnewcil's store had been cleaned and decorated for the occasion. The erstwhile dim windows shore clear. the worn floor had been swept and smoothed with sand and water. while ' and yards of ancient bunting which | had seen many a Fourth.
 In the northeast corner a platform i had been erected and on it sat two men. their fiddles pressed to their shoulders. or held on their knees while they frightened and picked ju- dieially at the whanging strings.
 There was surge of cowboys across the floor. great lowing, a rustic of rising women, and the voice of the caller cutting high above the music
 "Git yore pardners!"
 Hunnewells was a large structure. on the cleared floor four sets could lance with ease at once.
 A garden of butterflies "a close of flowers a web of color, vas Hunnewel's floor that night. Cowboys in gay silk shirts, studded ( ,elts, corduroys and soft store" [ hoes. led out girls and women in all ints of the rainbow.
 "S'lute yer pardner!" S The web sank and rose in pillows , rith the lowing heads.
 Lead tn lady an srun tn gent.' Hands reached for hands like scut- ering leaves in wind,
 Back to tn place from 'whar ye 'ent,'
 The web broke and moved. swift gay. mass of swishing Sirts, of slipping feet, of happy eyes laughter and of light, and the ance was in full swing. M
 In the thick of it moved Val Han- on, sweet. smiling, her dark cheeks lshed like the sunsets on the mesas, er dark eyes sparkling like harbor ,hts. Opposite her danced Briston. hose place and honor it was to ave the first dance by reason of his anding at Paradise. The foreman as nearing the forty mark in years 1t he was a handsome figure of a an. slim ?hipped, tall, easy as a uth and he had danced before Val IS born.
 As Val wove in and out among the all there was to see--the dresses of e women, the good dancers among e men. the prettiest girls. Like flame, like a flower. like mething full-charged with life and auty, Lolo Sanchez swept and fitted this way and that, brilliant as e in her scarlet and black, and she, ), wore a deep red rose behind her tie ear For some unaccountable Fl ason, half unconsciousy, Val Han M