The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1923-07-05

edge swept over Sandy and left him
tingling. Love came to him, the first
clean white fame of first love, burn.
ing like lamp in the heart of man.
1t was for this he knew. that he had
been woman-shy. that he had cher
fshed his own thought of womanhood
as something so rare a thought might
tarnish 1t. First love, shorn of boy
fallacies, strong, irresistible, protec.
tive. passionate.
Game and dainty, tender, true. a
girl-woman, partner-what partner
she would make, western-bred !!
He checked himself there. She was
western born, but what had the trans
planting done? Would she ever now
be satisfied with western ways7 She
would come to him, Sandy knew that.
Whatever he asked her she would not
refuse. But would that be fair to
her? And he did not want her to
come to him out of gratitude. He
wanted her nature to fuse with his.
II seemed no time since he had
taken her from her saddle and car
ried her, a tired, heartsore child. in
his arms. She must have fair
chance to see If the East, with all II
could offer her of amusement and in
terest, would not outbid the claims
Of the West. He must walt and watch
and hold himself In hand though his
love and his knowledge Of 1t thrilled
through him, charging him as II with
an electric current that strove to
close all gaps between him and Molly,
struggling ever, In mind and body. to
complete the circle.
They got to the ranch ahead of the
fivver by scant margin Miranda
Bailey indicted Molly and her chap
eron governess into the quarters she
had helped prepare for them, Molly
giving little cries of delight at the
improvements she saw downstairs.
Miranda came down first and Joined
the partners.
"Molly is certainly sweet" she said
"She's grown into a woman an she's
grown away from the old Molly.
Can't say as how she's affected none
fine. That gels natcherally got a
grand disposition.
1.-THE Nicholson person-her first
name is Clarice-is well-meanln' |
enough. She amt shifless, but she !
amt what you'd call practical I
reckon she does fine in teachln' Molly
some things, but shed be plumb
wasted out west. I'll say she never
washed out anything bigger than a
hankychif or cooked thing larger'n
an egg. An she c'udn't boss sick
lizard But she's easy to git along
with, I suppose.
"That Donald is good-lookin' lad,"
went on Miranda. ut must take him
an awful waste of time to fix his
clothes every time he puts 'em ,on. l
don't know how smart he "a inside,
but he's got some of them movin'-
picture heroes beat on appearance.
I'm wonderin' what Molly thinks
about him. AS for his father. he's
smart enough inside an out. But be
talks too much like a politician 10
suit me. Tn mighty glad we got cash
for our claims. Kelth's too slick an
smooth an smilin' to suit me-
1t was a lengthy diatribe from Nj
randa Bailey, accustomed as they
were to hear her state opinions freely.
The trio at Three Star had univer-
sally come to respect her decisions
and also her intuitions, and none Of /
them had felt especially cordial
toward Keith as man, though they
considered him good in his profession.
THE writer, Kiplln'," said Sandy,
"wrote poem about East an West,
sayin' that never the two c'ud meet.
Ef Keith tries to fiamjigger Molly out
OF anything that's comm to her By
rights, why, I reckon that's one time
the West an East Is goin' to meet
an mebbe lap over a bit. SO fur. he's |
put money In our pockets. Here's
molly
I'm goin' home" said Miranda, as |
the girl entered the room. 1--WE got
you started an I'll run over once In |
q while to see how Pedro Is maxim |
out"
She said good-by to Molly, who had |
swiftly changed out Of her riding
clothes into a gown that looked !
simple enough to Sandy, though he
sensed there were touches about II
that differentiated II from anything
turned out locally. With the dress
she looked more womanly, older, than
In the boyish breeches Miss Nichol-
son had made some changes also, but
she had a chameleon-like faculty Of
blending with the background that
preserved her alike from being criti-
ciEed or conspicuous. As she shook
hands with Miranda the two present
cd marked contrasts. Miranda was
neutrality-suspicious.. of equal
rights and equal enterprise; Miss
Nicholson mid-victorian, with no more
use for vote than for one Of Sandy's
guns. Yet likable.
I'm going to Daddy's grave" said
Nelly, when Miranda had fiivvered
on. II wish the three of you would
come there to me in about ten min
uteG Miss Nicholson. everybody's at
homo here. Please do anything you
want to. nothing you don't want to-"
At the end Of the ten minutes the
three men walked together toward
the cottonwoods. Grit was lying on
the grave, and they saw Molly kneel-
ing BY the little railing. They adj
vanced silently over the turf and
stood in q group about her with their
hats OF and their heads bowed. Grit