The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1923-06-07

pass.
ride In? She won't be dressed for
II, travelin' ON the train" said MI
randa.
I've got a bunch she will" Sandy
answered simply. "They got their
own private car. If she amt, why.
Sam can ride the bay back. But ~
an Pronto, the bay an Grit are gOin
hathaway
There were certain tones Of Sandy's
voice that gave absolute fnality to his
statements. He used them on this
occasion. The argument dropped. In
a way Sandy was making the matter
n test Of Molly. If she was as anxious
as she wrote TO fork a brOncho," If
she understood Sandy and he her, she
would feel that he would be waiting
the ranch western fashion. If not, 1t
meant that she was out of the chrys-
alls and had become, not the busy
bee that belongs to the mesquite and
the sage, but a gaudier. less respon-
slble iutterer among eastern flower
beds.
Miranda's caravan started an hour
after Sandy left. she driving, Mormon
and Sam In the back, each dressed In
his best, minus chapeSSSos and spurs,
but otherwise most typlcally the cow-
boy and therefore out of ~place-and
feeling it-as they sat stiffly In the
leatherette-lined tonneau. Miranda
was In starched linen, destitute of all
ornament, q dark red ribbon at her
throat the only touch of color, look
ing extremely efficient and, as Sam
whispered to Mormon. "a bit stand
offish."
The train rolled In majestically, the
private car cleaning with varnlsh
and polished glass anG brass, with q
white-coated darby flashing white
teeth on the platform as the fussy
local engine took the detached luxury
to the side-track designated for its
Hereford location. The fiivver was
parked and Miranda, Mormon and
Sam made n group a little ahead
of the others. recognized by the crowd
as privileged.
II Wilson Keith. clad In tweeds
tailored on Fifth avenue. a little
portly. s~quare-faced, confident. q trihe
condescendlng. typifed the East.
Sandy was the West. A good horse
! Is the incarnation OF symmetry. grace
and power. Sandy. erect In the saddle.
lean and keen, matched all OF Prom
to's fitness. Man and mount both
eminently belonged to the land. SHIN
mering with sage. far-stretching to
the mountains, a land that demanded
and bred such a combination.
Keith stood by the railing Of his
platform, the darby ready. with the
~dismounting stool. He surveyed the
crowd affably. with the poise of a
successful candidate assured Of well
come, waving his hand in d~emi-salute
10 Sandy. Sam and Mormon. lifting
his hat graciously to Miranda Bailey.
The a and the car emanated pros
perity. Yet, for all the booming OF
Casey Town. the finding Of pay-ore
the sale Of shares. Keith's present
financial status was not ali that ne
trusted II might he within a short time.
II was part Of the technique Of his pro-
Of financial success, and of late he had
worn these until al times they faded
him, but they were well designed.
well worn. and no one doubted hut
that Wilson Keith was a man Of ready
millions.
Keith had dallied with oil. had spec
ulated. plunged. been persuaded TO In
vest heavily. He was beginning to
have a vague fear Of not being so
certain ms he would have wished as
to which end OF the line he had taken,
that of the baited hook. or the end
that was attached TO the reel that au-
tomatlcally plays the fish.
He sold gold and he was buying oil.
Others, partners with him In new en-
terprises In the petroleum field. were
making sudden fortunes. His turn
had not come yet, but they assured
him that his ventures promised even
more than those that had enriched
them. Faster than gold came out Of
Casey Town. Keith used II In Okla
homa and Texas.
The engine uncoupled and painted
of, leaving the car at rest on the
spur-track. The fox-.aced secretary
came out. held the door open. Some
one followed Molly Casey. Sandy
surmised II must be Donald Keith, but
he had sight for nothing except the
slender figure whose radiant face, be-
tween a Panama hat and a dustcoai
of pongee silk. shone straight at him.
II was Molly, but a glorified Molly
woman. not girl. The freckles had
gone. the snub nose had become de
fined, the eyes Of Irish blue seemed
to have deepened In hue hack of their
sinudgy lashes. The wide mouth was
the same, scarlet and soft as cactus
blossom. smiling. opening In a glad
cry.
SANDY Her arms went u
toward him In greeting over the brass
railing. Then Grit, catapulting from
ground to, platform, with frantic yaps
ri welcome, fairly howled over the
darky with his mounting block and
bounded up into Molly's embrace.
There was confusion on the platform
for a ONE with Grit as the nu-