The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1924-11-14

perhaps a volume of Tennyson on her
knee.
"Shucks!" he grinned to himself, a
tritle shame-facedly. Its just the
springtime in the air."
In such a mood there appeared to
Bud Lee a. vision. Nothing less. He
was in the little meadow hidden from
the ranch-house by gentle hills still
green with young June. He had been
working Lovelady, newly broken
saddle-mare. Standing with his back
to tree, a cigarette in the making
in his hands, his black hat far back
upon his head, he smilingly watched
Lovelady as with regained freedom
she gallOped back across the meadow
to her herd. Then shadow on the
grass drew Lees eyes swiftly away
from the mare and to the vision.
Over the verdant flooring of the
meadow, stepping daintily in and out
among the big golden buttercups, came
one who might well have been that
lady of his dreams A milk-white hand
held up pale-pink skirt, disclosing
the lacy flounce of fine underskirt,
pale-pink stockings and mincing little
slippers; a pink parasol cast the most
delicate of tints upon pretty face
from which big blue eyes looked out
little timorously upon the tall horse
foreman.
He knew that this was Marcia
Langworthy. He had never known
until now just how pretty she was,
how like a flower.
Marcia paused, seemed to hesitate,
lodged suddenly as noisy bumblebee
sailed down the air. Then the bee
buzzed on and Marcia smiled. Still
stepping daintily she came on until.
with her parasol twirling over her
shoulder, she stood in the shade with
Lee. ...
you're Mr.. Lee, aren't your" asked
Marcia. She was still smiling and
looked cool and fresh and very allur-
ing.
Lee dropped the markings of his Gig
arctic, ground the paper into the sod
with lis heel and removed his hat
with gallantry little short of rev.
erence.
Yes" he answered, his gravity
touched with the hint of responsive
smile. els there something can do
for you, Miss Langworthy?"
"Oh !" cried Marcia. $50 you know
who / am? Yet 1 have never seen
you. l think"
1.-The star doesn't always see the
moth, you know" offered Lee: little
intoxicated by the first vision" Of this
kind he. had seen in many years.
:" cried Marcia again, and then
stopped, looking at him, frankly puz-
zled She knew little frst-Eand of
horse foremen. But she had seen Car
son, even talked with him. And she
had seen other wOrkmen. She would,
until now, have summed them all up
as illiterate, awkward and imp ossibly
backward and shy. A second long,
curious glance at Lee failed 10 show
that he, was embarrassed, though in
truth he had had time to be a bit
ashamed of that moth-and-star obser-
walton of his. Instead, he appeared
quite self-possessed. And he was good
looking. remarkably good-looking. And
he didn't seem illiterate; quite the
contrary, Marcia thought. In an in
slant she catalogued this tall, dark,
calm-eyed man as interesting.
She twirled her parasol It him and
laughed softly. A strand of blond
hair that was very becomin~ where
it was, against her delicate cheek. she
tucked back where it evidently be-
longed. since there it looked even more
becoming.
''AIr. Hampton isn't here, is hep" she
asked.
mo. Come to think of it, he did
say this morning that he would be out
right after lunch to help me break
Lovelady. But I haven't seen him."
"He wanted me to stroll out here
with him." Marcia explained. "And
I wouldn't. 1t was too hot. Didn't
you find it terribly hot about an horr
ago, Mr.. Lee?'
AS a matter Of fact Bud Lee had
been altogether too busy an hour ago
with the capers of Lovelady to note
whether it was hot or cold. But he
courteously agreed with Miss Lang
worthy.
sThen," she ran on brightly, sit got
cool all of sudden. Or at least
did. And 1 thought that Polly had
come out here, so / walked out to
surprise him. And now, he isn't here !"
Marcia looked up at Lee helplessly,
smilingly. fascinatingly. 1t was quite
as though she had added: "Oh. dear!
What shall | do?'
Pollock Hampton had fully meant TO
come. But by now he had forgotten
all about Bud Lee and horses to ride
and to be bucked off by. A telegram
had come from nasty little tailor in
San Francisco who had discovered
Hampton's retreat and who was dew
ilishly insistent upon small matter
oh, some suits and things, you know.
The whole thing totaled scarcely seven
hundred dollars. He went TO find Ju-
dith, to beg an advance against his
wages or allowance or dividends or
whatever you call it. Judith was out
somewhere at the Lower End, Mrs.
Simpson thought. Hampton saddled
his own horse and went to find her.
All this Marcia was to learn that eve
ming.
After the swift passing of a few
bright minutes, Marcia and Bud Lee
strolled together across the meadow