Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1924-06-14
CHAPTER w

When Zen awoke mex morning the
/ moving machines of Transley's outfit
were already singing their symphony
in the meadows; she could hear the
metallic rhythm as it came borne on
/ the early breeze. She lay awake on
her camp cot for a few minutes
stretching her fingers to the canvas
| ceiling and feeling that ii was good to
! be alive. And IL was. The ripple
/ of water came from almost underneath
/ the walls of her tent; the smell of
| spruce trees and balm-o'- Gilead and
/ new-mown hay was In the air. She
could feel the warmth of the sunshine
already pouring upon her white roof /;
she could trace the gentle sway Of
/ the trees by the leafy patterns gliding
/ forward and back A cheeky gopher.
exploring about the door of her tent,
ventured in, and, sitting bolt upright,
sent his shrill whistle boldly forth
She watched his fine bravery for a
minute, then clapped her hands to-
gether, and laughed as he fled.
Therein we have the figures of both
Transley and Under" she unused to
herself. Upright, Transley; horizon
tai, Under. / doubt if the poor fell
low slept last night after the fright
l gave him"
Slowly and clamly she turned the
/ incident over in her mind. She won
dered a little If she had been quite
/ fair with Under Her words and con
duct were capable of very broad in
terpretations. She was not at all in
love with Under; of that Zen was sure.
She was equally sure that she was not
at all in love with Transley. She adj
mitted that she admired Transey for
his calm assumptions, but they nettled
her little nevertheless. If this should
develop into a love affair-if It should
she had no intention that 1t was TO
be pleasant afternoons canter. II
was to be race-a race, mind you
--and may the best man win! She
had feeling. amounting almost Ia a
conviction, that Transley moderated
his fOreman's possibilities in such a
contest. She had seen many a dark
horse, less promising than Under, gall
! Top home with the stakes.
Then Zen smiled her own quiet. self
confident smile. The Idea of either
TransIey or Under thinking he could
gallop home with her. For the mo-
ment she forgot to do Under the JUS
| tice of remembering that nothing was
further from his thoughts. She would
show them She would make a race Of
it-almost to the wire. In the home
stretch she would make the leap. out
and over the fence she was in It for
the race not for the finish.
Zen contemplated for some minutes
the possibilities Of that race; then. as
the imagination threatened to become
involved, she sprang from her cot and
thrust a cautious head through the
door of her tent The gang had long
since gone to the fields. and friendly
bushes sheltered her from view from
the cook car She drew on her boots.
shook ont her hair, threw towel
across her shoulders. and. soap in
hard walked boldly the few steps to
the stream ripping over its shiny
gravel bed. She stopped and tested
the water with her fingers; then
brought Il IN fresh cool handfuIs about
her face and neck.
| Mornin', Zen e' said familiar
voice. "Scuse me for happenin' to
be here. was Jus waterln' that Pete
horse after a hard ride"
Now look here, Mr.. Drazk I" said
the girl. whipping her scanty clothing
about her, III had a gun! won't
have you spying about"
Jaw, don be cross" Drazk protest
ed. He was sitting on his horse In
the ford dozen yards away. Il JUS
happened along. I guess the outside
/ belongs to all of US. Say, zen. II l
was to get properly interduced. what's
the chancesT
''Not one in a million. and If that
isn't odds enough I'll double 1T"
You're not goin' to hitch up with
Under are your
'Linder7 Who said anything about
/ Linder?"
Gee, but ain't she innercent?'
/ Drazk stepped his horse up a few
feet to facilitate conversation. Il alus
take nm interest in inherent gals
away from home. so l kinda KEEP my
angel eye on you las night An I
see Under stalkin' aroun here an
sichin' out over the water when he
should ave been IN bed. But, Of
course. he's been interduced'
George Drazk, II you speak TO me
again I'll horsewhip you out Of the
camp at noon before all the men. Now,
beat itw
"Jrs. as you say, ma'am," he re-
/ turned, with mock courtesy. But you
| sNptt paaa ~ - era~aa Thae's 40