The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1924-08-06

| she want2
That was just 1t. There were dark
| moments when she felt that surely
there must be something more than all
this. She did not know what ii was
she could not analyze her thoughts or
give them definite form-but In these
dark moments she feared that she was
being tricked, that the whole thing
was sham which she would discover
when 1t was too late. She did not
suspect her mother, or her father, or
Transley, one or all, Of being parties
to this trick; she believed that they
did not know it existed She herself
did not know It existed But the fear
was there.
against her will. that possibly DENIM
son Grant had something to do with
it. She had not seen him since she
had pressed his fingers and ne had rid
den away through the smoke-haze of
the South Y.D. She had dutifully tried
to force him from her mind. But he
would not stay out of it. 1t was about
that fact that her misgivings seemed
most to center. When she would be
thinking of Transley, and wondering
about the future, suddenly she would
discover that she was not thinking of
Transley, but of Dennisop Grant.
These discoveries shocked and humili-
ated her. 1t was an impossible posi-
ton. She would throw Grant forcibly
out of her mind and turn to Transley.
And then, in an unguarded moment,
Transley would fade from her con-
seriousness, and she would know again
that she was thinking of Grant.
At length she allowed herself the
luxury Of thinking frankly about Den
nisOn Grant. 1t was a luxury. 1t
brought her a secret happiness which
she was wholly at a loss to under
stand, but which was very delightful,
nevertheless. She amused herself with
comparing Grant with Transley. They
had two points In common: their ply
steal perfection and their fearless.
self-confident manner. With these ex-
ceptions they seemed to be complete
contradictions. The ambitious Trans
ley worshiped success; the philoso-
phical Grant despised 1t. That differ
ence In attitude toward the world and
its affairs was a ridge which separated
the whole current of their lives. 1t
even. in way, shut one from the view
of the other; at least 1t shut Grant
from the view of Transley. Transley
would never understand Grant. but
Grant might, and probably did. I'M
derstand Transley. That was why
Grant was the greater of the two. :.
She reproached herself for such
thought; it was disloyal to admit that
this stranger on the Landson ranch
was greater man than her husband
to-be. And yet honesty-or, perhaps,
something deeper than honesty-com-
PEELED her TO make that admission.
She ran back over the remem-
bered incidents of the night they had
spent together, marooned like ship
wrecked sailors on rock in the foot
hills His attentiveness, his courtesy,
his freedom from any conventional re-
straint. his manly respect which was
so much greater than conventional re-
straint-all these came back to her
with poignant tenderness. She pic
tured Transley in his place. Transley
would probably have proposed even
before he bandaged her ankle. Grant
had not said a word of love, or even
of affection. He had talked freely of
her request-but there
had been nothing that might not have
been said before the world. She had
been safe with Grant.
After she had thought on this theme
for while Zen would acknowledge to
herself that the situation was absurd
and impossible. Grant had given no
evidence of thinking more of her than
of any other girl whom he might have
met He had been chivalrous only.
She had sat up with a start at the
thought that there might he another
girl. Or there might be no girl.
Grant was an unusual character. . :.
At any rate, the thing for her to do
was to forget about him. She should |
have no place In her mind for any |
man but Transley. 1t was true he |
had stampeded her. but she had &c |
cepted the situation In which she |
found herself Transley was worthy |
pf her-she had nothing TO take back
she would go through with it.
On the principle that the way to
drive an unwelcome thought ont of |
the mind Is to think vigorously about
else, Zen occupied herself
with plans and day-dreams centerirg
about the new home that was to be
quilt in town. Neither her father nor
had as yet returned from the
rip on which they had gone with a
,iew to forming partnership. 81
here had been no opportunity to dis
,uss the plans for the future, but Zen
ook 1t for granted that Transley
would build In town. He was so en-
husiastic over the possibilities Of that
-oung and bustling center of popula-
ion that there was no doubt he would
want to throw In his lot with II. This
Prospect was quite pleasing tn the
,irl IL would leave her within easy