White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1925-01-30
THE EXILE OF THE LARIAT
BY HoNoRE wlLLsIE
Copyright 1928
FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY
New York
BY HoNORE WlLLSIE

! 'y''s''s.'s
! People drifted in and out of The
Lariat and Hugh took care Of them in
the half cursory, half whimsical man
ner of which he was so entirely uncon-
scious. He was not good salesman,
but he was a delightful curio-shop
keeper. Miriam caught at once the
sense Of Hugh's elusive charm. 1t
had not deserted him even when he
had been out of temper with Pink. 1t
was present now in his badinage, in
his wide impersonal viewpoint and his
eager looking beyond the walls as he
spoke of his work. She felt, too, his
restlessness and his mental hunger.
And she had strange conviction, as,
under her skilled questioning, he told
her more of himself, that here was
man far too big to remain in The
Lariat or in Fort Sioux.
And Hugh-Hugh who had finished
with the sex forever-was meeting in
Miriam Page that which he had not
known woman could possess: a
mind long trained in competitive
thinking with keen-thinking men, a
mind with the suavity and complexity
of a widely experienced mans. Cou-
pied with this, a physical presence
that was the very essence of the fam
mime. Hugh was disturbed, bewild-
cred, fascinated. He was meeting sex
attraction in one of its most subtle
and intoxicating forms.
They talked Of many things, Miriam
watching Hugh with more and more
interest. She was naturally an i'm
pulsive> human being. But her bust
ness training had refined the impul-
siveness into a capacity for making
instant decisions of a far-seeing kind.
An hours conversation with Hugh
brought Miriam to making the most
important decision of either hers or
Hughs life.
She wanted Hugh. She proposed to
have him.
Love at first sight is normal and
not at all uncommon phenomenon.
Miriam had cared before for men.
But toward Hugh, even at this first
meeting, she was experiencing a
depth of sensation utterly foreign to
her experience.
Hugh on the other hand, did not
realize at all what had happened to
him. He knew that he was meeting
woman by whom he was unprecedent-
eddy attracted. He was not, never
had been interested in women in gen.
eral. He had been deeply disappoint-
ed in his wife. He had not the slight
est desire to complicate his life by
contact with any other woman. And
so even his habit Of self-analysis did
not suffice to warn him, until it was
too late. Perhaps, even had he recog-
nized his own feeling from the first
moment of meeting Miriam, 1t would
have been too late. A man of Hugh's
type has very little chance to escape
from woman like Miriam. Only
Miriam herself could provide that
chance.
They talked rapidly Of many things
in this first meeting. They said much
and they felt more. But both of their
faces were mask-like when they
turned them toward Jessie, sauntering
in at the open door. Carefully mask
like on Hugh's part, as Jessie saw at
once.
Hello" she said casually. II think
you must be the Miss Page Johnny
Parnell is looking for. The outfit is
ready to start"
Eyes, I'm Miss Page" Miriam rose.
81 had not realized that 1t was SO
late"
miss Page" said Hugh, still with
out expression, this is my wife,"
Miriam held out her hand. II sup
pose, Mrs. Stewart" she said, "that
If you were going out to this ranch,
you'd go horseback. wish we're
enough of a horsewoman to do It,"
mo, wouldn't" returned Jessie,
with her usual lazy casualness. II
prefer car to horse for long ride.
Any one would"
"Are the western horses really SO
difficult to rider" Miss Page went on,
pleasantly, but studying Jessie quite
frankly.
'It all depends on the horse" re-
piled Jessie. "You will find you'll
have no trouble IL your mount is
chosen carefully. Though you'll be
very muscle sore at first, no matter
how carefully you choose your ami
NAL"
II suppose saddle soreness is un-
known to you, though" suggested the
eastern woman.
20 was practically born on a
horse" replied Jessie. Even at that,
I'm no such horseman as Hughie."
"Nonsense!" Hugh laughed. Miss
Page, Jessie is the finest thing in
Wyoming on horse"
A curious CLEAN that close OBJ
server might have classed as jealousy
showed for moment in Miriam's
eyes.
Ito Be Continued)
Turnkey Oldest Legislator.