Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-31

you've decided that you dislike that
background so much that you want
it-and me---to fade out of the picture
Of your life, Is that it,"
Yes" said Warner steadily.
Impossible, old dearr'
why impossible? II you loved
me--that would be different" he said
again.
She shook her bobbed head In an
eXasperated fashion.
II tell you / do love you, PhiI---in
my way. Oh, of course, I'm not senti-
mental--it isn't done nowadays-and,
If you throw me over. | shan't go to
the bottom. like the wild duck be-
cause | have "A couple of slugs in me
and a trailing wing. I'll come to the
surface all right, and I'll keep afioat,
But / acknowledge l shant feel
happy. You've come to mean a lot
to me. Phil. You may not be perfect.
but you can put it all over the men
I've knoWn-"
CHE stared brightly at him while her
mind raced backward to the pre-
ceding Summer. when she had sud
denly found the men of her set in
tolerable. Josh Carlisle had taught
her what to expect in the way of
ultimate establishment, and it was
in a revolt against him and his kind
that she had acquiesced in her IA
theirs invitation to accompany him
on trip to inspect some mining
properties in Idaho. The inspection
over, they had decided on a short
tour, and 1t was at the end of hard
days going in the Snake River coun-
try that they had come upon the
'Bye-low Ranch"
AS Remy stared at Warner, she
could see again the hot, treeiess up
land trail, from which they had un.
eNpectedly looked down into the val
ley. with Warmers ranch lying cool
and shady at the bottom. 1t had
seemed like a glimpse of Paradise,
with its copper splashed pool gleam-
ing blue as Maxtield Parrish bit of
water between the dark. pointed pop
lars growing beside it; and the white
ranch house, surrounded by unbeliev-
ably green g.dss and fat, grazing cat
tie, seemed to extend welcome to them
They turned their horses heads
downward, and at sunset drew rein at
the wide porsh.steps of the "Bye-low
Ranch" and Remy saw Warner for
the first time.
From the very beginning he had
been attracted to her. An impersonal
note in his attentions, a politeness
untinged with gallantry, piqued her.
AS for Warner, the unexpected advent
of the girl, her youth. the aura of
wealth and power about her, dazzled
him, who had never been dazzled by
such things. 1t was as though he had
plucked star from the blue. >.
Together they rode the ranch, and
he showed the girl the waving fields
OF alfalfa, explaining the wonders of
all the plans SO dear to him for fur
Their development of the natural re-
sources of the country. When the
day grew too hot for riding, they
loafed In the big. cool living room,
looking at his guns and hunting tro-
phies and discussing the books and
that crowded the tables
and spilled over on the floor
In the evenings they sat out under
the bright stars. the shadow of the
Sawtooth Mountains looming family
in the distance, and Warner told her
the uneventful story of his life.
He had been brought West when a
baby, by his father. seeking health
dIteF Il breakdown, and had grown up
in the large tranquility of that new
country, alone, save for his parents.
his dogs and horses, and the occa-
slonal bands of migrating Indians.
His father had managed to make a
little money. and there had been a
tutor for the boy during a couple of
Winters, and then three years at Lee
land Stanford. He had been recalled
from college by the death of his
father, followed by that of his mother
In few months. Since then he had
lived alone, busy, contented.
r EMY and her father stayed two
weeks, and. long before the i'm.
promptu visit was up she knew that
she wanted Warner more than she
had ever wanted anything in her life.
She felt sure that she had only to
stretch out her hand. and she knew
no reason for staying it. Hadn't she
always got what she wanted?
And now this prize which had
seemed so easily within her grasp
was slipping from her, eluding her!
There had been times since Warmers
arrival in New York, Remy acknowl.
edged to herself, when she had doubt.