Evening star., 1927-05-24
Blue Jean.

was jealous-hopelessly ach-
~ ingly, heart -breakingly jealous.
She stood at the ranch house
window, watching Perry ride off with
Phyllis shannon. the baby-faced East.
ern girl, who had arrived to be Pa
Ieman's paying guest for month
PHYLLIS was clad absurdly in a smart
" tailored broadcloth habit and was
riding Jeans own special pony. More
over. Jean had not been consulted in
the matter, so it was simply adding
Insult to injury.
PHYLLIS was or pretended to be.
novice at riding and seemed TO require
considerable instruction from her
escort. Perry had been Pa Leman
righthand man at the ranch Tor SIN
-<anths now. and had spent most or
bis ..,are hours during that time with
Jean. And yet he appeared to Jeans
hurt and hewildered eyes to be alb
sol,ltelv delighted with his new role
of guide and instructor TO the peftly
attractive stranger.
Jeans eyes grew misty with tears
and her heart felt painfully heavy as
she thought of the difference between
her present depression and her eNclted
happiness just "a hours earlier. me
evening before she had gone WIFI
Perry. as she had gone dozens OF
for the night. Just before they re-
turned to the house Jean had STUN
bled and was suddenly held tight in
perlY's strong arms. The very re-
membranCe of the kiss that followed
made Jeans heart beat faster even
now. 1t was her first kiss, and though
no words had been spoken Jean had
lain awake far into the night, thrilled
with visions of a wedding and a pos
4H~s,e 1ssasA s1NsNr
CITY of New York. And now. this
Perry had gone to meet the Eastern
girl before Jean was up that morning
and had been with her constantly ever
since. He had no right TO take 1t for
granted that Jeans pony should be
the one for Phyllis Shannon to ride.
She wished the girl had stayed in the
East. where she belonged.
Jean went to bed before the riders
returned. Perry's laugh and a giggle
from Phyllis floatcd up TO her just as
she was dropping off to sleep and kept
her miserahly awake for hours.
Perry stopped her next morning to
ask: Not angry, are you. Jean?" And
such a lump came into Jeans throat
that she was helpless to answer ana
turned back to hide her tears. Then
Phyllis claimed his attention, and Jean
didn't see him alone all day.
And so it went on for days, until
Jean was just an aching bit of hope
less misery. Wanting desperately to
conceal her unhappiness from Perry,
vet utterly unable TO be her old ma
tural self, she answered him so shortly
when he did speak to her that he soon
avoided her altogether.
Sometimes she fanCied she saw
hurt, questioning look in his eyes. but
always became convinced later that 1t
must have been her imagination. Ger
tainly he seemed to get along famous
ly with Phyllis. and Jean resentment
toward the other girl grew into a bit
terness that was more than dislike.
s One. evening Perry had ridden over
S to neighboring ranch on some bust
ness for Pa Leman. Jean was just
) feeling a grim satisfaction in the
Thought that at least Phyllis couldn't
! be with him, when the Eastern girl
/. came in, dressed for riding. She spoke
to Jean, coolly patronizing.
: Saddle my pony, vii. you Jean. I'm
going to ride over to meet Perry"
The rage that suddenly surged into
Jeans heart frightened her. She went
out of the house to the stable. She
hated the pretty Eastern girl with her
plucked eyebrows and her too-red lips
what right had she to steal away
Jeans whole LIES happiness? My
pony she said. 1t was Jeans pony.
Phyllis had appropriated the pony as
.coolly as she had the man. Jeans
eyes fell on the little horse that Pa
Lehman had recently brought home
for Perry to break in. 1t was almost
counterpart in size and color of
Jeans own pony. He was becoming
accustomed to the saddle, but Pa
Leman had forbidden Jean to ride
him. Jeans lips were set in a deter
mined line and her eyes cleaned
dangerously. Phyllis would never
know the difference between the two
ponies in the dusky light of approach
ing darkness. Let the patronizing lit.
tie Eastern heartbreaker ride the for
hidden pony and test the value of the
riding lessons that Perry had given
her. She saddled the horse without
much difficulty and led him with beat
ing heart to the house, where she
helped Phyllis to mount and stood
watching her ride off. She was all
right while the pony was walking, but
let her try to keep her seat once the |
horse broke into gallop.
Then when the waves of anger
which had envelOped her had subsidized
Jean was simply overwhelmed with re.
morse. She thought she had suffered
before, but her former misery was
nothlng compared to the despair that |
nlled her heart as a succession of pic |
tured disasters passed before her men |
tai vision. How could she have been
so utterly insane? Phyllis would be
killed and Jean would be responsible! |
Should she saddle her own pony and |
ride after her? But that would be a
confession. There was nothing else
she could do. 1t was quite dark now