The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1927-04-28
The New School
Teacher
BY ROSE MEREDITH

4 1Ou lUOh Inc u biuS ~ ~ tDocS'
offered Frank Perks.
81 am" retorted Jim shortly.
slow about the new school
teacher-we can't all dance with
herr"
'why try it, them? was Jim's
| reply.
IF you'd stay home once-only
once, and give some of us other fell
lows a chance" complained another
young man mournfully.
"Try to keep me home" suggest.
ed Jim gayly. And it was that
remark that started the thing. One
by one his companions left the
table and hurried to the clubhouse.
BY the time Jim Blakeham
reached his own room, the bunk
house was empty and his compan-
ions were riding off the range, in
one swift moving body.
wonder what the hurry Is"
muttered Jim, pulling off his
clothes, and five minutes later, after
a careful search of the place, he
understood.
LIS DcSt CIOlIlcS ildu
disappeared. If he went to the
dance at the schoolhouse, it would
have to be in suit of working
clothes.
Jim Blakeham was not angry
he knew it was a mischievous trick
they had played upon him. But they
couldn't keep him home that way
he cared too much about the new
school teacher. for she bore the
same name as girl he used to
know-Millie Gray. If this was
his Millie Gray, perhaps he could
discover from her own lips why she
had never answered the important
letter he had written to her.
If this was his Millie Gray, she
wouldn't care about his clothes. He
got into them, glad they were clean
and that he had new black tie.
When he was finished, from SOM
brero to polished brown boots, any,
one would have had to admit that
Jim was good looking.
All the windows in the school
house were wide open when Jim ar
rived. Outside, In the moonlight,
many couples strolled under the.
cottonwoods, so that when Jim
bent his head to enter the school
house door, his appearance was an
event. The voices of his friends
greeted him, and some one started
a little applause. Jim bowed grace
fully, and the whole thing was get
ting along splendidly, when some
one exclaimed:
''Look at the school MAINS she's
fainting,'
Jim Brakeman saw big Dick For
est awkwardly supporting a very
small figure was a cloud
of rich red hair tumbled over her
shoulder
tits Millie-my Mile !" thought
Jim as he pushed his way forward.
but by the time he reached Dick
Forest the girl had been borne
away by ministering women.
"That spoils your dance with the
school teacher" tainted Dick For
est. Believe me, boy, she is some
dancer, too"
The next morning all the men
went rushing off to a long days rid
ing, quite forgetting about the new
school teacher. Jim Blakeham him
self was the only one who actually
had her on his mind that morning
as he rode toward Red Gulf post
office. He had made up his mind
that if AIillie Gray appeared cold
and Indifferent, he would not be
the one to try to arouse her inter
est.
Dreaming thus as his white pony
ambled along the trail. Jim sud
denly heard horses hoofs, and
then, turning, saw the girl Of his
heart riding closely behind him.
She did not glance up at his face
at first 1t was only when he
whirled his pony out of the trail
and gave her free passage that
she looked up gratefully.
ooh, thank you-I was just a bit
afraid of an Indian met yonder--
why, Jim-Jim Blakeham. Is it
really you?" She was radiant with
delight, and Jim rode up to her. hat
in hand
81 didn't believe you'd remember
me, Millie," he said contentedly
Remember you? How yidicu-
lous ~ She blushed warmly, but
her blue eyes were dancing with
pure delight. "Just imagine. see
ing you here r
Imagine meeting the only girl
ever loved out. here in my lone
liness," muttered Jim in a low.
tense tone.
For a moment the girl stared at
him, unbelieyingly. "Oh, Jim Blake
ham, do you really mean that?"
she whispered softly.
"Ah, Millie Gray, Millie Gray, my
heart has ached for you ever since
I left Leadenville-I mailed you a
letter, and you never answered 1t,
and so, just pulled stakes and
came out here's it true-that you
care?" He was holding her hands
now. and his hungry eyes asked
questions.
Millie hung her head. Presently
she nodded gently, and added so
that only his ears heard in that
vast prairie, Would I be here to-
day, Jim, If did not? Last spring
read in the paper something
about you and the ranch here-and
that night applied for the office