The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1927-08-12
WHY
JEAN WAS
BLUE
GO by d. J. walsh,

m EAN LEHMAN was Dlue dS iHuiSO.
AS a matter of fact, she was Jeal-
Gus = hopelessly, heart-breakingly
~ jealous. She stood at the ranch
house window, watching Perry ride
off with Phyllis Shannon. the baby
faced eastern girl, who had arrived
to be "Pa" Leman's paying guest for
a month. Phyllis was clad absurdly
In smartly tailored broadcloth habit
and was riding Jeans own special
pony. Moreover Jean had not been
consulted in the matter, so it was
simply adding insult to injury. Phyllis
was or pretended to be, a novice at
riding, and seemed to require con-
siderable instruction from her escort.
Perry had been Pa Leman's right
hand man at the ranch for six months
now, and had spent most Of his spare
hours during that time with Jean.
And yet he appeared to Jeans hurt
and bewildered eyes to be absolutely
delighted with his new role Of guide
and instructor to the pertly attractive
stranger.
jeans eyes grew misty with tears
and her heart felt pitifully heavy as
she thought Of the difference between
her present depression and her ex-
cited happiness just twenty-fOur hours
earlier. The evening before she had
gone with Perry, as she had gone
dozens Of times. to see that the horses
were safe for the night. Just before
they returned to the house Jean had
stumbled and was suddenly held tight
In Perry'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 vision Of wedding and a pos
sible honeymoon In that far visionary
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
it 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 fioated up to her just as
she was dropping off to sleep and
kept her miserably awake for hours.
Perry stopped her next morning to
ask:
"Not angry, are you, Jean" And
such lump came into Jeans throat
that she was helpless to answer and
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,
yet utterly unable to be her old
natural self, she answered him so
shortly when he did speak to her that
he soon avoided her altogether. Some
times she fancied she saw a hurt,
questioning look in his eyes, but al
ways became convinced later that it
must have been her Imagination. Ger
tainly he seemed to get along famous
ly with Phyllis, and Jeans resentment
toward the other girl grew into a Bit
terness that was more than dislike.
One evening Perry had ridden over
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, will 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 life's 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 Leman had recently brought
home for Perry to break in. It was
almost counterpart in size and color
Of Jeans own pony. He was becom-
ing 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 dam
gerously. Phyllis would never know
the difference between the two ponies
in the dusky light of approaching
darkness. Let the patronizing little
eastern heartbreaker ride the forbid
den 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.