Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1934-12-08
b. Elizabeth Jordan

! MS H14lT. k1B &41Eu NA& B0h~1 ~ AA4As5@
| o. bis companion In extempoEt2ed ssx-
al0n a ~Auld Lang sYne~ and -Ss1lle
| Nachk. nealeee Naeht.v and bless on bis
horn With khe aondest. Il was beyond
/ question Christmas morning. 10 guest
/ Is Bsnningsuns could deny OK forget
that, and TIE rollicking was 50 whpls-
| hearted that even y hlass New YORK
I wiri should have smiled upon Il. Every
one was happy but Mss Bryant.
After breakfast David interviewed
Bennington 10 the latter's Office. Could
/ be get some extra ssEates-a pair Tor q
lady and q pair for hiEnselg7 He could.
He could get anything. The hotel and
| its contents Bennington assured nlnn
were his. Bennington had been ravisned
By the Joyous Christmas outbreak @
all his guests. Nothing Of the sort had
ever occurred at Benningtons before.
The proprietor dreamed dreams q hav-
ing young Worse IS his guest over every
| ySiletide.
The STORM had almost cleared by
breakfast time. At 10 O'Clock there were
only few flakes drifting Ianguidly IA
/ the SIN air. The wind had gone down.
| too, and the sun was making an eff
| fort 70 break through thinning, gray
clouds.
David approached Miss Bryant with
outer alacrity and deep inner unwilling
ness. BE was furious with her. BY ner
aloof and critical attitude she had
done her best 10 spoil his breakfast
celebration. She would have spoiled it
If anyone had paid any attention 70
her. He decided to give her 9 good time
this morning, and after that he'd kaue
out. He told himself he'd rather spend
Christmas afternoon and evening with
Mrs Spencer and her cowed companion
than with the Bryants. He felt that he
loathed the Bryant girl. Hard as nails,
and so sure Of herself as the devil, and
so sure OF herself she probably thought
he had fallen for her like 3 ton Of
brick. All right. She had q surprise
coming to her about that. But he faced
her with q grin left over from the
breakfast celebration.
1I got a pair OF good norses and 8
cutter to go to the lake" he told her.
Thought p'raps you might ike sleigh
ride for a change"
Her eyes showed momentary light.
But she spoke indifferently.
"Awfully good Of you" she said, and
David bit his lip. She warmed q bit
when David helped her into the sleigh
and tucked a heavy fur robe over her
knees.
ThereM be some drifts" he warned
her. @But they won't bother the sleigh
any more than they'd bother the sedan.
It's not good going either way, but wen
get there"
She smiled her superior little smile,
the one she wore every time she looked
at him. She seemed bored stiff He set
his jaw, picked up the reins and the
horses plunged ahead.
'eYou had a great time this morning,
didn't your" the girl asked suddenly.
Eyes, did"
He kept his attention on the horses.
He hoped she wouldn't talk. If she did
It was ten to q hundred she'd make him
mad and spoil his morning. But his
next words popped out irrepressibly
'You don't mingIe much"
mo, I'm not q very good mixer"
You're young enough to get over
that" he told her CURLY, and added on
an impulse, you'll have to get over 1t
If you live In these parts"
ooh, don't know"
"Sure you don't know. That's why I'm
tellin' you"
Advising me? Thanks"
He was glad to see that she was am
noyed. He grinned and his spirits rose.
She did not speak again till they had
reached the lake. It was nice COM
panionable little lake, and Miss Bryant
thought well Of 1t. Then a sudden re-
Election struck her.
why, it's been cleared-a lot Of it. !"
Sure it has. How did you expect wei
were going to skate If It wasn't?"
'fYou mean you sent men out here
and had it partly cleared this morn
ing?"
@sure I did. You wanted to skate.
didn't your"
You're really rather wonderful" she
said, slowly.
He stared.
you wanted to skate. didn't your"
he repeated.
He led the horses under tree, fas-
tened them securely, relieved their
check reins, and then, quite at his lei
sure, helped the girl from the sleigh. |
Then he brushed heavy deposit Of
snow from q fallen log, signed 20 her
to sit down, and produced the skates.
~Can you get along on these?" he
asked as he adjusted them on her
walking shoes.
@You mean, can I skater / can.
hope you can"
Il reckon Ill manage, somehow"
He put ON his own skates with care
fll elaboration, stood up and held out
his hands. But she ignored them and
him. She was OFF like an arrow from
a bow, followed the clear space ON the
lake, and giving him an exhibition Of
grace and skill that made his eyes
widen. Then he averted them, swept
out on the lake himself, and, passing
her, put up an easy and competent
exhibition Of his own.
Were acting like couple Of kids"
he told himself, disgustedly as this per-
formance went on. But he was fed up
with her and her airs. What use was
such girl, anyway But he was sub
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