Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1934-07-20

just slide up and tell 'em you know
for certain, only you wouldn't tel
anybody but them, that Miss Anne
hasn't any folks except cousin.
she's never seen, and she run away
because her guardian wanted he,
to marry a rich old rake that she
hated"
Petry grinned. "All right
Martha, just as you say"
Martha's mouth quirked briefly
and sobered again.
Look here, do you suppose
Barry's heard any of this?"
Don't believe so. If anybody'd
ever said it to him, he'd a sailed
in and took 'em apart"
Martha looked worried. ''No."
she said grimly, The wouldn't take
EN- apart. He'd Just turn icy mad
and freeze 'em until they cracked.
And he'd rage inside all the way
home, because he's awful fond of
Miss Anne"
Inside of the house a voice was
Esinging, a lifting soprano. Perry
listened for a moment, eased the box
softly to the table and tiptoed out
again.
Anne was restless. She was alone,
for Martha had gone to Marston to
spend the day, leaving shortly after
breakfast with Petry. At first it
had been rather fun. She had
roamed from the house to the creek
and back to the house again, but
little by little things that she want
ed to forget had crept in.
She must not think of them; she
didn't want to. This was a new
life and she was going to be happy
In it. She was happy. Would she
ever feel free to do the things that
other girls did-well, to marry, for
instance? Even if she told the man
first? But she couldn't tell. What
ever happened, she didn't dare do
that She wondered what Barry
Duane would say if he knew.
She jumped up suddenly and gave
herself an impatient shake. She
would go out and saddle Comet, and
leave it miles behind.
For the first level half mile
they swept along in an exhilarat-
ing burst of speed, but after that
she pulled the pinto down to a
steadier pace, and once turned to a
sleeper trail he bent down to busin-
ess and climbed diligently.
This was the first time that she
had ridden for any great distance
alone, and there was a thrill in it.
She meant to make the same circle
that she and Barry had travelled on
their first ride together.
For over an hour she rode slowly.
Then she reined in and dismounted
Comet watched her with liquid, I'm
blinking eye as she climbed out
to a boulder of red sandstone. 1t
made a natural seat.
For a long time she sat there.
The suns rays were slanting from
the west. Little by little the
warmth and light were fading from
her face again. She jumped up
abruptly. She suddenly realized
how low that sun was. "Comet!"
she called. Comet. boy, we're
going home"
No answering whinny came to
her call. There was no sign of the
pinto.
Anne stood very still for a mo-
ment, telling herself that she wasn't
scared. 1t was her own fault; she
ought to have tiled him to the
ground" as Petry called it. She
gave an anxious glance at those
slanting rays and turned quickly on
her way -.
A swaying of bushes on a lower
slope caught her eye, and then in
an open space there was a flash of
glossy piebald TANKS. She called
with all the strength of healthy
young lungs. The pinto caught the
sound, looked back and hesitated.
She was within a hundred feet of
him when he frisked capriciously,
broke into an easy canter and stopp-
ed at a safer distance.
She could have wept with vexa-
ton. More slowly this time, Anne
followed him with coaxing voice
and outstretched hand. This was
a nice game, and Comet was feeling
coltish and gay. He let her come
quite near and then wheeled and
cantered off again.
When she came to the next
open space there was no sign of the