The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1935-01-18

Bernie, could you not induce Jim
to stay?" she queried.
Herrick waved deprecatory hand
Bernie has consented to let me share
his ranching enterprise" she said. I'D
like to see It pay-a reasonable In
terest. at least. And I have rather
conceived the idea that it'd be difficult,
| II not impossible. without you"
"Not at ALL" replied Jim, constrain-
edly.
Presently she arose: "Come, let US
ride. We can discuss 1t better In the
saddle" 4a
Jim could not find his tongue. He
was vastly concerned with this ride.
After it, would he be as strong as
he was now? To be near her. :.
Barnes led the onslaught of ranch
hands upon Helen, and the welcome
she received could not have been any
thing but gratifying.
Jim got on the horse Barnes saddled
for him and followed Helen who to his
surprise took the road back up to the
ranch house. Perhaps she had for
! gotten something. But when he turned
the bend she was mounting the trail
that led up the ridge If there had
been giants on huge steeds pulling Jim
back, he still would have kept on.
When they got up to the level ridge,
among the pines, he trotted to catch
up with her. But she kept little
ahead.
His thoughts locked around the
astounding fact-this was the trail
they had ridden down, after that en-
counter when he had kissed her. Sight
and hearing. his sense of all around
him, seemed strangely intensified. The
pines whispered, the rocks had secret
voice, the sky turned blue, the white
clouds sailed, the black Henrys doomed
above and the purple-gray valley deep
ened its colors below.
Helen halted her horse under the
very pine where they had stopped to
listen to the hounds and cowboys rae
Ing up the ridge after the deer.
"My sense of direction seems to be
all right" said Helen.
"Helen, I fear It's better than your
sense-of kindness, let me say.
Why did you bring me here?"
please look at my cinch," she re-
piled, coolly.
Jim dismounted, more insure Of
himself than ever in any Of the many
crucial moments Of his career. He did
not understand a woman. He could
only take Helen literally.
Her saddle cinch was all right, and
he rather CURLY told her so.
"Then-maybe it's my stirrup," she
went on, lightly, as she removed her
booted and spurred foot
"Well, can't see anything wrong
with that, either. Helen"
Something thudded on the ground.
Her gloves and her sombrero. But
they surely had not fallen. She had
flung them! A wave as irresistible as
the force of the sea burst over him.
But he looked up, outwardly cool. And
as he did her gloved hand went to his
shoulder.
"Nothing-the matter with-your
stirrup," he said huskily.
"No. After all, it's not my cinch-
nor my stirrup. Jim, could any of
your western girls have done better
than this?"
"Than what?"
"Than fetching you hereto this
place-where 1t happened"
'Yes. They would have been more
merciful"
"But since l love you"
"You are mad" he cried. e
sand since want you-presently-
to behave somewhat like you did that
day."
He reeled under that. The truth was
almost overwhelming. The strong,
earnest light of her eyes told more
than her words. Her pallor had van
ished. She was no longer cool.
"Jim, you might have saved me
this. But perhaps 1t Is just as we'll.
You are laboring under some delusion
that I must dispel. want you
ask you to stay"
IF you are sure-I will stay. Only,
for G-d's sake, don't let it be any
tnlng Output
Love-" she added. "Jim, am sure.
II I were going back to England, I
would want you to go, just the same.
:. It's what you are that has made
me love you. There need be no leveling.
I lived years down in Robbers Roost.
That changed me-blew the cobwebs
out of my brain. This wonderful West
and you are alike. want both"
But l am nobody. have moth
ing" he cried haltingly.
"You have everything a woman
needs to make her happy and keep
her safe. The fact that did not know
what these things really were until
lately should not be held against me-"
"But it might be generosity-pity-
the necessity of woman of your
kind TOTO pay"
"True. 1t might be. Only it isn't.
:. 1 brought you here!"
Jim wrapped his arms around her
and for the reason that he was
ashamed to betray the tears which
blinded his eyes, he buried his face
In her lap and mumbled that he would
worship her to his dying breath and
In the life beyond.
She ran soft ungloved hands through
his hair and over his temples. People,
cities, my humdrum existence had
palled me. I wanted romance, adven-
ture, love. ;. Jim, I regard myself
just as fortunate as you think you are.
Lift me off, Wen sit a while under
our pine tree. Jim, hold me as you
did that other time-here I"
CTHE ENID