Show 4 81 ON N M I 1 of V f the yo do D A jocel jo cel del 0 f the foothills CHAPTER VIII continued il II I 1 the afternoon wore on and as the flay day aas as warra warm she dismounted by a ford and sat down upon a flat rock close to the water the rock reminded her ot of the one on which she and grant had sat that night while hile the thin red lines of tire lire played far up and down the valley her ankle was kalning a little so she removed her boot and stocking and soothed it in the cool water As she sat watching her reflection in the clear stream and toying with ith the ripple about her foot a horseman rode quickly down through the cot ton woods on the other side and plunged into the ford it happened so quickly that neither saw the other until he was well into the river riter although she had bad had no dream of seeing him here in some way she felt no surprise her heart was behaving boisterously but kle blie rat outwardly demure find and when ilien lie be was close enough she nit a frank smile up tip to him the look on oil his bis sunburned fine as lie he returned her greeting gro olins con ivied her that the meeting on ills his part wa was 4 no less unexpected and welcome mel conie than it was to her when his horse aas kinli out of the via n ter lie he dismounted aud and walked to her with extended hand this Is an unexpected fil leasure he said how Is the ankle progressing 1 well enough she returned bill it gets tired as the day wears on I 1 am just resting a bit there was a moment ot of somewhat som embarrassed silence that Is a good sized rock he suggested ct at length yes it and here in the shade at that she did not invite him with words but she gave her body a slight hitch as though to make room although there was enough already he sat down without comment not unlike a rock I 1 remember up in the foothills he remarked after a silence lence ri oh you remember that it was like tills this it same two people sitting on it 11 yes res not like this though no youre mean you know I 1 intend to fall as asleep bep of course not still ills his voice lingered on it as though it were vere a delightful remembrance she found herself holding one of her hands in the other she could feel the pressure of Tran ring on her palm and she held field it tighter still hiding ILl ding anywhere in particular he inquired no just mooning she looked up nt at him ag again gaan this time at close quarters it was a quick bright lash flash on his face a moment only why mooning she did not answer Lo looking oldrig down tn in the water he be met her gaze there youre troubled he exclaimed oh no amymy my my ankle hurts a little atle ile he looked at her sympathetically but not that much lie said she gave a forced little laugh what a mind reader read eryou you are bret can you tell my fortune 1 I should have to read it in your hand she would have extended her hand but for Trans Tran leya ring no no have to read it in in the stars then look at me she did so innocently ly 1 I cannot read it there lie said after hla his long gaze had begun to whip the color to her cheeks there Is no answer she turned again to the water and after a long while she heard his voice very low and earnest zen I 1 could read a fortune tor for you if you would not be offended we are only chance acquaintances not very well acquainted yet she knew what he meant but she pretended she did not even in the tha moment something came to tier her of Tran speech about love being a game of pretense very well nell she would play the game gaine this once 1 I dont see how I 1 could be offended at your reading my fortune she murmured then this Is the fortune I 1 would read tor for you he be salil said boldly tio lilly 1 I see a young roan man a rather foolish young man perhaps by ordinary standards and yet one who has found a great deal of happiness in his simple unconventional vent ional life until a shott time ago h tie felt that lire life could glie him film all the happiness that was worth having ile he had health strength hours of work and hours of pleasure the fields the bills the mountains the sky all gods cods open places to live in and enjoy lie he thought there was nothing more well then he found all of a sudden that there was something more everything more ile he made that discovery on a calm autumn night when fire had blackened all the foothills and still belll ran in n dancing red ribbons over their dittany crests that night a great thing two great things came into nio hit his life first w something he gave not very much indeed but typical of all it might be it was service and next was something he be received something so 50 youl wead erful lie he lid did not understand der stand it then ard does not no under un er tand stand it yet it was trust I 1 these hese N were re things mints he had been leaving largely out if bli big life if and suddenly ha dy by ROBERT STEAD author of the bobu vanchee Tunch fr the tl to copyright by ROBERT STEAD I 1 bow empty it was I 1 think there Is one word for buth both these things and it may be for even more you know 1 I know she said and her voice was scarcely audible but it Is your fortune I 1 am to read lie he corrected himself it hns has been your fortune to open that new world to me that can never be undone those gates can never I 1 le e closed no matter where the paths may lead those two paths go down to the future as all paths must even as this road leads away through the valley to the sunset zen it if only like this road they could run side by b side to the alie sunset ohl oh 1 zen if they could 1 I know she said and ns as she raised her face he saw that her ei bejes ejes es m were ere wet N et 1 I know if only tibey they could I 1 there was a little sob in her voice and in her beauty and distress she was as altogether irresistible lie he reached out Ms his arms and would have taken her in them but she thrust her hands in his and held herself back she turned the diamond deliberately to his eyes she could feel ills his grip relax and apparently grow suddenly cold lie ile stood speechless like one dazed benumbed you see I 1 should not haie let you talk it Is my fault she said speaking hurriedly 1 I should not hav let you vou talk please do not think I 1 am shallow low that I 1 let you suffer to gratify my vanity her eyes found his again it I 1 had not believed every word you said it if I 1 had not hoped every word you said I 1 would not have listened but you see how it Is ile he was silent for sri so long that she thought he was not going to answer her at all when he spoke it was in a dry parched voice 1 I beg your pardon he be said 1 I 1 should not have presumed 1 I know I 1 know if only then he looked straight at her and talked out you liked me enough to let me speak as I 1 did I 1 opened my heart to you I 1 ask no such concession in re 1 I must go she said turn I 1 hope you will not think me presumptuous but I 1 do not plead now for my happiness but for yours Is I 1 this are you sure lie ile said the last words nords so slowly and deliberately that she felt that each of thorn was cutting the very rock from underneath her she knew she was at a junction point in her life and her mind strove to quickly appraise the situation on one side was this man who had tor for her so strange and so powerful an appeal it was only by sheer force of will that she could hold herself aloof from him but lie was a man who nho had broken with his family and quarreled with her father a man whom her father would certainly not for a moment consider as a son in law lie was a foreman practically a ranch hand neither zen nor her father were snobs and if grant worked for a living so did that was not to be counted against him the point was what kind of living did lie he earn what had to offer was perhaps on a lower plane but it was more substantial it had been approved by her father fat lier and tier her mother and herself it as though one man were good and the other had it us as though one thing were right and the other wrong it would have been easy then 1 I have prom promised hed she dihe said bald at last she released her hands from his and sitting down silently put on her stocking and boot she was aware that he be was still standing near as though visiting to be formally dismissed she walked by him to her horse and put tier her foot in the stirrup then she looked at him and gave her hand a little farewell wave then n R great eng irresistible in its yearning swept over her she drew aher her foot from the stirrup ond avid rushing down dowar threw her arms about his neck i i 1 I mut must go she sh said 1 I must go vi we must both go 90 ua forget and dennison donalson Donn lson grant continued his way vay down the valley while zen rode back to the YD wondering it if she could ever forgot forget CHAPTER IX linder scratched lifs ills tousled brown hair reflectively as he gazed alter after the retreating form ot of ills lint was off and the perspiration stood on his sunburned face a face v which in point of handsomeness needed make no apology to well by thun thunder derl said linder ly by thunder think of that linder hmood tor for some time thinking of that as deeply as his somewhat disorganized mental state would permit for had announced with his usual directness that he wanted so many men and teams for a house excavation in the most exclusive part of the city so far th they ey had find been building in the cheaper districts a cheap type of house tor for those who nho having little capital tire are the easler easier deprived of what they lid have the shift in operations caused mailer to lift ills his eyebrows laughed boyishly and clapped a palm on ills his shoulder 1 I may as well make you wiser wise linder he said were g going to build a house for mr and mrs sus linder echoed incredulously ulous ly the good word confirmed never expected it to happen to me but it did all of a sudden you want to look out maybe its catching Tr onsley was evidently in prime humor linder had indeed noted this good humor for some time but had bad attributed it to the very successful operations in which its his employer had been engaged lie ile pulled himself together enough to offer a somewhat confused congratulation and may I 1 ask who Is to be the fortunate young lady he ventured you may said but it if you could see the length of y your 0 ur nose it be necessary linder youre the he best foreman I 1 ever had just because you dont ever think of anything else when you pass on therell be no heaven for you unless they give you charge of a bunch of men and teams N where here you c can an raise a sweat anil and make money for the boss if you like that you would have hare anticipated what ive told you or perhaps made a play tor for zen yourself sell va zen you ton dont mean YD s daughter it if I 1 dont mean YD s daughter I 1 dont mean anybody and you can take that from me you bet its zen say sav 1 under linder I 1 think I 1 could go silly over a girl but im plumb locked I 1 bought the biggest old sparkler in this thin town and sent it out with YD it he lose it through the lining of his vest he handled it like flike it might have been a box of pills bad pills linder ive ITC got an architect figuring tiow how much expense he enn can put on a house he gets a commission on the cost you see and one of these nights im going to b buy uy you n dinner keep you fed till christmas I 1 never knew before that silliness and happiness go to together other but they do im glad ive got a sober old foreman all that keeps the business going and after Trans Tran lcy sicy had find turned away under linder had scratched his head and said by thunder under linder bhea you wake up be lead dead after her practically saying the waters fine well why rm im a foreman and always will be but after a little reflection under linder came to the conclusion that perhaps it was wn oil nil for the best lie he could not have bought YD 19 s daughter a big sparkler or have nave built her a fine home bemuse because he was a foreman it was a round circle he threw himself into the building of Tran house with as much fidelity as if it find been his own ile he gave his undivided attention to Trans Tran leya interests making dollars for him while earning cents for himself this attention was more needed than it eer had bad been as found it ne necessary ceary to make weekly trips to tile the ranh ninth in the foothills to consult with YD upon business matters zen found her interest in Tr gransey ansey growing ns as his attentions continued ile he spent money upon her lavishly to the point at which she protested for although YD TD was wag rated as a millionaire the family life was one of almost stark simplicity tinnsley Trans lcy assured her that he vas making money faster than he poss possibly itly could spend it and even if not monty money had no nobler mission than to bring her ile he explained the bno blueprints prints of the house and discussed with ith her details of the appointments As the building progressed progress tl he be brought her weekly photographs of it ile he urged her to set act the date about christmas during the winter vinter contracting would be at a standstill so BO they would spend three months IF in california and return in time for the spring business day by day the girl turned the situation over in ter her mind her life had been swept nto into strange anti and unexpected channels and the experience puzzled her she assured herself that she looked foiw forward a rd t to 0 her marriage with will with tho the proper delight of a be and indeed it was a pros pt that could well atu b be with pleasure dey had won the complete confidence of her father and when doubts assailed her zen found in that fact a very considerable comfort YD was a shrewd man a man who seldom guessed wrong zen did not admit that she was wag allowing her ber father to choose a husband tot for her but the fact that her father concurred in the choice strengthened ter in it had in him qualities iua IUle which would win not only wealth but bul distinction and she would share in tho laurels she told herself that it was wn a delightful outlook that she was a very happy girl indeed and wondered on why slie she was not bapp lerl particularly she laid it upon herself that she must now finally dismiss dennison grant from her mind it was absurd to suppose that she cared more for grant than she did for e Y the t avci 0 men were wera so different it was wa impossible to anake comparisons they occupied quite dir different ferent spheres in her to be sure grant was a li likeable kentile man but he was not eligible as a husband and she could not marry t two in any e case a e Z xan e n ent entertained e r t a loe d no an efus cis g girlish avo aish delusions 1 n s a about I 1 0 ait t there li e r e b being et only one man in the world on the contrary she wag convinced that there tt ere ver very y many men in the world and among the better types there was perhaps not so inac much b to choose be tween them grant would undoubtedly be a good husband within ills his means so would and hla his means were greater the blueprints blue prints of the new house in town had bad not been without their effect it was wag a different prospect from being a foremans alfe ife on a ranch iter her father would never hear of it so she busied herself with preparations tor for the great event and what preparations they were zen her father had said tor for once the lid to la off go the limit she took him at his word there were many trips to town and activities about the old ta ranch ch buildings such as they had never known since jessie wilson came to finish YD s upbringing bringing up nor even then the good word spread throughout the foothill country and down over the prairies and many a lazy cloud of dust lay along the november hillsides hill sides as the women foll folk of neighboring ranches came to pay their respects and gratify their curiosity zen had bad treasures to show |