| Show pi E- E rN X f. Ellen and the t Sagebrush J i iBy C By H. H LOUIS RA X 8 Ek X 3 X t K X X Copyright ELLEN 1 MAYNARD Y AnD stood in the doorway of the llie school of which she was the new teacher and regarded regard ed the scene before Lefore her bel with homesick I eyes ejes Except for the Immediate school schoolyard schoolyard I I yard where a n single cottonwood flourished there was nothing really I notable In sight A white ribbon of road that stretched for miles where I It did not dip lip abruptly Into coulee or orI I hollow A black and level le line fine that lint I was the r railroad which had brought her liar here several days s 's ago For the rest a n rolling roiling plain covered with sagebrush to lo the horizon She hud hind descended from the Union Pacific train wondering fearfully If some mistake had not been made In depositing her nt at this meager collection collection tion of buildings Presently however she discovered that hunt the conductor had made no mistake This was Rowdier and her landlady Mrs Julie Westcott had her room all ready for her The most Interesting discovery ery that she made was WitS that Mrs l Westcott had a ason ason asun son sun who so far as ns bright shirt fringed chaps and huge sombrero were concerned con earned was the cowboy of her dreams And his name oame was Tom Today loday he was bringing her lunch to her yet et so blurred were her e eyes cs with tears that she did not see sec him loping down the road rond until he be had almost reached the school lie lingered a moment to talk fingering his Ills bridle and looking out across the sage Y You You you ou-you you u are re fond of ot this country country coun tr try I suppose said Ellen suddenly with a sweeping gesture of ot her bel slender slen slen- slender der hand You bet said Tom simply Born nom Bornand and rall raised ell on nn th the range same as Star Star- face fuce here herc lie He patted his mares mare's silky no nose e Well lVell remarked Ellen Im that homesick I hope I never ne see another piece Ilece of ot sage In my life I surel surely do hate It I ITom 1 Torn Ton looked at her quickly Im Imn sorry he said I suppose It does doe strike strangers that Va way But with me when I was East I got so I just itched for n a whiff of ot It It Ellen mien threw him a glance of ot surprise sur sur- prise East I dl didn't ot know you ou badeer had bad ever er been een East Sure said Tom Torn easily I 1 went to the state college In Minnesota Minnesota- why what Is the matter For Ellen EBen was lau laughing West to us In the really truly East I she e. e explained Tom lom laughed with her Well an any anyhow how I Ie Ic pel persisted Ive I been In the lie really trul truly West I To Leland Stanford Stan Stanford ford for a year ear And to Vancouver cr But BUI even e out there I was downright homesick for these plains Just as I J Iguess guess youre you're homesick for sidewalks and I 1111 have e no lIO rein relatives U es left said Ellen wistfully Near relatives So as you yeti ou say It must be for roads and buildings With the h passing of ot the weeks Ellen Ellets El El- len lets schooled herself to a certain ret Ig- Ig Shortly after ufler Toms Tom's return he taught her liar how to ride and after r rs s school hool they made many little ions about the country How lIow far would you ou have ha to ride she Hl d him curiously one day before he be fore you jou lU would see an anything besides this lists same identical scene Torn lint thought for n a moment Sixty miles isle due south you rou would sight the Bi Big I Joins he said finally Eighty miles due north there Is a little sc sec tion of Bad nad Lands Oh I said Ellen IWen In do a small voice oIce So o fur far us liS t tout t Snow falling failing early in this country confined d Ellen more closel closely There here were days IIII'S when ten there was avns no school bemuse of ot the storms and she would lied find herself lf wandering I restlessly about Mr lira Westcott's not very large 11 living room h. h by little It was awns being borne In In- upon her that Ton Tom was coming to tu feel something more than mere mell friendliness toward her und and she wu WI puzzled now to tu make e her Inevitable t refusal a II gentle as It possible c Slip She W was c o relieved ed as R the days passed parsed ell and he hI gave ga e 11 no nn doll n Me sign that thaI could not b be iu ignored r P Nl n wits was SPI spring II sn so grateful to tu hll het a as ins that one fine at nt ItIl Soft wind wind- ballooned over ever the f range mC This The snow melted I arid and shrank to the protected side of house or ur corral nj Disappeared rJ altogether Warm days succeeded days s that thai merely promised premised warmth rust is clue Blue skies sl lel reigned for weeks well a at I a It time thine Camp cante May bray Ia and line lime und and the ln IllS hits days o 0 of school Ellens Ellen's trunk stunk study roi f half pIch picked ed In her hel nearly nearl ready for fill the drayman Nut Not until slip she actually stood Io on lit his for the lilt train dirt did Torn Tom tell 1111 her In simple homely word thit he lined clI her He Ive known li it for fm forn n fI lu I long limp II he lie suld lIld bull bill I 1 didn't sr m say sayan an agog f for lr f fiat ar i II it ws would ild bother you vou lInI I knew i licit doss I awns no nu US use In you'd care cane yourself f 1 f Ellen lillen looked st into hl his s-plen s splendid did tilt eyes I tau am IWI sorry sh site blip And nd l then hen the twin curse camp III C and she lie Itt war wa- gone Two wo weeks necks later a R letter cume came for tor elm Dear 1 Tuut i I have found nut out n a funny thing riling it lag rill lot the 1111 East Is la bad but hul being II fur for tine the West In iS iSwar war wore a Po On jorr sou still feel el the I If f a jou un tin sin Ill I'll come carne to toon you on h by sy the next train Give Gi my love Jo to the tine sagebrush a N |
