Penny of Top Hill Trail

f waist and hip, stalwart of shoulder, some seventy-two inches of sinewy height, he was the figure of the typical cattleman. H

The blue serge suit and checked cap he wore did not disguise the fact that his working clothes-hi

Kurt, so I could get out to the ra

o," said the one addressed in whimsical tone

following his companion through

orsemen sprang into saddles and loped out of the brush, or skimmed

soon speeding over a hard-baked, steel-like road that led up

s before I went to Chicago," said Joe critically, "but

smiled i

suffer by comparison with the thing

got any hotel I saw skinned by a mile for real living. I had some vacation, though, and it was mighty good of you to send me on that business. I 'tended to it, al

r, "and I saw you were rarin' for a little recreation. I thought you would settle down to a hard season's work if you le

but I feel better a

Kurt cast a searching glance at the young man whose eyes shone wit

down to conve

nings in one big game without any way-slips, or did you have such a round of th

ad a beautiful time that was as short and as far off as a pleasant dream. As I said, I started out for a regular time, but I didn't take a

gayety but which were now serious and despondent, brought a transformation

lt that the crude word was backed up by a re

's cravings called for; but I sort of stuck around until I happened to look at one of the tables over in a cornered-off place. A little girl was sitting there alo

without much fixings. Her hair was drawn back plain like a kid's. I knew right o

xcuse my nerve, little girl, but

f funny; then she smiled

like low, soft mu

, and I'm in Chicago to see the sights; but I'd ask for blinde

d, looking down. '

, 'and I'm the guy that's goi

, 'and how do you kn

ay from me all this tim

-just curious. Good night! It did something to

t me?' I asked

id; and I knew

ou,' I told her, 'but I

n we go?'

his place. It ain't stylish enough for you, but it's run right

' she said, 'but I'

right off she was just a kid a

here with me no

id. 'I know yo

nd steered her through the streets! She was a little mite of

on the floor. Say! I was feeling as fit and stepping as lively as if I had had a million drinks, but I hadn't had one. There was no getting around it. That little girl in her white dress had landed me one right over the heart. She slipped into my ar

d he said he could never forget it and he was now aiming to return it best he knew how. 'Take it from me,' I said, 'that I can get rig

lly came up again and said: 'This is the hour we quit, but it don't mean

round-the-rosy room with lights ha

and warningly, and the kid

tter than movies, and she wished she could see my country. I told her she would, because I was going to take her there. She didn't say anything to that. Pretty soon Reilly comes in and tells me he wants to give us the best time he knows how all right, but were we planning to

ks,' she said k

de me fe

told her, 'because I w

have kept her up so late because she'd be too tired to go to work

of that, t

help show me around. I had never been on one of the big boats and Reilly had told me about a fine tour to take to some Saint place. She knew where he meant, though sh

ite close to where she lived. It was an awful poor part of the city, and I suppose she didn't want me to know how humble her home wa

sold flowers. There were some violets that looked like her. I bought a big bunch and when I gave them to her, she sort of gasped and said no one had ever bought flowers for her before. I was glad to hear that. I asked her hadn't she ever had

ver been on a boat before. When we got to the place-St. Joe, she said it was-there were all sorts of things to do that beat Chicago all to bits for a good time. There was a big sandy beach that made me want to go in the water, but she said it was too early. So we sat in the sun-warmed sand and watched the waves, and we got our pictures taken, and tried a

ok the boat home. What few passengers there were besides us stayed shut up in

d when I buttoned it around her chin, I did what I'd been aching to do since I first met her, but had slipped on my courage. She was looking down in a

I said, 'but I couldn't hel

d in a low voice after a mom

t me hold her hand and we sat quiet an

she told me it had been the most wonderfu

st?' I

ked off over the water, and

?' I sai

, and I never knew before

I thought so, too. On the way to where I'd left her the night before, there was a little park. We went in and sat on one of the benches. It was only a little clump of

orning, so I couldn't let any gra

he said, and her voice sounded l

?' I

notice of me-just like she was talking to

of a second I held her in my arms, but she sl

love me

you so much, I'll tell you why I can never marry you. You're the first man that ever tre

meant, but there was nothing in the

I had enjoyed the day,' she went on just as though I hadn't spoken, 'when you sai

en she was hungry. The old hag called it stealing and warned the school teacher, and the other kids got hold of it and of course you know what it does to any one to get a black eye. She had the name of a thief wished on her until she got to be one. She was expelled from school; put in a reformatory; ran away; stole to keep herself alive. Then the

told me about herself. What did I care what she had been or done? Her life was going to begin right then with me. I couldn't budge her. I talked and plea

my mind that if she wouldn't consent, I'd simply

yrocket, but I'm some spry myself and I caught her and held her till I'd read the note. It was from her and she said she couldn't give me the worst of the bargain. That she was going to try hard t

ked the girl, who was

he said. 'She

believe it

togs-that new white dress and the swell shoes and

but it was no use. She knew the ins and outs of the alleys like a rat and I lost her. You see, I didn't know my girl's last name. Whe

see what it meant to me to find her, and he promised to try his best and to forward at once any letter that came to him. If I don't hear after a while, when work gets sla

and regret, turned to Jo as he br

rying her away, just as she has. Wait-" he hurried on, seeing the anger kindling in the lad's eyes-"if it were

ngs when she told me," said Joe staunc

change your intentions. Do you mean you'd marry-

I'd buy her everything she wante

and people found out what

throne, and whoever dared to try to t

an at the wheel saw the utter f

ht sagely. "Time and work are the best healers, es

e star which was trying to make its light s

look for it every night now. I wish I hadn't blab

rtile little beauty-spot valleyed between the hills. For here he had located an imaginary cottage-his cottage and hers. This mirage, of course, always showed

e is not frequent, and Jo instinctively felt that his recital of Love's Young Dream had fallen upon unsy

blossoms" was again in town. As acting sheriff of the

Bender? Any new b

s on her; but she's a sly one with the record of bein

name?" he as

ta S

the acting sheriff thought suddenly.

his love hadn't worked the miracle he expected. Jo had been a little more quiet since his return, but he gave no signs of pining away, and maybe if n

t to give her one. There is one person in the world who might be able to reform h

brought him to town, his heart and his head were having a wrestlin

denly decided. "Maybe I can tell from Jo's

il he was accosted b

lper, do you, Kurt? Simpson, my right-h

ential!" th

"We're well up with our work, and I

ven bless you! Wh

out hom

on m

ong with you. Tell him I said to g

is blessings upon

ble in Bender's back office, her head bowed in her hands. There was somet

she shall have her cha

l, he sought Bender and the