She was troubled at the thought of another ranch. She knew there would be

more questions, and perhaps other disagreeable words said; but she held

her peace, listening to his plans. Her wonder was great over the telegram.

She knew little or nothing about modern discoveries. It was a mystery to

her how he could receive word by morning from a place that it had taken

them nearly two days to leave behind, and how had he sent a message over a

wire? Yes, she had heard of telegrams, but had never been quite sure they

were true. When he saw that she was interested, he went on to tell her of

other wonderful triumphs of science, the telephone, the electric light,

gas, and the modern system of water-works. She listened as if it were all

a fairy tale. Sometimes she looked at him, and wondered whether it could

be true, or whether he were not making fun of her; but his earnest, honest

eyes forbade doubt.

At the ranch they found two women, a mother and her daughter. The man

asked frankly whether they could take care of this young friend of his

overnight, saying that she was going on to the town in the morning, and

was in his care for the journey. This seemed to relieve all suspicion. The

two girls eyed each other, and then smiled.

"I'm Myrtle Baker," said the ranch-owner's daughter. "Come; I'll take you

where you can wash your hands and face, and then we'll have some supper."

Myrtle Baker was a chatterer by nature. She talked incessantly; and,

though she asked many questions, she did not wait for half of them to be

answered. Besides, the traveller had grown wary. She did not intend to

talk about the relationship between herself and her travelling companion.

There was a charm in Myrtle's company which made the girl half regret

leaving the next morning, as they did quite early, amid protests from

Myrtle and her mother, who enjoyed a visitor in their isolated home.

But the ride that morning was constrained. Each felt in some subtle way

that their pleasant companionship was coming to a crisis. Ahead in that

town would be letters, communications from the outside world of friends,

people who did not know or care what these two had been through together,

and who would not hesitate to separate them with a firm hand. Neither put

this thought into words, but it was there in their hearts, in the form of

a vague fear. They talked very little, but each was feeling how pleasant

the journey had been, and dreading what might be before.

They wanted to stay in this Utopia of the plains, forever journeying

together, and never reaching any troublesome futures where were laws and

opinions by which they must abide.




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