Tales of Trail and Town | Page 8

between the other stragglers, they at last were quite
alone. When the trail became more densely wooded, Peter quite lost
sight of them. But when, a few moments later, having lost the trail
himself, they again appeared in the distance before him, he was so
amazed that he unconsciously halted. For the two horses were walking
side by side, and the stranger's arm was round his sister's waist.
Had Peter any sense of humor he might have smiled at this weakness in
his Amazonian sister, but he saw only the serious, practical side of the
situation, with, of course, its inevitable relation to his one controlling
idea. The young man was in good practice, and would have made an
eligible husband to any one else. But was he fit to mate with an Atherly?
What would those as yet unknown and powerful relatives say to it? At
the same time he could not help knowing that "Jinny," in the
eccentricities of her virgin spinsterhood, might be equally objectionable
to them, as she certainly was a severe trial to him here. If she were off
his hands he might be able to prosecute his search for his relatives with
more freedom. After all, there were mesalliances in all families, and
being a woman she was not in the direct line. Instead, therefore, of
spurring forward to join them, he lingered a little until they passed out
of sight, and until he was joined by a companion from behind. Him, too,
he purposely delayed. They were walking slowly, breathing their

mustangs, when his companion suddenly uttered a cry of alarm, and
sprang from his horse. For on the trail before them lay the young
lawyer quite unconscious, with his riderless steed nipping the young
leaves of the underbrush. He was evidently stunned by a fall, although
across his face was a livid welt which might have been caused by
collision with the small elastic limb of a sapling, or a blow from a
riding-whip; happily the last idea was only in Peter's mind. As they
lifted him up he came slowly to consciousness. He was bewildered and
dazed at first, but as he began to speak the color came back freshly to
his face. He could not conceive, he stammered, what had happened. He
was riding with Miss Atherly, and he supposed his horse had slipped
upon some withered pine needles and thrown him! A spasm of pain
crossed his face suddenly, and he lifted his hand to the top of his head.
Was he hurt THERE? No, but perhaps his hair, which was flowing and
curly, had caught in the branches--like Absalom's! He tried to smile,
and even begged them to assist him to his horse that he might follow
his fair companion, who would be wondering where he was; but Peter,
satisfied that he had received no serious injury, hurriedly enjoined him
to stay, while he himself would follow his sister. Putting spurs to his
horse, he succeeded, in spite of the slippery trail, in overtaking her near
the summit. At the sound of his horse's hoofs she wheeled quickly,
came dashing furiously towards him, and only pulled up at the sound of
his voice. But she had not time to change her first attitude and
expression, which was something which perplexed and alarmed him.
Her long lithe figure was half crouching, half clinging to the horse's
back, her loosened hair flying over her shoulders, her dark eyes
gleaming with an odd nymph-like mischief. Her white teeth flashed as
she recognized him, but her laugh was still mocking and uncanny. He
took refuge in indignation.
"What has happened?" he said sharply.
"The fool tried to kiss me!" she said simply. "And I--I--let out at
him--like mother!"
Nevertheless, she gave him one of those shy, timid glances he had
noticed before, and began coiling something around her fingers, with a

suggestion of coy embarrassment, indescribably inconsistent with her
previous masculine independence.
"You might have killed him," said Peter angrily.
"Perhaps I might! OUGHT I have killed him, Peter?" she said
anxiously, yet with the same winning, timid smile. If she had not been
his sister, he would have thought her quite handsome.
"As it is," he said impetuously, "you have made a frightful scandal
here."
"HE won't say anything about it--will he?" she inquired shyly, still
twisting the something around her finger.
Peter did not reply; perhaps the young lawyer really loved her and
would keep her secret! But he was vexed, and there was something
maniacal in her twisting fingers. "What have you got there?" he said
sharply.
She shook the object in the air before her with a laugh. "Only a lock of
his hair," she said gayly; "but I didn't CUT it off!"
"Throw it away, and come here!" he