I'm a stranger in the
country and was awfully lonesome."
"Is it that this is your first time in too?" she asked shyly.
"You're going to Kusiak, aren't you? Do you know anybody there?" replied
Elliot.
"My cousin lives there, but I haven't seen her since I was ten. She's an
American. Eleven years ago she visited us in Ireland."
"I'm glad you know some one," he said. "You'll not be so lonesome with
some of your people living there. I have two friends at Kusiak--a girl I
used to go to school with and her husband."
"Are you going to live at Kusiak?"
"No; but I'll be stationed in the Territory for several months. I'll be
in and out of the town a good deal. I hope you'll let me see something
of you."
The fine Irish coloring deepened in her cheeks. He had a way of taking
in his stride the barriers between them, but it was impossible for her
to feel offended at this cheery, vigorous young fellow with the winning
smile and the firm-set jaw. She liked the warmth in his honest brown
eyes. She liked the play of muscular grace beneath his well-fitting
clothes. The sinuous ease of his lean, wide-shouldered body stirred
faintly some primitive instinct in her maiden heart. Sheba did not know,
as her resilient muscles carried her forward joyfully, that she was
answering the call of youth to youth.
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