Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, May 31, 1893, Image 1
lewis m. ?RisT, Proprietor, j A" ^Independent ^ainilg lleucspaper: (Joi| flic jpromotion of the flolitical, Social, Agricultural and (Commercial Jnfercsts of the ^outh. J TERMS?$2.00 A YEAR IN ADVANCE
VOL.39. * YORKVILLE, 8. C., WEDNESDAY, MAY 31, 1893.
' " """ ? - I -1 1.. if n ,..no Walinn I on Im'a cimiml Ilin nln/l rra COI1TO flmtl Jin ! KlltlTlOr IlIUlSI'll nt till) ill tllfi Jlct of
BY HOW A
[Copyrighted, 189.'!, by I>. Appleton A
with
CHAPTER L
Midway between Lampasas and San
Saba the Colorado river runs?a wild,
romantic, winding stream. At times its
placid current flows evenly over dimpling
shoals and gleaming pebbles.
Again the water deepens, and by flower
bordered banks its current eddies sullen,
slow and grand. But there is one place
where the river plunges madly downward
to roar at the base of precipitous
rocks and writhe over bowlders in its
shallow bed. Overhead dark hemlocks
curtain this rage or waters irom inegaze
of day. The sunlight enters only by
stealth and then in tremulous pencils.
At such moments, against the somber
green of the swaying pines, the redbird
flashes or the indigo bird is seen?a living
sapphire in the sudden light And
the rippling melody of rival mocking
birds enters the solemn aisles as though
the gate of heaven were left ajar. Within
these aisles the foot sinks luxuriously
amid cushions of hemlock boughs and
pine needles. The tall, time scarred
trunks lift themselves dimly like pillars
of some leafy gothic dome. The vague
ranks of forest exhale their cool, damp
spicery. All nature is hushed and wan
Only the river's moan comes faintly, and
everywhere roundabout and pervading
all things are the twilight and seclusion
beloved by the dryad.
Whether Miss Cynthia Dallas on a certain
mild February afternoon was at all
impressed by any of these sylvan suggestions
1 cannot say. Her untutored mind
was as yet guiltless of mythology, and no
vision of 6traying god or goddess, no
whimsical train of nymph and faun, had
hitherto invaded her slumbering fancy
Yet swinging lightly in a netted hammock
within an innermost recess of this
Bpicy vault, just where a slanting beam
of sunlight fell full upon her gracefu I
figure, she might well have been mistaken
for some wood nymph surprised amitl
her favorite haunts, so quaint a figure
was she, and yet so essentially in keeping
with the woodland stillness, of which she
seemed a part. She reclined at ease and
lazily as the hammock swung noted the
soft play of sunlight through the boughs
above and the trembling arabesques of
spray and shadow. Her hands holding c.
small leathern whip with deer foot handle
were clasped behind her head, at once
with graceful and careless abandon. A
blond beauty somewhat sun tanned and
freckle strewn, her attire a plain bluewoolen
gown that clung almost tenderly
to the charming curves of her figure, but
swinging thus, and with a little silver
spur upon tne snoe 01 uit ien toot uukliug
as she swung, a fascinating picture
certainly for some stumbling Strephon.
Miss Cynthia was at present bareheaded.
I regret that this negligence had become
a habit. There was, 1 believe, a
felt something lying on the ground
among the pine needles, which, from the
fact that it was decorated with a ribbon
or two and a gaudy woodpecker's wing
at an extravagaut angle, may have been
once intended for a becoming bonnet.
But at the unexpected moment of the
young lady's introduction a pet antelope
fawn was attempting to browse upon it
r and - from present indications meeting
with gratifying succfess. The antelope
was assisting his prandial experiments
by a vicious attack upon the hat with
his sharp fore feet. A grave hound, seated
upon his haunches at a respectful distance,
regarded the antelope's sincere efforts
with a solemn approval that was
certainly flattering. Cynthia, her abstracted
eyes still lost in contemplation
of the swaying canopy of green above
her head or watching through a sudden
vista the calm poise of a gray hawk circling
aloft in the limitless ether, was
rapt and all unconscious.
Suddenly she raised her head with a
Btart. A sharp, articulate cry broke the
stillness The antelope dashed away in
sudden panic to a remote corner of the
bower, where he stood eying her askance,
a few feathers from the gaudy wing
6till clinging to his mouth. The great
hound raised himself with a preliminary
stretch and monstrous yawn, as if expecting
a departure.
The girl caught up the luckless hat
with a gesture of annoyance and a snap
of her whip in the direction of the terrified
fawn?a movement at which the
hound, with drooping ears and tail, was
stricken into an attitude of eloquent reproacli.
"Not you, old boy," she said kindly
patting his broad head, "but his impudence
yonder! He knows it. the cute
rascal, and ne'll hear from me later!
P'raps he thinks I'm sittin up nights
makin lovely hats jes' to give him a
chance to try his new teeth. Naturally
not, I reckon. But, Aulus," she continued
interrogatively, addressing the grave
hound, "I'm sure I heard a noise, old
boy. didn't you? What was thet? Didn't
you get to hear it?"
The hound, raising his ears with the
droll interest of dogs of that family,
walked gravely to the edge of a cliff on
Which the bower abutted and looked
solemnly down. Suddenly his tail began
to wag with lively interest. The girl
sprang from the hammock with a lithe
activity that left it swinging furiously
behind her. Creeping forward cautiously
beside hi"i, she gazed below. Far
abrupt and sheer, down the precipitous
descent she beheld a man floundering in
the rapids. A dog, dripping wet and
timorously \ "tched, was following him.
It was the iatter which had awakened
the interest < f the grave Aulus.
Both were i evident distress and endeavoring
to effect a crossing by leaping
from bowlder to bowlder amid the
whirling waters. But the rocks were
slipi>ery and moss grown, the current
dizzy and swift. All at once the man's
feet slipped on a treacherous stone, and
he tottered heavily backward. He sat
down rather than fell upon his wretched
dog. which was following him closely
with frantic leaps. The animal uttered
an agonizing yelp, and with a great splash
both dog and man were precipitated into
the angry waters.
The girl threw her head back and
laughed long and musically in her sylvan
bower. At the unaccustomed sound a
mocking bird that had strayed into her
retreat and perched upon a high limb
apparently for rest and meditation
turned his pretty head to one side and
listened attentively, as if about to favor
her with an imitation. The antelope
trotted coyly up to her. Aulus, with
rapidly wagging tail and whimpering
muzzle, testified the humor of the catas
trophe from a canine standpoint. In
this sympathetic merriment Cynthia
half reelihed between her pets, one arm
about the hound's neck, the other thrown
caressingly around the already forgiven
fawn. The mocking bird looked down
approvingly and actually improvised a
few bars of bubbling melody by way of
comment. Fully three minutes elapsed
in this harmonious interchange of opinion.
Then the girl crept forward again
and peered below. The man had extri
cated himself from the water and was
seated, chilly and miserable, upon a large
rock in the middle of the stream.
Cynthia now noticed that; he carrion
a gun, the barrels of which had been
filled with water during his.recent im
mersion. He was occupied in emptying
tli? fowling piece, squeezing the waiter
from his (gripping clothing unci regard
ing with general discomfiture his pitiable
plight. The dog at his side, with
cowering limbs and shivering hide, wsis
hardly less miserable and wretched and
expressed in pathetic dumb show his
conviction that matters could hardly l.e
worse?at least from u dog's limited
point of new. Two large and liffivv
feathered obiects which the man had
, . _ her
RD SEELY. ""
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C'o. Published by special arrangements ..
them.] pre
just cast down from the rock completed ) jjjn
the group. ; he
"What do you thiuk, old boy?" sr.: I hal
[ the girl affectionately, taking the hound i the
by both his large ears and gazing critic- ! g]a
; ally into his intelligent eyes. "Had I wh
j better help that feller?or not?" she
Aulus wagged his tail and looked in- j ]yh
terested. All at once he raised his head ent
and bayed loud and deep, with a sharp j boa
recoil, as if he stood in awe of his own 1 j v
i vocal efforts. Apparently this was em j 0pj:
phatic advice that assistance was ncers ! p
sary. ] bav
At least Cynthia acted upon it prompt- , | ^
ly. She leaned far over the cliff, hold- j g
ing on by the low branches of a scarred : 6e^
and time beaten hemlock. A sunburst ! ^
from the nodding boughs above fell full Rjie
upon her red gold head and shoulders i _
' I ^
'Not you, old boy," she said kindly. \ afte
Her voice echoed musically down the ; T1
rocks. Above the noise of the rushing van;
waters, above the sighing of the tossing rass
pines, it reached the ear of the hapless I r?
I wayfarer like a silver bell. The man :
started and swept the sides of the ravine j
with a surprised and earnest glance. |
Suddenly his gaze became fixed. He had j
espied Cynthia. To the unfortunate
sportsman in the gloomy chasm the !
bright face peering so curiously down I
upon him from its coign of vantage j
was like an inspiration in the midst of
his distress. His fancy transfigured her ;
with all the graces of hope.
Halloo!"
The reply came clear up to Cynthia.
She put her hand to her mouth to assist
her voice and shouted down a word of
homely advice:
"Throw them turkeys into the river!
Don't you see thet's what's keepin you
back? Make for the shore you've jes
left and go down the bank a little! I'll ;
be down and help you over with a boat j
d'rectly."
Then the bright, animated vignette was j
gone from b's fascinated eyes. Nothing ;
was left but the precipitous wall of the I
ravine, with its fringing mantle of hem j
lock and pine.
The man on the rock remained for a !
few moments gazing upward. He smiled j
with a frank good humor that threw a j
genial light upon strong features, bronzed j
on forehead and cheek by exposure and i
partially hidden beneath a light curling I
beard, more carefully trimmed than i
usual on the frontier. Although be- I
grimed and generally disordered from
his recent contact with the river's bed
there was much about his dress to indicate
the gentleman. He wore knee boots, |
well made and of modern fashion. His
jaunty hunting jacket had a stylish cut
and finish, the metal buttons being embossed
with trophies of the chase.
The hat upon his head was new and of
an excellent quality of felt. What was
more unusual, it was becoming and
seemed in keeping with the athletic
build, the manly face and bearing of the
figure it surmounted. The gun he carried
was breechloading and double barreled.
A cameo ring graced the hand ;
that held it. Altogether he looked the i
picture of a comfortable ranchman over- !
taken by embarrassing circumstances, in J
need of nothing so much as a warm fire- I
side and a dash here and there of soap mar
and water. a s
j Such was probably his own opinion, J01
I for after a few moments' hesitation he ! c
| acted with promptness and dispatch. He *?P?.
I cast the two turkeys into the stream, '
hardly stopping to watch them as they j Perj
were borne away on the rapid current . ^ .
to float to some vantage point below , .c
him. Then he looked hurriedly around
a second, shivered a little, pushed his j ^
wretched dog off the rock into the water j ., (
and quite indifferent to the pitiful yelp ^
with which the favor was received ah- j t
ruptly followed the animal. Alternately |
wading and leaping from rock to rock |
both gained the shore, the dog immedi- ??r"
ately shaking himself and dispensing a P '
gratuitous shower that effectually j jOV
drenched his master where the river had ; . 1 _
forborne. j !^ a
The man recoiled, opened his mouth 1
as if in angry protest, abandoned the
idea with grimness and then looked '
wrathfully around for a stone as more j
direct and persuasive in canine logic, j gec(
Finding, as usual in such emergencies, J *
that missiles were not available, and that ^ Jie'
he was confronted by bowlders and tree frpc
trunks only, he abandoned a temporary
impulse to impersonate Ajax and ;
burst into a hearty laugh. The dog. a j
handsome shepherd, which had mean- I
while awaited dissolution with pathetic ?'*"
resignation, took courage at once and ?
thankfully wagged a dripping tail that 1 (V
distributed a watery benediction "Upon 1 V
the surrounding rocks. Then he was apparentlv
rendered delirious by the pros- 4
pect of farther advance dry shod and became
a frolicsome nuisance, demotistra- 'jj
tive, unduly familiar and generally <111- v
bearable. The man interposed a few %
kicks of his heavy boot by way of com- .j
inentary upon this obtrusive pleasantry. j %
which was appreciated and had a salu- I
tary effect. y
But here both were surprised in their
diversions by a loud call down the river .
?that indescribable vocal effort which 1 indicates
a search. The man recalled '
himself as if with regret for his forgetfulnes,
and hurried away over the rocks
along the shore, closely followed by his 1 p
1 gamboling dog. jnc
CHAPTER II. J
Cynthia awaited the stranger. She g]u
was seated in a flat bottomed boat at a Up
wide bend of the river, where the water | ore
oluivo nnst. her in ! ,11,,
111(11. uw.v . , , W1V_
sullen eddies. She had but lately rowed Pl,i
across, and the oars, thrown carelessly SWi
down, were beaded and dripping. With ly
maiden recklessness she had beached the
little craft high and dry upon the rocks. the
Still in no sense discomposed by the qui
shock of landing and entirely serene as ; hi,]
to possible damage to tho boat from the rj
recent collision, sho sat quietly in the j ani
I stern, her hands crossed in her lap. but
i . . ?i ?? .??i
ner aiert n w giauvuiS mnvui m> <??. Uill
: down the bank in expectation. Evidently lift
j the approaching meeting had constrained bot
iior to irppnter formality in dross than bin
"V4 w ? .
usual, for she had ilonned the unfortunate wil
hat. It now proved to be simply a soft , cei
felt, the brim of which had been caught it,"
up at one side and garnished with a rib- am
bon or two and the wing already men- yoi
tioned?a poor substitute in feminine
eyes, doubtless, for the exquisite follies of Cy:
civilization, but worn amid her present ! tle<
surroundings with a picturesqueness and bes
dash that were not without their charm by
Beyond her the dark river, flowing with of i
its slow but irresistible current, swept
calmly on its way. The faiut green of 0nt
trees upon the farther bank, the sharp to.
outlines of rock and bowlder, framed her wh
graceful figure against a rugged back be;
ground. Tho noise of the waters above s
came to her ear but faintly. High ov *r tui
her head a red shafted flicker tapping bet
monotonously upon a withered limb ar J
cented the lonely stillness of the ravine. for
V'hilo at intervals a sharp yelp of despair ' ery
fted across the river where the ahan
it'll Aulus, distinctly discernible in the
1 light, mounted guard at the boat
ding and bewailed her absence,
'he girl sighed regretfully. She waved
hand from the boat in reassurance to
faithful animal.
Keep quiet, old man! I'm comin back
;ctlyl" she shouted,
tut her reflections were less amiable.
I reckon thet chap allows me to bitty
accommodatin waiting to ferry
1 over till nigh onto sundown. P'raps
thinks it's my reg'lar business rowin
f drowned men and wet dogs across
Colorado. P'raps," 6he continued
ncing down in the bottom of the boat
ere the dripping bodies of the turkeys
had picked up on the way over were
lg?"p'raps ho reckons it's pleasant
ertainrnent haulin his game into the
,t and gettin soaked into the bargain,
k-oniler now naturally if thct's his
nion."
tut here a mournful succession of
.1 1 r A ?
3 auu iiuwis xi urn mu u^nocu ^uinterrupted
her meditations,
be sprang to her feet, impatiently
;ing an oar, as if to push the boat oif
. recross tlio river. A brief moment
stood thus erect, her blue eyes flush,
the indignant blood mantling her
ek as she placed the blado of the oar
m a neighboring rock and threw the
3I0 weight of her lithe body upon it.
; her efforts were futile. The unldy
scow remained fixed and immov;.
Then there was a sharp clatter
)ng the rocks, the underbrush upo
bank parted suddenly, and the dil.
: stranger, followed by his effusive
. stood revealed before her eyes. lie
>ped abruptly, smiled, and dropping
butt of his gun to the ground leaned
11 it with both hands upon the muzThe
dog, evidently surprised at the
len meeting, sat down at once upon
haunches, and with panting jaws apred
to be including in one tremen3
grin the wholo encounter and the
moon's incidents.
hus surprised, Cynthia's resolution
ished befero that charming emba*
inent which sometimes overtakes her
s
0%^
She stood a moment irresolute, surJig
the easy self possession of the
i before her. The next, the oar,with
ower of spray, dropped awkwardly
11 her nervous grasp into the stream,
kless of the effect of this accident
11 her future rowing, she was imme:ely
overcome with solicitude for her
ional appearance, attempted to ad;
a straggling lock of hair, and finally
:hing up her fallen hat and setting it
. kly 011 her head sat down, a very
itching picture of confusion, and yet
without an effort to assert herself
I only increased her discomfiture,
he man looked amused, but straightr
acted with the decision of a fronsman.
He glanced at the floating
Then he stepped quickly forward,
:ed his gun in the boat, and lifting the
r clear of the rocks by sheer strength
ved it off into the current, stepping
droitly as he did so. His dog. with
imitative faculty of his kind, at,pted
to follow suit, but the force of
launching being considerable only
coeded in catching one foot on the
iwale, where lie hung a miserable
>iul, until, falling in with a loud
isli, he began at once to swim after
boat with the usual whines of (lisz
ditatnrii stmntjcr stood revealed before
her
trangely enough, it needed this pitiful
ident to restore Cynthia to her until
composure. With her affection fur
11b animals her assurance returned,
i loaned forward and glanced boldly
at the stranger, lie was standing
et, using the remaining oar as a padand
urging the boat swiftly in purt
of the lost one, which already in i lie
nop of the current was drifting rapid
iwav.
'Don't you reckon you better haul
t poor pup in, jes' naturally':" she inred,
fixing her critical eyes upon
a.
die man glanced at her in amazement
1 burst into a ringing laugh.
'Certainly, if you say so," he said good
uiredlv, arresting his oar. 'But to
him in now means a shower bath for
b nf 11? It's a neat little wav with
u ill return for such favors," In* added,
;h pardonable irony in view of his rott
experience. "However, I can stand
' glancing down at his dripping boots
1 trousers."but I thought you'd object,
i see."
'Don't you worry about me," returned
nthia frankly. "Them turkeys set1
thet!" She paused and whipped her
spattered ' kirt about her pretty ankles
way of comment. Then, with a toss
her head, sho went on:
'I reckon thet gobbler'll weigh nigh
:o ttf pounds. I had all I could swing
It was nip and tuck for awhile
ether he'd pull me in or I him. but?1
it!"
>ho laughed and touched the great
key with her foot as she exulted over
exploit in girlish triumph.
ler companion, having his attention
tlio first time attracted to the reeov
of his game, thanked her warmly
and applauded her achievement. His I
praise was received with apparent grati
fication and a sudden revelation of bril- j
liant teeth and becoming dimples.
Meanwhile the struggling dog had
overtaken the drifting boat and was i
making impotent efforts to clamber in, j
falling back repeatedly with agonized
whining.
The girl sprang forward suddenly and
caught him by the collar. She attempted
to lift him in bodily, but without
success. With her hand still upon the
leathern strap, sho turned impatiently
to the stranger:
"Are you going to stand there as if
you was moonstruck and let your poor
dog drown naturally?" she inquired.
Thus besomrht. the man stormed down !
anil withou ; more ailo lifted the dog
into the boat, receiving at cnce tho customary
tribute. It was delivered on the
| present occasion with a frankness and
devotion to detail that made it note:
worthy. In addition to drenching the |
two in the boat, it rendered occupancy
j of the seats unpleasant and boating an ;
actual hardship.
During tlr's animated cascade Cynthia
covered her face with her hat and
shook with laughter. The nan tumehis
back upon his dog with manifest dis- i
; gust. As soon as it was safe to do so he
! faced about anil regarded Cynthia with
grim amusement.
"Ho did right smart, didn't he?" she
inquired, looking up brightly at him, her
eyes still dancing with her recent merriment.
"For an ordinary dog," replied her i
companion quietly, "a modest, unobtrn- j
sive, unassuming brute, I should think he
did."
"I reckon so," she said quickly. Then
casting a sudden glance down the river, j
"Don't 3*011 reckon there'd be more sense
in gettin thet oar than jes' wastin daylight
talkin about your dog?"
The brusqueness of this rebuke was
lessened by a quiver of mirth that
twitched the corners of her rosy mouth
| aud flashed from her mischievous eyes. !
Tho man looked at her searchingly and
with a grave surprise at her abruptness.
i 1 ?] I
i!
Without a v ord he turned the boat again !
into the current and began to paddle
with a rapidity that seemed an apology j
for his recent negligence.
Until the oar had been recovered and
' they were rowing back against the sullen j
current tho silence that had fallen between
them both had been in marked
contrast to their previous merriment.
This became so marked as they proceed- ,
ed that Cynthia began to be distressed,
j The sun no longer visited the river in
occasional shafts and stray glimpses. It j
; was sinking below the wooded heights.
A vague chill crept over the river. Tho i
! stranger shivered and suddenly addressed
her. It brought a certain relief to Cynthia.
"Where do you live, young lady?"
The girl experienced a delicious tremor
lit this form of address. His voice was
low and deep, and there was a quiet dig|
uity about his manner.
"Up at the ranch?back of the bluff."
"Whose ranch?"
"Father's."
j "And his name?"
"Dallas?Alcides Dallas?but they call
him Al for short?that is, some do. But
others call him Allsides?Buck says it's
'cause he's uncertain in his votin. They
can't allers count on him for the Democratic
ticket. My name's Cynthia."
Her companion, having already experienced
the divine despair o*' the average
Republican in Texas, was not wanting
in his appreciation of the woes of the
elder Dallas. Howbeit, he made 110 political
comment beyond a grave lifting
of the eyebrows But the name haunted
him.
i "Cynthia." he said, repeating it slow- j
ly. "Cynthia Dallas. How do you get
to your ranch. Miss Cynthia?"
"Not Miscynthia. but plain Cynthia,"
she said, "or Cyntliy. as father says. 1
But 1 hate that. You can cull me Cynthia."
Her companion looked up with a smile
us lie noted the privilege conveyed by her
emphasis.
"Thanks," he said simply. "Well. Cyn.
thin, do you suppose your father has any
room at his ranch for a miserable, .tired. .
half drowned hunter?a 'tenderfoot' we'd
better call him, for ho was fool enough
to let his horse walk off and leave hint
011 the bald prairie while lie was looking
up a turkey roost?"
Cynthia's curiosity and sympathy were
awakened at once.
"Your pony walked off ami left you
did lie? Well, now!" She laughed. Then
as her frontier instincts asserted themselves,
there was a little disdain in her
manner as she inquired. "Can't you tie
the cowboy's hitch?"
Her companion felt the implied slur
for ho colored visibly under his beard.
"I must have been careless, 1 suppose,
or else the knot slipped," he replied apologetically
"At any rate that's the state j
of the case?no horse, rider wet, tired and
hungry, dog ditto. Do you suppose your
father can give shelter for the night to
two tramps?"
"1 reckon." said the girl simply. She !
stooped to pat the dog's wet head com- |
passionately. "Poor 'Ditto!"' she mnr- i
mured. Then, looking up quickly with
a mischievous glance, "What's the name j
of the other tramp?"
"lie calls himself llenry Bruce, and he
hails from the 'Mesquite valley ranch," j
of which you may have heard," returned
her companion, allowing by a humorous
twinkle that Iter sarcasm was appro- |
dated.
"The 'Mesquite valley ranch!"' exclaimed
Cynthia, with an astonishment i
of manner that she did not attempt to
conceal. "Ye don't savl Well, Henry j
Bruce, 1 don't reckon you'll have any
call to complain of the treatment you'll
get from father. I3;-.rrin tho fact that a
stray steer o' yours gets into our corn
bin now and then he hasn't anything to '
complain of." I
All at onco her thoughts reverted to I
tho ranchman's straying horse. Dumb
animals possessed a peculiar interest foi
Cynthia.
"Won't that poor pony of yours get ai
whalin naturally?" she inquired. "1
wonder where ho is now?"
"1 suppose his present address is
'Texas, on the Wing,' " replied her companion,
with gravity. "On general principles,
yes, I think I may safely say he'll
have an intelligent idea later of the capacity
of a quirt. But 1 shall havt
plenty of time to consider all that and
possibly to got over my temper before 1
seo him again. Meanwhile," ho added,
with a shrug of his broad shoulders.
"I'm feeling a little chilly and very
much in need of dry clothing. Excuse
me, Cynthia, but if you could hurry
matters a little and get ma home it
would be better for all concerned."
The girl responded with promptness
to this appeal.
"I reckon you're right," she said
quickly and with a 6udden blush tha4
was very becoming. "It's mighty slack
in me to be so careless sittin here botherin
you with questions and you freeziu
to death. Hand me thet paddle."
OUa /-V1-.f o email aow 4-Unf Uiwl
kjiiu pumtc?i vuk i* ouiai* vai nidi uau
hitherto laid unperceived in the bottom
of the boat.
"Now, if you'll row for all you're
worth against this current I'll have you
at the landing in a jiffy. We're almost
there any ho* V
So saying she put the paddle behind
her, and with a dexterous sweep of it
tnrned the boat's head to the shore. A
large flat rock in a sheltered nook, near
which several stakes had been driven
into the river's bed, was visible a short
distance ahead. The expectant Aulus
?a solemn sentinel in the shadow of the
great bowlders that rose behind and
about him?awaited them with nervous
impatience. It was the lauding place.
A few strokes of oar and paddle brought
them there. Bruce stepped forward with
the rope in his hand and fastened the
boat firmly. But hardly had the bow
touched the rock when the clumsy hound
sprang into the scow, and after greeting
his mistress with uncouth caresses began
a jealous inspection of the stranger'
dog. The result was apparently unsatisfactory,
for he uttered a low growl, am.
the hair upon his back and neck began
to bristle.
"Down, Aulusl" cried the girl, tapping
him smartly with the paddle. "Aren't
you ashamed of yourself, sir?"
The hound subsided and became abject
at once. Bruce had already taken a
strap from his pocket and after securing
the turkeys' legs together thrown the
heavy birds across his shoulder. He wawaiting
to assist her. Cynthia stopped,
and quite unaffectedly handed him his
gun, which he had for tho moment forgotten.
There was something amazonian
in tho gesture. Tho gentleman received
it with grave courtesy; then he
took the plump little hand which she extended
to him frankly, and she leaped
lightly upon the rock, followed by her
attendant dogs. It was as if Diana, the
huntress, were returning from an aquatic
excursion.
A steep, winding path, skirting rock
and bowlder, led to the heights above.
The girl at once took the lead, calling to
her companion to follow her. There
was something in this friendly espionage
that was stimulating to the sportsman.
He felt the inferiority of his sex under
circumstances where it should have
been triumphant. At length, out of
breath and quite exhausted with his
hard climbing, he reached the elevated
plateau. The girl was awaiting him.
As he stepped out from the dense fringe
of pine and hemlock that bordered the
river the level rays of the declining sun
at first dazzled him. It was like emerging
from some twilight cloister into 1 .ie
open day. A small cotton field with
6hreds of the woolly crop still clinging
to the dry and withered plants stretched
before him in dull monotony. Beyond
it, amid a grove of great pecans that
formed a favorable barrier against unwelcomed
northers, stood a small stone
house, with its tall adobe chimney.
Smoke was curling from the latter,
bringing with it suggestions of comfort
that appealed to the wayfarer. The sun
was going down?a great globe of firebehind
the low hills to the west. There
were the clanging of stock bells upon 'he
air, the bleating of sheep and other
sounds which, albeit unmelodious in
themselves, are not without their compensations
upon the frontier. The young
man turned to Cynthia.
She was seated on a fallen tree engaged
in loosening an antelope which she
had tethered to one of the branches before
descending the cliff. The fawn, recosmiziner
an addition 1o the party in the
ranchman's dog, was timid and wary.
She finally succeeded in reassuring it
MISS VAUINA
"THE DAUGHTER OF
somewhat, ami witli her pet tripping
daintily un before and tugging at the
confining rope proceeded. Her companion
quietly took his place at her side.
"Something of a scramble, wasn't it?"
Cynthia inquired, glancing at him slyly
from under her drooping lashes, not
without a feminine appreciation of his
splendid height.
Bruce .acquiesced, shifting his gun from
his burdened shoulder to a more comfortable
position. She regarded him a moment
critically.
"You're feelin pretty well tuckered
now, ain't you?" she finally said as t lit
result of this inspection.
The young man met this direct que-y
with the customary untruth of suffering
manhood under similar circumstances.
"Land!" said Cynthia, waving a diminutive
hand in protest. "Thet climl
isn't a circumstance. I can tako you tc
100 worse places than thet right here on
this river."
"Not with these turkeys on my back
if I know it," he remonstrated.
The girl laughed at tho suggestion.
They had passed through a thor'y
chaparral and were close upon tho ranch,
Tho sound of a violin, on which was being
played a lugubrious air, at timet
bursting into sudden erratic strains, witli
fitful minors and jarring discords, plain
ANNE DAVIS,
THE CONFEDERACY"
; know if you can taku euro of him over
; night."
The old man stared again, laid down
his bow and fiddle upon tho doorstone,
extended a heavy hand to Eruce, and
after closing upon the latter's fingers
; and lifting his arm as if it had been a
i pump handle restored them to him a triiio
mniined and without uttering a word,
i Tho samo formality was then gone
through with the younger individual,
whom Cynthia addressed as Buck Jerrold.
This gentleman managed to ejacI
ulate "Howdy?" in a tone as mechanical
i as tho previous gesture.
Meanwhile old Dallas had straightened
out his legs, crossed them, and with his
; hands elapsed over his knees was gazing
up into his guest's face with a puzzled
grautv that began to be embarrassing.
> "Who bo ye?" ho finally said, with a
> doubtful look, putting his hand to his
i ear, as if ho wero listening from a remote
locality. "Whar did ye say ye
: kern from?"
Bruce was about to reply when Cynthia
interposed and repeated her previous
remark more emphatically, "lie's
been play in, yo see; ho gets so far over
yonder thct it takes him a long time to
1 get back," she explained.
1 "Been?in?the?river?and?lost?his
' ? horse!" tho elder Dallas finally ejacu
ly reached tiieui. i no effect was weird
and indescribable.
l "Are you married?" Cynthia inquired
I abruptly, stopping short in the way and
leveling her blue eyes full upon hi in
i with steadfast scrutiny.
The unexpectedness of this inquiry
was too much for the sportsman. He
I threw back his head and shouted his
amusement. The girl appeared relieved
> at the action.
[ ! "I reckon you ain't," she said at length.
[ "You couldn't laugh liko tliet, Is'pos *.
if you were. Father says that tuno he's
. a-playin is 'Married Life.' I think it's
dreadful. It's 0110 of his own, and he
> says it's the result of experience. 1
thought perhaps I'd better give you
warnin. C'ome in now. and I'll make
you acquainted."
i She lifted the latch of a rude gate, and
together they passed into the ranch in
i
MRS. JEFFEF
stepped toward her. The movement
brought the fiddler to himself, who, still
playing, turned his body half round.
' and as soon as his eyes rested upon the
stranger stopped abruptly, the instrument
giving an impatient quaver as the
bow fell away from tho strings. He
stared blankly at Cynthia, but said nothing.
"Mr. Henry Bruce, father, of the Mesquite
valley ranch," said his daughter,
with a sudden blush. "He's lost his
pony, fell in the river and wants to
Illlil, "illlll HILL UiU UflltJ [icuu unu ui ji?v
year ago still a-goin fur mo at times and
contributin to make lifo a weariness of '
the flesh, I reckon n small snifter taken
under sieh ilepressin sarcumstances !
might operate as a blessin in disguise."
t Ho paused after this lengthy explanation,
put his tonguo in his cheek and
looked warily around. There was a I
dead silence. Mr. Buck Jerrold, who
had just entered stooping under a heavy
load of wood, cast down his burden upon
tho blazing hearth amid a shower of
spnrks, and leaning against tho chimney
piece grinned incredulously as he listened .
to the old man's catalogue of his infirmities.
Cynthia sat still between tho dogs
and said nothing.
"It's powerful sing'lar. Al," remarked
Mr. Jerrold slowly, rubbing his bearded
chin and pursing his lips, "how long it
.Irt ti.lrn nntr?Vl'lll1v to frif flint tJmr fpntV
pede pizen out'n a man's unfortunet system
when wunst he's be'n bit. You
don't seem to hev no kind o' success, although
you've be'n picklin ye'se'f off and
Vi for it nigh onto fivo years. Thar's
Jed Smalley, who allows thethegotoutBido
o' a clean gallon o' Jim Wily's rat
pizen thet time he sot down on ono duriu j
shcarin, an although thet's 10 years ago, '
t
closure.
CHAPTER IIL
An old man.with long gray hair and
unkempt beard was seated on the doorstone
of the ranch playing a violin. A
tall, muscular young fellow lounged
against a neighboring live oak, listening
| and placidly smoking. Lost in the ren,
1 dering of his dismal music, the face of
the performer was vacant and rapt. His
eyes had an uncertain wandering gleam,
and he bent his chin upon the instrument
1 and hugged it close to him with long
sweeps of his bow, as though intent upon
the pursuit ?f some elusive melody tk..t
ho feared might escape him. His knees
were pressed close together, and one foot
rested on the other, the toes turned inward,
with a humorous suggestion that
his musical efforts were demoralizing his
lower limbs. Near these erratic feet a
monstrous river catfish, recently caught
and thrown carelessly down, stretched
its unwieldy length.
He did not cease playing as Cynthia
and Bruce approached, but quite unconscious
of their presence continued waking
the echoes of the grthering twilight'
' with his tier lish music. His companion
greeted the girl with a friendly nod, and
quickly detaching himself from the tree
j
3
lill-t.' I MU? , <!."> 11 ii ? (la i/ivuiuun
in upon him. Then ho rubbed his hands
together and chuckled softly to himself,
turning his head to 0110 side and closing
liis eyes as if there was something very
amusing in the recollection.
"Waal, waal! Ef this yer state ain't gettin
swamped with tenderfoots my name
ain't Aleides! Lost his boss?let it walk
off and leave him!" ho repeated, chuckling
again. "Ye might build up a bustin
lire in that tliar grate, Buck, and thaw ,
him out, I reckon," pointing to tho open
hearth within. "Ye kin do that much."
Bruce, who had listened to tho commentary
of tho older Dallas upon his
mishap with outward imperturbability,
but inward impatience, hereupon attempted
to say something in his own defense,
when Cynthia broko in:
"Pretty near as bad a case, father, as .
when old Julo went off and left you
down at tho 'live oak water hole,' the i
timo you got down to doctor thet old j
ewo that was snako bit, aren't it?" she
commented.
"It's gettin dark," said the old man,
rising abruptly and with a sudden cracking
of his rheumatic joints?"it's gettin
dark, and I reckon wo better go in." Ho
stooped and made a feeble clutch for his
relinquished fiddly, but his halting knees
were unequal to tho effort, and Jerrold
handed it to him. Ho turned on the :
doorstep and picked a noto or two with
nticnnt- nvoa and a wan florins? hand.
"There ain't but two bedrooms in the '
houso outside the settin room, and them's
occupied," lie said vaguely, as if to the
remote landscape, punctuating his disburse
with nervous strumming of the
Instrument. "Ye'll hev to 'mako down'
with Buck and me on tho floor afore the
tiro Ez for dry clothes, the only extrys
on hand at this ranch is a buffalo robo
and a yaller 'slicker'?yo kin take yer
ch'icc. P'raps, ez it is, and thar being a
corner in dry goods outside o' woman's
duds and fixin's, yo better let them clothes
o' yourn dry on yo and hot up from the
inside. Yo look stout, and I'll allow yo ;
kin stand it. Cynthy, whar's tliet rye
whisky the sheriff gin mo over at the
'barbecue'last week? Yo might bring;
"say "wnen, san: sno unecieu, uiuug
tho liquor at a rapid gate into the proffered
glass.
"When!" said Bruce hastily, glancing
at Cynthia over his half filled tumbler.
"Sho!" laughed the ebony Amelia,
chuckling and favoring tho young man
with a dazzling dental display in her
amusement. "Dat ain't a 'marker' fo' a
young chap wot's jes' bc'n baptized!
Heali, boss!" turning to old Dallas, who ,
had been silently regarding Bruco and ,
his protestations against her generosity,
"show this gemman wot you 'lows to be
do aberago Texas 'rejubenator.' Dey am
no sca'city ob de article!"
Alcides Dallas stole a quick glance at
Cynthia as sho sat between the two dogs
dozing in tho comer of the hearthstone,
witli one arm around the prostrate Aulus
and her e, es gazing into the blazing
grate. Then ho stumped eagerly forward.
"My shoulder bein a leetle bad today j
whar I was t browed last spring at tho
'roundups,'" ho remarked apologetic- j
ally, his eyes still upon tho silent Cyn- |
? > i -11 A
allows there's days now when the old ,
symptoms Rets ahead o' him, an he's ;
obliged to hobble his conscience an take |
a drink or go clean crazy."
Mud thct old ccntypcdc bite of five year
itfjo xtlll (i-yoln fur me <it times." . |
The old man tnnied, with his glass in '
his hand, and gazed doubtfully at Buck
Jerrold, as if to fathom the sincerity of 1
his remarks. ; '
"Thet's so," ho said gravely. "Thar's
them ez believes ye never kin git over
it! Thar's them ez thinks it's jest flyin i
intho face of Providence to ever sign
tho pledge arter ye've once be'n bit. The
train of infirmities and worryruent thct
an ablebodied centypedo kin let loose
furevermpre 011 an unfortunet critter's
distracted inside is too harrowin fur argymint."
But here tho humor of his reflections
infected even his own sepulchral grav
ity, and tlio comers of his mouth
twitched; ho turned his back on Cyn- |
tliia, permitted Amelia to fill his glass
to tho brim, and covering it with his
wholo hand so that tho amount of his 1
indulgence was concealed from his audi- j
enco tossed tho draft off with surprising '
facility. Ho returned to his seat apparently
refreshed.
Cynthia rose at once with a sigh, and
repairing to tho closet returned with a
large tablespoon and an ominous looking j
bottle.
"Now, father,"' she said, standing beforo
him and looking anxiously into his
face, "it's time to take tho 'counter irri- j
tant.' Ef your shoulder is plaguin you j
again tonight, you want your dose. I |
s'pose it tastes about as bad as it smells, |
but it's only a minute, you know, and j
it's all over, and then wc won't hear any j
more about 'sufferin humanity' the rest i
of the evening." i
She poured out a tablespoonful of the
mixture and held it toward him coaxingly.
"Go 'long, now, Cyn thy!" ejaculated
the old man, waving his medicinal favor
aside. "Ye don't reckon I wanter mix
two kinds o' medicine to onct, do ycr?
Thar ain't no sense in sech work ez thet!
Wot I jes' took is kalkerlated to fortify '
me ag'in the lingerin effects o' thet thar !
pizen critter's bite, and thet Injun cliollygog
hez jest tho opposite effect and
would bo wearin on the narves. No, 1
Cynthy, I'm feelin better a'ready, sis, j '
and I don't know ez I owe my inside any
partickler grudge to be depressin it to j 1
thet extent."
He turned his back abruptly upon his ! j
daughter and her solicitations, and j
swinging round in the wooden chair on 1
which he sat crossed his legs and gazed
fixedly into the blazing coals with an !
expression upon his withered face from
which there was no appeal. '
Thus repulsed in her efforts to coun- '
teract what sho believed to be the dan- j
^ ? ! ? _i? i?. n i.Lt? I
gerous xeuuencies 01 uquur, v^mum
mado one mure appeal.
"But you know, father, Dr. Stethy- |
scope prescribed this for you whenever j
you wero feelin blue and'out of spirits,"
she pleaded, a pretty trouble gathering t
in her anxious brows.
"Dr. Stethyscope is a crank and a
cussed fool!" returned the elder Dallas |
sharply, still with averted back. "I kin ^
run my own inside without any advice
from him, I reckon. Wot's more," ho j
added, with a grin that disclosed a few j
lonely and discolored teeth in his upper j
jaw, "jest at present I'm not out of sper- |
rits."
Ho glanced at Mr. Buck Jerrold lean- i
ing against the chimneypiece and winked
boldly, as if to clinch the suggestion.
Cynthia, heaving another little sigh,
? ~'"J AA f n nar\AAn I
ISON DAVIS.
out and start your fr'end onto it. Buck, ;
go to the woodpile and fetch an armful
of wood."
So saying and without pausing for a
reply ho at once led the way within,
followed by Bruce and Cynthia. A wood
fire burned upon the ample hearth, the !
leaping flames roaring and crackling up
the great chimney and lighting up the
dim interior with fantastic play of ligh
and shadow. Tho room was bare anu j
scantily furnished; tho ceiling peaked,
showing the joinings and rafters of the
roof. In tho center of tho rough floor
stood a long wooden table already set
for the evening meal. A few poor prints,
recklessly lavish in coloring and villainously
out of drawing, hung upon tho
walls.
A door at tho onnosite end of the room
gave upon the neighboring kitchen.
Thence proceeded the rattle of cooking
utensils and a savory steam that appealed
to tho fatigued and hungry
sportsman. A few minutes later Cynthia
appeared, accompanied by an old
negress, turbaned and of middle age,
who carried a large brown jug and a
couple of glasses. This was the ebon;
Amelia, tho presiding genius of the mysterious
and appetizing realm she had
just quitted.
She handed a tumbler to Bruce as ho
stood with his back to the blazing hearth
exhaling a cloud of steam in his efforts
to net upon tho old man's advice, and ,
throwing tho jug over tho hollow of her ,
elbow by a dexterous movement of a
black forefinger slipped through the handle
stood ready to administer tho liquid
refreshment.
JAJUIUU Lilt; tun ICIitO VJL tlic i
back into tho bottle and replaced it in
the cupboard with an air of resignation. I
She then returned to her seat in the cor- j
ner of the hearth between the sleeping 1
dogs.
Meanwhile Amelia had crossed the
room to a point near tho lounging Mr.
Jerrold and stood listening seriously to
tho dialogue between father and daughter
before proffering her services to him.
She now performed the same gymnastic
feat with the jug and extended the old
man's empty tumbler.
"I hain't no use for it," replied Mr.
Jerrold listlessly, not changing his at- i
titude, but permitting his largo gray I .
eyes to wander in the direction of Cyn- j
tliia. "Never liavin l>e'n bit yet and
bein favored with a right smart appetite ,
and good works gin'rally, I kin jest j
natch'ally run myself satisfactory without
reg'larly firin up the machinery. ,
Now and then in a matter of business, ,
ef a man don't come to time over a hoss
trade or swappin cattle when the facts | ,
don't, so to speak, keep tally with the
argyments, liquor is well enough to |
bring conviction. It's a powerful exhorter
and convincer of the jedgment,
but for ordinary daily livin and dyin I ,
don't need any in mine, and I reckon I
oughter bo glad on't.*'
Having delivered himself to this effect
he glaneed quickly at Cynthia again and 1
relapsed into silence. Amelia helped j
herself gravely to tho contents of tho j ;
tumbler, with the remark that she hated
to see "sech good whisky lef like dat 1
clean out 'n do cold," and then departed
abruptly for the kitchen. Cynthia raised (
her beautiful eyes to Jerrold and thanked
him for his reflections with a smile 60
sweet and engaging that Bruce, wet as j
ho was, set down his half lilled glass 1
upon the mantel shelf as quietly as pos- ' J
sible. Then a silence fell upon the little
group?perhaps induced by tho drowsy 1
warmth and that tendency to reverie '
promoted by a blazing fire. The snoring
of the dogs fast asleep upon tho hearthstone
was heard distinctly in the stillness.
(
Theso reflections were broken in upon ]
a few minutes later by Amelia, who ,
emerged from the kitchen carrying a big s
dish of fried cattish and a steaming cof- ]
feepot, which she placed at the head of ]
the table.
"Cynthv," said the old man, taking his ( ,
seat at the festive board without further ,
ceremony, "tell Amcelyer to hurry up '
with them flapjacks and potatoes. I'm '
nigh starved! Set down, boys, and don't
be lmnkerin after victuals thet's jes' gittin
cold afore yer eyes. Cynthy, you
pour the coffee, and I'll rast'ie with the
fish." '
With this homely introduction ho at
? ?*....1.^.1 fl,.i rnO nf
JliCU iltlclLlau lin: I laiiui). inu iv?? w
:he company cheerfully followed suit.
Later, when tho appetite of the veracious
Alcides Dallas had succumbed o ,
the abundant supply of catfish and flapjacks,
they all returned to the fire and
seated themselves variously about the '
blazing hearth. After a long interval of i :
gazing at the incandescent coals the old
man delivered himself sententiously to
this effect: ' (
"It l>ein a leetle chilly here this even- '
in"?in a low, confidential tone, as if in ! i
confidence to tho glowing embers?"it '
bein a leetle chilly tonight, I allow thet i '
c f I axed Ameclyer to make a good pitcher
o' eggnog it might help matters and
obligate the mists of adversity and de- '
pression to not so monotonously prevail I
?that is, if them durned hens hev con- I
Itlii.liwl tn 1;iv nf nil Intel v. Ve see. we've !
made u bogiiinin on thet rye whisky,he .
added, by way of apology. "Ameelyor, I
wot account hev ye got to give of them
pertickler bcnsV"
Amelia, who was lmsily engaged clear- I
ing away the remnants of the recent I |
scraping a dish.
"Bless yo' soul, boss, do hens am all
reg'lar! I've done got five eggs a day
ever sence I fed 'em tliet raw meat."
"I wanter know!" said tho old man in
gratified surprise, without removing his
eyes from tho hearth. "Waal, then, you
might beat up about a dozen o' them
eggs in a pitcher and empty the rest o'
thet jug on 'cm to keep 'em from spilin.
I'm anxious not to get them pains ag'in.
P'raps it won't do to keep my supper
waitin too long for it."
"Do Lor!" exclaimed Amelia, rolling
her eyes in amazement, "yo' doan' wan'
do liolo jug o' whisky in dem eggs, boss!
Do yo' wan' cook 'em into one paste
same as an om'let? One teaspoonful to
ebery egg, sail?dat am de correc' proportion."
"Waal, let her goat thet, then!"sighed
the old man querulously, "so long ez
you don't give thet centypede time to
jet to work on my inside afore yer on
band with it."
Amelia disappeared in the kitchen
forthwith and soon returned with tho
:oveted beverage in an earthen pitcher.
The glasses were filled and set round. ,
"Thet's a right peart sliootin iron o'
your'n, Mr. Bruce!" said the old man,
picking up tho latter's breechloader as
it stood in a corner of tho hearthstone
ind curiously examining it.
"Jeewhittaker! It works like a rifle,
.lon't it? Waal, now, that lays way over
the 'Silent Marv,' Buck, you bet. Cynthy.
bring 'Mary' out! She's standin in
the comer. I loaded her today, darter,'
be added in a low tone of voice as if
thinking aloud, "with a handful o' sal t
in case that blasted Capting Foraker
:omes callin on ye ag'in durin the nert
fortnight. I hain't no other use for him,
ind I reckon he knows it!"
Cynthia made no reply to this remark
Df Alcides. but soon returned to the
iiearth carrying with difficulty au enormous
muzzle loading shotgun. It was
louble barreled and evidently designed
tor killing geeso at long range.
"I call her the 'Silent Mary,' "said the
fid man, setting the unwieldy weapon
oetween his knees and regarding it admirably,
"out of a feelin of gentle sar:asm.
She's about the loudest in argument
of any shootin iron I ever sec. And
Evhat she hez to say generally strikes
lome?sometimes both ways. I reckoned
the drum of my ear one time was
plumb busted! But lookin at her by and
large," ho added, tapping the barrel and
surveying the great gun, " 'Mary' hez
more p'ints and more 'git thar' than anythin
I ever yet p'inted into a flock o"
geese or wild duck."
Ho turned his head slowly and regarded
Bruce.
"I dare say," the latter replied considerately,
"you can count on that gun for
irery long range, but I fiud mine convenient
for ordinary shooting. Won't
you try a cigar?"
He opened a leather cigar case and
held it toward him. The old man took
one as a matter of course, but pursued
his reflections. Bruce extended the case
to .Terrold, and then lighting one himself
blew a cloud into the open fireplace.
"I don't allow thet you'll believe me,"
said old Dallas, biting off the whole
lower end of the weed before fitting it
carefully between his scant teeth, "but
I hev killed geese with 'Mary' ez far as
ISO yards. I'd like to git a 'bead' with
her on them fellers cz stole Old Spike
and them running hogs o' our'n, Buck,"
ho broke out suddenly.
Mr. Buck Jerrold assented grimly, laying
a significant hand on a revolver he
wore in his belt and tilting his cigar in
his mouth reflectively.
"Are you meeting with any loss in that
way?" inquired Bruce, quietly glancing
at both. "I've had a little trouble of
that kind myself lately."
"Vo.oo " #1 rwlo/I the iilil itiiin "therfi'fl
alius suthin goin wrong with yer live
stock. Ef it ain't cows it's bosses, and
ef it ain't bosses it's bogs. Them black
and white bogs o' mine are runnin free,
to be sure, but theyv'e good a good road
brand, and there ain't no excuse for
huntin 'em. But they's pork with mv
brand fur sale down at San Marcus all
the same. I reckon it's Lem Wickson
and his gang. I've sent word to the
sheriff, and he'll be over here some day
to talk it over. I perpose to hev the law
on 'em.
"Dudburn the luck!" he broke out suddenly
as recent disasters increased his
impatience. "There's them fine wooled
Vermont bucks out in the pen. One on
'em didn't como to time yesterday at
sundown. Found him lyin stiff and cc'i
in the momin?pizened on laurel, I reckon!
It's enough to gravel the patience
of Job, durned ef it ain't!"
He leaned back in his chair and took
a long, consolatory sip of Jhe eggnog ia
his tumbler with evident"^est. All at
once the air without was filled with cries,
as if all bed'am were let loose?shrieks,
barks and yells that, from their number
and frequency, might havo proceeded
from .10 throats.
"There they go, them durned coyotes!"
ejaculated the old man, turning to listen.
"I reckon they're wranglin over tho carcass
o' tliet poor old buck. I never hear
one o' them devils tune up," he continued
slowly, "but wot I think o' my wife cz
was onct an liowshe could 'hold tho fort'
ef any one givo her a reasonable opportunity.
I'd back her ag'in anythin I ever
seen yet. Thar was times in my fam'ly,"
lie added, sinking his voice almost to a
whisper, "when I fust como to Texas an
started in the hotel business,*an tho
frontier not. so to speak, exactly jibin
with Marier's eccentricities?thar was
times in my family when nothin short of
a menagericr at feedin time could ekel it.
I useter sit by them times tryin to consolo
myself with the idea thet I bed tho
biggest domestic circus in tho Lone Star
country. Thar wan't much comfort in
thet somehow. But I'm hero yet," ho
concluded triumphantly. "Marier ain't,
though," he added after a pause.
"Is vour wife dead, sir?" inquired
Bruce, with all the gravity ho could assume.
Cynthia glanced up at him with
a pained look.
"Don't git A1 started on married life?
don't, natch'ally!" interposed Jerrold
hastily, with a warning gesture.
But the train was already fired.
Don't Tkist Any onk.?At most
)f the hotels in Chicago, after a guest
:ias occupied a room for one week he
cccives a bill. If it isn't paid within
1 few minutes of its receipt, says The
Hotel Reporter, he finds on going to
lis room that he can't get in. He
lammers away at the lock, but it won't
ivork. Then he goes down to the oflice
uid explains to the clerk there is
something the matter with the lock,
flic clerk looks grimly at him, and
ibserves:
"I guess yer ain't paid ycr bill."
"Certainly not, I got it only three
uinutcs ago. But what's that to do
tvith the lock of my room ?"
"Everything. We've put what we
?ull a 'flea' in the lock, and no one
. an open it but us. Yer can't get in
ill yer pay yer bill."
"But I've lived in this hotel for two
rears. I own that block of houses
. ??. c?..,w.4 .....i i'.? ..
itivwrt niu nui i ij iiiiu i in t? iijiiiiwiilirc."
"Don't make 110 odds. Every one's
liable to turn crooked sometime or
jther, 'specially in Chicago, and we
thought we'd get the drop on yer, instead
of yer getting it on us. We
lon't trust anyone, we don't, not even
3Ur own brothers, in this town."
8The Lewiston (Maine) Journal
makes the surprising statement that
:he wild lands of Maine would make
thirteen States as large as Khode
Island, and two as large as New
llamphshire and Vermont, and one
twice as large as Massachusetts.
8*3?" A coward can tight in battle,
but it takes a hero to sutler patiently
done.
4