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About The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911 | View Entire Issue (July 31, 1907)
"VJ Kr-.r k.v 5S5ri ? . ' h k- l& l W FURNITURE A New line Just Received The most modern in its structure and design. Each piece has a' certain individuality of its own, and this, coupled with the fact that it is made strong and durable make it all the more desirable to Columbus people, We want to please with our Furniture and if you will call we will show you the newest things in fur niture. We solicit your patronage. HENRY MB HAMPTON f PLACER .fyJUNMUlPMMISItWMGte cofimxNrjm6rACjtsausegax. Continued from last week. 'ine omcer's brows knitted savagely. "It begins to look as if this might be some of our business. What hap pened? Indians?" "Yes." "How far away?" "I don't know. They caught us in a canyon somewhere out yonder, may be three or four days ago; there was a lot killed, some of them soldiers. My dad was shot, and then that night he he got me out up the rocks, and he lie was carrying me in his arms when I I fainted. I saw there was blood on his shirt, and it was dripping down on the grass as he walked. That's about all I know." "Who is the man? What's his lamer The girl looked squarely Into the jieuienams eyes, ana. Tor some rea son which she could never clearly ex- plain even to herself, lied calmly. "I don't know; I never asked." Sergeant Carson rose stiffly from his knees beside the extended figure and strode heavily across toward where they were sitting, lifting his hand in soldierly salute, his heels clicking as he brought them sharply .together in military precision. The fellow Is getting his eyes open, sir." he reported, "and is breathing more regular. Purty weak vit. but . he'll come round in time." He stared curiously down at the girl now sitting" up unsupported, while a sudden look of surprised recognition swept across his face. "Great guns!" he exclaimed, eagerly, "but I know you. You're old man Gil lis' gal from Bethune, ain't ye?" "Yes," she acknowledged simply, "bat he's dead." "Never mind, little girl," the lieu tenant said, with boyish sympathy. "I knew Gillis, and, now the sergeant has spoken, I remember you quite welL Thought all the time your face was -familiar, but couldn't quite decide where I had seen you before. So poor old Gillis has gone, and you are left all alone in the world! Well, he was an old soldier, could not have hoped to live much longer anyway, and would rather go fighting at the end. Well take you back with us to Bethune, and the ladles of the garrison will look after you." The recumbent figure lying a few yards away half lifted itself upon one elbow, and Hampton's face, white and haggard, stared uncertainly across the open space. For an Instant his gaze dwelt upon the crossed sabers shield ing the gilded "7" on the front, of the lieutenant's scouting hat, then settled apoa the face, of the girl. With one hand pressed against the grass he pushed himself slowly up until he sat fronting them, his teeth clinched tight, his gray eyes gleaming feverishly in their sunken sockets. ' "HI be damned if you will!" he said, hoarsely. "She's my girl now." CHAPTER V. A New Proposition. To one in the least inclined toward jfastidiousness,' the "Miners' Home at Glenoid would scarcely appeal as" a desirable place for long-continued res idence. But such a one would have COLUMBUS MEAT MARKET We invite all who desire choice teak, and the very beet cuts of all other meats to call at our market oa Eleventh street We aba handle poultryaad fsh and oysters teseacoa. S. E. MARTY & CO. No.L-tfcdajabus.Neb. Zi.-m' iferZM --?"l GASS had small choice In the Batter, as It chanced to be the only hotel there. The Miners' Home was unquestionably unique as regards architectural de tails, having been constructed by sec tions, in accordance with the rapid development of the camp, and enjoyed the further distinctionthere being only two others -equally stylish Is town of being built of sawm plank, although, greatly to the regret of Jts unfortunate occupants, lack of season ing had resulted la wide cracks la both walls and stairway, while strict privacy within the chambers was loag ago a mere reminiscence. Without the Miners' Home pat up a good front, and was In reality the most preten tious structure gracing the single clat tered street of Glencaid. Directly across the street, its front a perfect blaze of glass, 'stood Invitingly the Occidental saloon, but the Widow Guf fy, who operated the Miners' Home with a strong hand, possessed an an tipathy to strong liquor, which suc cessfully kept all suspicion of intoxi cating drink absent from those sacred ly guarded precincts, except as her transient guests imported it internally. Mr. Hampton during the coarse' of his somewhat erratic career had pre viously passed several eventful weeks in Glencaid. He was neither unknown nor unappreciated at the Miners' Home, and having on previous occa sions established his reputation as a spender, experienced little dlmculty now in procuring promptly the very best accommodation which the house afforded. That this arrangement was accomplished somewhat to the present discomfort of two vociferous eastern tourists did not greatly Interfere with his pleasurable interest in the situa tion. "Send those two fellows In here to argue it out," he said, languidly, after listening disgustedly to their loud la mentations in the 'hallway, and ad dressing his remarks to Mrs. Guffy, who had glanced Into the room to be again assured regarding his comfort, and to express her; deep egret over the unseemly racket "The girl has fallen asleep, and I'm getting tired of hearing so much noise." "No, be hivings, an' ye don't do nuthin' of thet sort, Bob," returned the widow, good-naturedly, , busying her self with a dust-rag. "This is me own nouse, an- urve tended ter the lotkes : them sort er fellers afore. There'll be no more bother this toime. Be soides, it's a paceful house Oi'm rua nin', an Oi know ye'r way of sittling them things. It's too strenurous ye are, Misther Hampton. And what did ye do wid the young lady, 01 make bould to askff" ' Hampton carelessly waved his hand toward the rear room, the door of which stood ajar, and blew , thick cloud of smokeN into the air, his eyes continuing to gaze dreamily through the open window toward the distant hills. "Who's running the game over at the Occidental?" he asked, profession ally. - "Red j3uvfn, bad cess to htm!" and her eyes regarded her questioner with "" Mxieiy. -unt sure bow. Bob, ye mustn't think of playte' yit awhoile. Yer narves are la no fit shape, an won't be far a wake jit" He made no direct reply, and she hang about flapping the dust-rax an easily. "An what did ye mane ter be dote' wid the young gynrlT" she questioned ax last la womanly cariosity. Hampton wheeled stent em the bard chair, and regarded her aalsxteg ly. "Mrs. Guty." he said, slowly, "you've been a mother to me, and It would certainly he unkind not to give yon a straight tip. Do? Why. take care of- her, of coarse. -What also would yon expect of one nmiiMlag my kindly diapoaltioa and weD-knowa motives of pailsathxepy ? Gam It ha gatAaave riiim wttk 1 cm. for ever my heart? Mrs. Qmffy. I mar the heiress to my mflHoas; Ismail marry her of to some eastera nabob, amd thus attain to that high posttiom la society I am so well fltted to adora sure, amd what else were job. ex pectteg, Mrs. Gamy?" "A loikely story." with a sail! of dis belief. They tell me she's old Gillis daughter oyer to Bethune." "They tell yon, do they?" a suddea gleam of anger darkening his gray eyes. "Who tell you?" "Sara, Bob, an' thet's anthla' ter git mad ahoat so far as I kin see. The story Is la iverybody's month. It wus thlm sojers what brought ye la thet tould most ov It bnt the lieutenant Brant of the Seventh cavalry, no less, who took dinner here afore he wint back, after the dead bodies, give me her name." "Brant of the Seventh?". He faced her fairly now, his face again haggard and gray, all the alight gleam of fun gone oat of It "Was that the lad's "Sure, aad didat ye know him?" "No; I noticed the 'T on his hat of coarse, but never asked any questions, for his face was strange. I didn't know. The name, when yoa just spoke it struck me rather queer. I I used to know a Braat la the Seventh, at he was much older; it was not this She answered something, lingering for a momeat at the door, bat he made bo response, aad she passed out si leatly, leaving him staring moodily through the opea window, his eyes ap pearing glased and sightless. An hour later he was still sitting on the hard chair by the window, a cigar between his teeth, thinking. The low ering sua was pouring a perfect flood of gold across the rag carpet but he remalaed utterly unconscious as ,to aught save the gloomy trend of his own 'awakened memories. Some one rapped upon the outer door. "Come in," he exclaimed, carelessly, and barely glancing up. "Well, what is it this time, Mrs. Guffy?" The landlady had never before sees this usually happy guest in his pres ent mood, ana sue watched him cu riously. "A man wants ter see ye," she an nounced, shortly, her hand on the knob. "Oh, Tm In no shape for play to night; go back and tell him so." "Sure, aa it's aisy 'nough ter see thet wid half an eye. Bnt this nn Isn't thet koind of a man, aa' he's so molghty perlite about it OI jlst cudn't sind the lotkes of him away. It's 'Missus Guffy, me dear madam, wud ye be koind enough to convey me com pliments to Misther Robert Hampton, and reqnlst him to grant me a few minutes of his toime oa an Important matter?' Sure, an' what do ye think of thet?" "Huh! one of those fellows who had these rooms?" and Hampton rose to his feet with animation. The landlady lowered her voice to aa almost inaudible whisper. "It's the Rev. Howard Wyakoop." she announced, impressively, dwelling upon the name. "The Rev. Howard Wynkoop, the Prasby tartan missionary wouldn't thet cork ye?"' It evidently did, for Mr. Hampton stared at her for fully a minute In ah amazement too profound for fit ex pression In words. Then he swal lowed something in his throat "Show the gentleman np," he said, shortly, and sat dowa to watt The Rev. Howard Wyakoop was neither giant nor dwarf, .hut the very fortunate possessor of a countenance which at once awakened confidence la his character. He entered the room quietly, rather dreading this interview with one of Mr. Hamptoa's well-known proclivities, yet la this case feeling abundantly fortlfled in the righteous ness of his cause. His brown eyes, met the Inquisitive gray ones frankly, aad Hamptoa waved him silently to ward a vacant chair. "Our lines of labor la this vineyard being so entirely apposite," the Utter said, coldly, bnt with Intended polite ness, "the honor of your unexpected call quite overwhelms me. I shall have to trouble yon to speak somewhat softly la explanation of your present mission, so as not to disturb a young girl who chances to he sleeping la the roam beyond." "It was principally upon her account I ventured to call." Wynkoop ex plained hi sudden confldence. "Might r see her?" Hamptoa's watchful eyes swept the other's face suspiciously, and his heads clinched. "Relative?" he asked gravely. The preacher shook his head. "Friend of the family, perhaps?" "No, Mr. Hampton. My purpose la comiag here Is perfectly proper, yet the request was aot advanced as a right but merely as a special priv ilege." A moment Hampton hesitated; then, he arose and quietly crossed the room, holding open the door. Without a word being spokea the minister fol lowed, sad stood beside him. For several minutes the eyes of both men rested upon the girl's sleeping form Have thet Man far Leas. Qe, Be fore I Feraet Ysjh- Cleth." and upturned Tfaee. Them Wyakoop drew silently back, aad Hamptoa closed the door noiselessly. - "Wen." ha said, teaalrtegly. "what moss all this mesa r "Let as alt dowa agate." said the mtelster. "aad I wfll try to make .my mare to mtece wards, mar do I aetteva 'lmummSHl mVmnxafiflnK mnxanxaWn" HH hH BawanKmwiJnnuawWBlmnw J paHaEr IffiSSrHuullmuP'' f ' nnxanxflnxaavBflnnxaflH&V " -mmMmfWpE A you to be the kbit ar a resaacf s if t dM. I mar say thing that wfll aot sound pleasant bat in thekcanse of my if aster I cannot hesitate. Yoa are aa older man thaa I. Mr. Hamptoa; your experience la Ufe has doubtless beea much broader thaa mine, aad it may even be that in point of education you are likewise my superior. Nevertheless, as the only mtelster of the gospel residing In this commuaity It Is beyond question my plate duty to speak a few words to yon la behalf of this young lady, and her probable future. I trust not to be offensive, yet cannot shirk the require ments of my sacred office." The speaker paused, somewhat. dis concerted perhaps by the hardening of the lines in Hampton's face. "Go on," commanded Hampton, tersely, "only let the preacher part slide, aad say just what you have to say as man to man." "I prefer to do so," he continued. "It will render my unpleasant task much easier, and yield as both a more direct road to travel. I have been laboring oa this field for nearly three years. Wham t flrst came here you were pointed oat to ma as a most dan gerous maa, amd ever since then I hare constaatly beea regaled by the 'stories of your exploits. I have known you merely through such unfriendly reports, and came mare strongly preju diced against yoa as a representative of every evil I war against We have never met before, because there seemed to be nothing in common be tween us; because I had been led to supiiose yoa to be an entirely different man from .what I bow believe you are." Hamptoa stirred' uneasily in his chair. "8hall I paint la exceedingly plate words the picture given me of you?" There was no response, but the speaker moistened 'his lips and pro ceeded firmly. "It was that of a pro fessional gambler, utterly devoid of mercy toward his victims; a reckless fighter, who shot to kill upon the least provocation; a mam without moral character, aad from wiiom any good action was impossible. That was what was said about you. Is the tele true?" Hampton laaghed unpleasantly, his eyes grown hard amd ugly. "I presume It aaast be," he admitted, with a quick side glance toward the closed door, "for the girl out yonder thought about the same. A most ex cellent reputation to establish with oaly ten years of strict attendance to business." Wynkoop's grave face expressed his disapproval. "Wall, te my 'present judgment'that report was not altogether true," he went on clearly and with greater con fidence. "I did' suppose you exactly that sort of a nana when I first came into this room. I have not believed so, however tor n single moment since. Nevertheless, the naked truth is certainly had enough, without any necessity far oar resorting to romance. You mny Ueceive others by an assump tion of recklessness, but I feel con vinced your true nature is not evil. It has been warped through some cause which Is none of my business. Let us deal atoae with facts. You are a gam bler... a professional gambler, with all that that implies;, your life is, of neces sity passed among the most vicious and degrading elements of mining camps, and yoa' do not hesitate even to take human He whea te your judg ment it seems necessary to preserve your ova, Under this veneer of 'law lessness you may Indeed, possess a warm heart Mr. Hampton; you may be a good felaow, but you are certain ly not a model1 character, even accord ing to the liberal code of the border." "Extremely Mad of you to enter my rooms uataviaed. aad furaish me with this list of moral deficiencies." ac kaowledged'tha other with affected carelessnesa "But thus far you have failed to tell me anything strikingly new. Am I to understand you have some parttcnlar object te this ex change of amealtles?" "Most aasuredry. It Is to ask If such a person as yoa practically confess yourself to be homeless, associating: only with the most despicable and vicious characters, and leading so un certain and dtsaepatable a life can be fit to assume charge of a girl, almost a woman, and mould her future?" For -a loag, breathless momeat Hampton stared Incredulously at bis questioner, crushing his cigar between his teeth. Twice he started to speak. but literally choked back the bitter words, burning ken lips, while an un controllable admiration for the other's boldness began to. overcome bis first fierce anger. "By God!" he-exclaimed at last rls iag to his feet and pointing toward the door." "I have shot men for less. Go, before I forget jmur cloth. You little impudent fool! See here I saved that girl from death, or worse; I plucked her from the very mouth of hell; I lite her; aba's got sand; so far as I know there Is not a single soul for her to turn to for help te all this wide world. And you. you miserable, snivelling hypocrite, you Ifttle creep ing Presbyterian parson, you want me to shake her! What sort of a wild beast do yew suppose I am?" Wynkoop had taken one hasty step backward, impelled to it by the fierce aager biasing from those stern, gray eyes. But now ha paused, and, for the oaly time cm record, discovered the conventional language of polite so ciety. Inadequate to express bis needs. "I think," he sakf. scarcely realizing his owa words, "yoa are a damned fooL- Iato Hamptoa's eyes there leaped a light apoa which other men had looked before they died. the strange mad gleam one sometimes sees te fighting anlmsfj. er amid thevfierce charges of war. His hand swept instinctively backward, closing; apoa the butt of a revolver beaeetm his. coat and for oae second be who had dared, such utter ance looked oa death. Then the hard. lines aoout'tne man s mown sortenea. the Angers clutching the weapon re laxed, aad Hampton laid one opened haad npom. the minister's shriakiag shoulder.. "Sit dbvjm,", ha said, his voice un steady from so suddea a' reaction. "Perhaps perhaps I don't exactly understand.- For a faU minute they sat thus took- tmm l . n......t v -- I dteuahu; UgMt Ilka two prlze-flahters f meeting, for the first time wlthta the I f1 nM Tm y ti1 r"-v t ' aegteafag their physical Hamptoa,. with a teach ef Ms eM am aacity of manner, was flrst to break the silence. "So yoa think I am a damned fool. Well, we are te pretty fair accord as to that fact althoagm mo erne before has ever ventured to state It quite aa clearly te my presence. Perhaps yoa will kindly explain?" The preacher wet his dry lias wMm his tongue, forgetting himself wham his thoughts began to crystallise teto expression. "I regret havteg spokea as I did." he began. "Such language ta act my custom. I was Irritated because of your haste te rejecting my advances before hearing the propositioa I to submit I certainly respect evident desire to he of assistance to this young woman, nor have I the slightest intention of interfering be tweea yoa. Your act te preservteg her life was truly a noble oae, and your loyalty to her interests siaee is worthy of all Christian praise. Bat I believe I have a right to ask, what do yoa intend for the future? " Keep her with you? Drag her about from camp to camp? Educate her amoag the contaminating potsoa of gambling holes aad dance-halls? Is her home hereafter to be the salcaa and the rough frontier hotel? Her Meal of manhood the quarrelsome gambler, aad of womanhood a painted harlot? Mr. Hamptoa, you are evidently a maa of educatioa. of early refinement; yoa have known better things; aad I have come to yoa seeking merely to sM yoa in deciding this helpless young wom an's destiny. I thought I prayed, yoa would be at oace interested te that purpose, and would comprehend the 'reasonableness of my position." Hamptoa sat silent gazing out of the window, his eyes apparently oa the lights now becoming dimly visible te the saloon opposite. For a consid erable time he made no move, and the other straighteaed back 1a his' chair watching him. "Well!" he 'ventured at last "what is your proposition?" The question was quietly asked, but a slight tremor in the low voice told of repressed feel ing. "That for the present at least you confide this girl teto the care of some worthy woman." "Have you any such te mind?" "I have already discussed the mat ter briefly with Mrs. Herndon. wife of the superintendent of the Golden Rule mines. She is a refined Christian lady, beyond doubt the most proper person to assume such a charge la this camp." Hampton flung his sodden cigar butt out of the window. "Ill talk it over to-morrow with with Miss Gillis," he said, somewhat grufily. "It may be this means a good deal more to me than you suppose, parson, but I'm. bound to acknowledge there is consid erable hard sense in what you have just said, and I'll talk it over with the girl." Wynkoop held out his hand cordial ly and the firm grasp of the other closed over his Angers. "I don't exactly know why I didn't kick you downstairs," the tetter com mented, as though still te wonder at himself. "Never remember being quite so considerate before, but I reckon you must have come at me te about the right way." If Wyakoop answered, bis words were Indistinguishable,, but Hamptoa remained standing te the opea door watching the missionary go dowa the narrow stairs. "Nervy little devil." he acknowl edged slowly to himself. "And maybe, after all. that would be the best thing for the Kid." CHAPTER VI. "To me or Net to They were seated rather close togeth er upon the steep hillside, gazing silent ly down upon squalid Glencaid. At such considerable distance all the dull shab blness of the mining town had disap peared, and it seemed almost ideal, viewed against the natural bachgrouad of brown rocks and green trees. Every where was loneliness, no sound telling of the labor of man reached them, and the few scattered buildings far below resembliag mere doll-houses. They had conversed only upon the constantly changing beauty of the scene, or of incidents connected with their upward 'climb, while moving slowly along the trail through the fresh morning sunshine. Now they sat in silence, the young girl, with cheeks flushed and dreamy eyes aglow, gazed far off along the valley, the maa watching her curiously, and won dering .how best to approach his task. Observing her now, sitting thus in total unconsciousness of his scrutiny, Hampton made no attempt to analyze the depth of his interest for this waif who had come drifting teto his life. Even to his somewhat prejudiced eyes she was not an attractive crea ture, for she possessed no clear con ception of how to render apparent those few feminine charms she pos sessed. Negligence and total uncon sciousness of self, coupled with hick of womanly companionship and guid ance, had left her altogether 1a the rough. He marked now the coarse ragged shoes, the cheep patched skirt the tousled auburn hair, the sunburnt cheeks with a suggestion of freckles plainly visible beneath the eyes, snd some of the fastidiousness of .early days caused him to shrug his shoul ders. Yet underneath the .tan there was the glow of perfect young health; the eyes were frank, .brave, unflinch ing; while the rounded chin held a world of character te its firm con tour. Somehow, the sight of this brought back to him that abiding faith te her "dead gameaess" which had first awakened his sdmlration. "Kid," he ventured at last "yoa were talking while we came ap the trail about how we'd do this and that after awhile. Yoa don't suppose I'm going to have say useless-girl like yoa hanging around oa to me, do She glanced quickly about at as though such unexpected expressions startled her from a pleasant reverie. "Why, I I thought that was the way yoa planned it yesterday," aha ex claimed, doubtfully. "Oh, yesterday! WelL yoa see. terday I was sort of dreaming; r n wli awaka. aad. Vwm elded. KM. that for year own goed. aa my veen. ve got JULY WAS A For businett with us. We haTe a line of odds and ends that most move in August, to make room for our Fall Stock and our prices will move them. Both Phones. U1.EBT.EIIG HERRICK A suddea gleam of fierce resentment leaped into 'the dark eyes, the un restrained glow of a passion which had never known control. "Oh, yoa have, have yoa. Mr. Bob Hamptoa? You have about decided! Well, why don't you altogether decide? I don't think I'm down on my knees begging you for mercy. Good Lord!. I reek cm I can get along all right without yoa I dM before. Just what hap pened to give you such a change of heartr "I made the suddea discovery." he said, affecting a laziness he was fsr from feeling, "that yoa were too Bear being a youag woman to go traipsing around the country with me. living at shacks, aad having no company but gambling: sharks, sad that class of cattle." "Oh, did yoa? What else?" "Only that oar tempers doa't ex actly seem to jibe, and the two of "I Think Yea .Are as caa't he bosses la the same ranch." She looked, at him contemptuously, swinging her body farther around oa the rock, and sitting stifny. the color on her cheeks deepening through tre sunburn.- "Now see here. Mister Bob Hamptoa. you're a fraud, aad you know it! Didn't I understand exact ly who yoa was, sad what was your business? Didn't I know you wns a gambler, and a 'had maar Didat I tell yoa plain enough out yonder" aad her voice faltered slightly "just what I thought about you? Good Lord! I havea't beea begging to stick with you, have 1? I just dMa't know which way to tura 'to. after dad was killed, and you sorter hung on to me. sad I let It go the wsy I supposed you wanted it But I'm not particularly stuck on your style, let me tell yon, and I reckon there's plenty of ways for me to get along. Oaly first I pro pose tc understand what your little game is. You don't throw down your haad like that without some reason." Hampton sat ap, spurred Into in stant admiration by such Independ ence of spirit "You grow rather good looking, Kid. when you get not. but you go at. things half-cocked, aad you've got. to get over it That's the whole trouble you've never beea trained. andI wouldn't make much of a traiaer for a high-strung Ally like you. Ever remember your mother?" "Mighty little; reckon she must have died when I was about Ave years old. That's her picture." Hamptoa took te his haad the old fashioned locket she held out toward him, the long chain still clasped about her throat sad pried opea the stiff catch with hia knife blade. She bent down to fasten her loosened shoe, aad whea her eyes were uplifted sis gaze was riveted upon the face te the picture. "Mighty pretty, wasn't she?" she asked, with a sudden girlish interest, bending forward to look, regardless of his strained attitude. "Aad she was prettier than that even, the way I remember her best, with her hair all hanging down, coming to tuck me into bed. at night Someway that's how I always seem to see her." The man drew a deep breath, and snapped shut the locket yet still re tained it la his haad. "Is Is she dead?" he questioned, and hia voice trembled ta spite of his steel nerves. "Yes. te St Louis; dad took me there with him two years ago. aad I saw her grave." "Dad? Do yoa meaa old Gillis?" She Bodded, beginning dimly to won der why he shouM speak so fiercely and stare at her te that odd way. He seemed to choke twice before he cohM ask the next question. "DM he oM Gillis. I mean claim to be your father, or her husband?" "No, I doa't reckon he ever did. but ha gave me that picture, sad told me she wss my mother. I always lived with aim, aad called him dad. I reck oa he Mked It aad ha was mighty good to me. We were at Randolph at Bethaaa. That's all .1 M. far dad never talked a Damned Feel." I vary ansa, aad he asad ta gat mad whea I asked him eaestieaa." . Hamate eeaaed taa tecket fame UCORB RREAKER evj"B"-'-a- p aad arose I several minutes he to his feet he stood with back toward her. apparently dowa the valley, mis jaw set his dim med eyes seeing nothing. Slowly the color came creeping teto his face, aad his hands unclinchea. Then he wheel ed about, and looked down apoa mar. completely restored to his oM na ture. "Then It seems that it Is Jest yea and I. KM, who have got to settle this little affair." he nnnounced, firmly. Til have my say ahoat It aad then yoa cam uncork your feelings. I rath er imagine I havea't very much legal right te the premises, but Tve got a sort of moral grip oa you by reason of having palled you out alive from that canyon yonder, aad I propose to piny this game to the IteOt. You say your mother is dead, aad the maa who raised yoa is dead.. and, so far as cith er of us know, there isn't a soul any where oa earth who possesses any claim over you, or any desire to have. Then, nnturally. the whole jackpot is up to me, provided I've got the cards. Now, Kid. waving your prejudice nsMe. I ain't just exactly the best maa te this worid to bring up n girl like yoa aad make a lady out of her. I thought yesterday that maybe we might mam age to hitch along together for awhile, but I've got n different think coming to-day. There's no use dia flguring the truth. I'm a tmaMmr something of a fighter on the side, aad folks don't say anything toe pleasing about my peaceful disposition around these settlements; I havea't say heme. and mighty few friends, and-the few I have got are nothing to boast shunt, I reckon there's a cause for it all. So. considering everything, I'm about the poorest proposition ever was heard of to start a young ladies seminary. low mjotu snows, om Gillis enough, but I'm a damned sight wc Now, some womaa has got to take yoa te hand, aad I. reckon I've found the right one." "Goin' to get married. Boh?" "Not this year; it's hardly heeessa so serious as that; hut I'm going, to find you a good home here, and I'm going to put up plenty of stuff, so that they'll take care of you all right aad proper." The dark eyes never wavered as they looked steadily into the gray ones, but the chin quivered slightly. "I reckon I'd rather try it alone." she announced stubbornly. "Maybe I migni nave stood It with you. Boh Hampton, but a womaa is the limit" "I .expect it will go rather hard at first-Kid." he admitted craftily, "hat I thteh yoa might try It a while just to sort of please me." "Who who Is she?" doubtfully. "Mrs. Herndon. wife of the super intendent of the GoIden Rule' mine;" and he waved his hand toward the dis tent houses. "They tell me she's a mighty fine woman." "Oh. they do? Then somebody's beea stirring you up about me. have they? I thought that was about the way of it Somebody wants to reform me, I reckon. Well, maybe I won't ha reformed. Who was it. Bob?" "The Presbyterian missionary." ha confessed reluctaatly, "a nervy little chap named Wyakoop; he came la to see me last night while you ware asleep." He faced her opea score aa sbrinkingly, his mind fully decided. and clinging to one thought with all the tenacity of his nature. "A preacher!" her voice vibrant with derision, "a preacher! WeN. of all things. Bob Hampton! You led around by the nose in teat way! DM he waat you to Kiag me to Sunday school? A preacher! And I suppose the fellow expects to tura me over to oae ef hie flock for religious testructioa. Hell have you studying theology inside ef a year. A preacher! Ch, Lord, and yam agreed! Well. I won't go; so there!" "As I understand the affair," Hamp ton continued, as she passed far breath, "it was Lieut Brant who gested the idea of his coming ta. Braat knew GlUIs. snd remembered yoa, sad realizing your unpleasant ait- nation, thought such an arraagemeat 'wouM he for your benefit" "Brant!" she burst forth ta renewed snger; "he dM, dM he! The natxv lacea eaaay i used to see him at ueinune. an yoa eaa bet he bothered his head about me then. No. aad he dMa't evea know me out yon der, until after the sergeant spoke ap. What business has that fellow got planning what I shall do?" Hamptoa made bo attempt to am swer. It was better to let her teeiama tloa die oat aaturally, aad so he asked a question. "What Is this Brant doing at Bethune? There Is no cavalry sta tioaed there." She glanced ap quickly. Interested by the saddea change in his voice. 1 heard dad say he wss kept there am some special detail. His regimeat hi stationed nt Fort Lincoln, somewhere further-aorta. Ha used to To be aaatteaea I 1 a . 2T2 . v. . w sc : . .."- i " r . - - .v. - .' SS3S5- -t;?ffiSagP- , ztsi&&&?Zrt3.i& . fw&ZS'A?fritift. .-vy:V-S-f rmv-ir!Lr'.Z' -A- A. .-., Zt., O t -,,-'' X-," -- ''. s m
