1 < 3 THE OMAHA DAILY IJBKj SATURDAY , NOYia.UBISIl 21 , 1300.
$ A NIGHT IN THE DIVIDE , |
4f | - w >
i | * 1JF HKFJT IIAItrK. A
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( Crpyrlfjt.t. 1 5C , i > y Uii > Aullior. )
. With the lulling of the wlml towan
evening It came on to snow heav'ly , In
utralght , quickly BUccefdlnR flakes , dropping
Ilka white lancet from the sky. Thin wa
followed hy the usual Slcrran phenomenon
The deep gorge , which , as the sun % oa
down , had lapsed Into darkness , present !
litKBn to reappear ; at first the vanished
trail eamo huck as a vividly whitening
sticnk In the night ; then the Inuhcs am
pines that ascended from It like buttrcsfle
against the hillsides glimmered In ghostly
distinctness , until at last the two slopes
curved out of the darkness as If hewn It
innrblu. Tor the sudden storm , which ex
' "
t'cnircd"Vcarcoly two miles , had left no trace
upon the Bleep , granite fate of the blgl
cllffo above ; tint snow clipping silently fron
them , left them still hidden In the olmcurlt }
.of night. litho vanished landscape tht
gorge alone .stood out , set In a chac.i of clom
and storm through which the moonbeam : )
struggled Ineffectually.
Itaa this unpxpcctcd sight which hurs
upon the occupants of n large , covered "sta
tlon wagon , " who hod chanced upon the
lower 'did of the gorgo. Coming from a
EtllT lonor'altltudo they had known nothing
of the Morn ) which had momentarily ceased
but. had left n record of Intensity In nearlj
two feet of snow. Kor fcome momenta the
horses floundered and stiugglcd on , In wha
the travelers believed to ho some old for-
Kottcn drift or avalanche until the extent
and frcshncos of the fall became apparent
To aild lo their dllllcultlca the storm recommenced -
commenced , and not comprehending Its rea
character and limit they did not dare to
attempt to return the way they ciune. To
KO on , however , was Impossible. In tills
quandary they looked about them In vain
for some other exit from the gorge. Tht
Bides of that gigantic white furrow termi
nated In darkness. Hemmed In from the
world In all directions It might have hcct
their lotnli.
Hut , although they could BCQ nothing be
yond their prison walls , they themselves
were perfectly visible from the heights
nbovo them. And Jack Tunbrook , quart ?
miner , who was sinking a tunnel In th >
rocky ledge of shelf above the gorge , step
ping cut from his cabin at 10 o'clock to
lake a look at the weather before turning In
could observe distinctly the outline of tht
black wagon , the floundering horses , am
the crouching figures by their side , scarce ! )
larger than plginli * on the white surface ol
enow , a thousand feet below him. Jack liai
courage and strength and a good liumoi
that accompanies them , but he contontet
lilmself for a few moments with lazily ob
serving the travelers' discomfiture. He hat
taken In the situation with a glance ; Le
would have helped a brother miner or
mountaineer , although he knew that it
could only have been drink or bravado that
brought lilin liUo the gorge In a Know storm
hut It was very evident that these were
"greenhorns , " or eastern tourists , and ll
served their stupidity and arrogance right
Ho remembered also how he , having once
helped an eastern visitor catch the nuiatant
that had "bucked" him , and had been called
"my man , " and presented with $5 ; he re
called how he had once spread tliu humbk
resources of his tabln before some straying
members of the San Francisco party whc
were "opening" the new railroad and heard
the audible wonder or a iuUy that a'civilized
being 'could llvo so "coarsely ! " With there
recollections In his mind he managed to sur
vey the distant titrugglliig horses with a
fine eenso of humor , not unmixed with fcclf-
rlghtcousMcfis. There was no real danger In
the situation ; It meant nt the worst a delay
and a camping In the snow till morning ,
when ho would go down to their assistance.
They had a spacious traveling equipage , and
were , 110 doubt , well supplied with furs ,
robtfl and provisions for a several hours'
, . Journey ; his own pork barrel was quite
- „ ' empty and his blankets worn. He hall
smiled , extended his long arms In a decided
yawn , and turned back Into the cahlti to
go to bed. Then he cast a Ilnal glance
around the Interior. Everything was all
right ; his loaded rifle stood against the wall
he had just raked ashes over the embers
of his fire to keep It Intact till morning. Only
ono thing sllghtlj- troubled him ; a grlzzlj
bear , two-thirds grown , but only half tamed
which had hien given to him by a young
lady named "Mlggles , " when that charming
6ml historic girl had decided to uccompanj
her paralytic lover to the Ban Francisco
hospital , was missing that evening. It hat
* . been It8 regular habit to couio to the door
every night for some sweet biscuit or sugai
' before going to Its lair In the undcrbrusl
behind the cabin. Everybody knew It along
the length and breadth of Hemlock iUdge
as well aa the fact of Its being a legac )
of the fair exile. No rifle- had over yet been
rnUscd against his lazy bulk or the stupid
. small-eyed head and ruff of circling balls
made moro erect by Its well-worn leather
collar. Canceling himself with the thought
that the storm had probably delayed Us
return. Jack took off his coat and threw
It on his bunk. lint from thinking of the
storm Ills thoughts naturally returned again
to the Impeded travelers below him , and he
half mechanically stepped out again In hio
shirt , sleeves for a 11 mil look at t m.
Hut here something occurred that changed
hla resolution entirely. Ho had previously
noticed only the three foreshortened , crawlIng -
Ing figures around the now stationary wagon
bulk. They were now apparently making
arrangements to camp for the night. Hut
another figure had been added to the group ,
and as It stood perched upon a wagon scat
laid on the snow. Jack could sco Us outline
W H not bifurcated llko the others ! Hut
oven that general suggestion was not
needed ; the little head , the symmetrical
curves visible oven at that distance were
qulto enough to Indicate that It was a
woman ! The easy smllo faded from Jack's
fare , and was succeeded hy n look of con-
ecru and then of rcnlgnatlon. Ho had no
choice now ; ho must go ! There was a
woman there , and that settled it. Yet ho
had arrived at this conclusion from , no
sense of gallantry , nor , indeed , of chivalrous
transport , but n a matter of simple duty to
the BOX. Ho was giving up his sleep , was
, going down a thousand feet of steep trail
to offer his services during the rest of the
- ' night UH simply as an eastern man would
have offered his scat In an omnibus to a
* ' woman.
Having resumed his coat , with a bottle
* * " of whisky thrust into his pocket , ho put
, „ t on a pair of India rubber boots reaching to
his thighs , and , catching the blanket from
' his bunk , started with an axe and shovel
on his shoulder on his downward Journev.
- * When the diitunco was halt completed hem
fihoutcd to the travelers below ; the cry waa
m
joyously answered by the three men ; ho
. . . Haw the fourth figure , now unmistakably that
of a nleilder , youthful woman. In a eloak ,
- . . . - helped back Into the wagon , as If deliverance
was now sure mid Immediate. But Jack
on arriving , speedily dissipated that Illusive
l hope ; they cculd only get through the gorge
by taking off the wheels of the wagon ,
placing the axle on rude sledge runners of
opllt saplings , which , with their assistance ,
ho would fashion in a couple of bourn at
his cabin and bring down to the gorge. The
only other alternative would ho for them to
como to his cabin , and remain there while
ho went fcr assistance to the nearest station ,
but that would takt > several hours and ne
cessitate a double journey for the sledge If
hu was lucky enough to find one. The party
quickly acquiesced In Jack's first suggestion.
"Very well. " xald Jack , "then there's
no time to ho lost ; unhitch your horses and
we'll dig a holeIn that bank for them to
land In out of the miow. " This was
upeedlly done. "Now , " continued Jack ,
"you'll Just follow mo up to my cabin ; Its
a pretty tough climb , hut I'll want help
to bring- down therunners. . "
Hero the man who seemed to bo the
head of the party of middle ago and a
superior professional typo for the first time
hesitated. "I forgot to say that theru U
a lady with \ia my daughter , " ho begun.
; I H nc Ing towards the wagon.
"I reckoned as much , " Interrupted Jack ,
simply ; "und I allowed to carry her up my
self the toughest part oi the way. She
klu malfo herself warm and comfortable In
the cabin until we've got the runners
ready , "
"You hear what our friend says , Amy ? "
suggested the gentleman , appealing to the
clotted leather curtains of the wagon ,
There waa a. pause , The curtain wan sud
denly drawn aaldo aud a charming little
head and shoulder. ' , furred to the throat and
topped wllh n bewitching velvet cap , were
thrust out. In the obscurity little could be
seen of the glrl'H features , hut there was a
certain \vlllfulnreM mid Impatience In her
attitude. UrtnK In the shadow she had the
advantage of the others , particularly Jack ,
as his Qguro waa fully revealed In the moon-
llht against the snow bank. Her eyes rested
for a moment on lil high boots , his heavy
moustache , no long its to mingle with hla
unkempt IcekK , which fell over his broad
shoulclnrx , on hla huge red hands , streaked
with black grease from the wagon wheels ,
and some- blood , ntaunched with snow , drawn
from bruises In cutting out the brambles In
the bnmh. or more awful than all a mon
strous , shiny "specimen" gold ring encir
cling one of his fingers on the whisky
bottle that shamelessly bulged from his side
pocket , and then slowly dropped her dls-
satlslled eyelids.
"Why can't I stay here ? " she Bald ,
languidly. "It's quite nice and comfortable. "
"Because wo ran't leave you alone , and
we must go with this gentleman to help
him. "
.Miss Amy let her eye again creep shud-
dcrlngly over this gentleman Jack. "I
thought the the gentleman was going to
help us , " she said , drily ,
"Nonsense , Amy , you don't understand.
"This gentleman la kind enough to offer to
make some sledge runners for us at his
cabin and we must help him. "
"Hut I can stay hero while you go. I am
not afraid. "
"Yes , hut you're alone here and some
thing might happen. "
"Nothing could happen , " Interrupted Jack
quickly and cheerfully. He had ( lushed at
first , but he was now considering that tlu >
carrying of a lady as expensively attired and
apparently aa delicate and particular aa
this one might bo somewhat dinicult.
"There's nothln' that would hurt ye here , "
he continued , addressing the velvet cap and
furred throat In the darkness , "and If there
was It couldn't net at ye , boln" , so to speak.
In the same sort o' fix as you , So you're all
right , " ho added , positively.
Inconsistent enough , the young lady did
not accept this as gratefully as might have
been Imagined , but Jack did not sco the
'light Hush of her eye , as , Ignoring him , she
replied markedly to her father ; "I'd much
rather stop here , papa. "
"And , " continued Jack , turning also to her
BUT AT THK MOXIENT THERE WAS AN
OTHER SHOCK TO THE WAGON.
father , "you can Itccp the wagon and the
whole gorge [ n sight from the trail all the
way up. So you can see that everything's
all rlghtr Why. I saw you from the first. "
Ho stopped awkwardly and added : "Come
along , the sooner we're off the quicker the
Job's over. "
"Pray , don't delay the gentleman and the
Job , " said Mies Amy , sweetly.
Reassured hy Jack's lait suggestion her
father fellowcd him with the driver and the
second man of the party , a youngish and
somewhat undlstlnctlvo Individual , but to
whcse gallant anxieties Miss Amy responded
effusively. Nevertheless the young lady had
especially noted Jack's confession that ho
had scon them when they first entered the
gorge. "And I suppose , " she added to her
self mentally , "that he sat there with his
boozing companions , laughing and jeering
at our struggles. "
But when the sound of her companions'
voices died away and their figures -.vero
swallowed up the darkness behind the mow
she forgot all this and much else that was
mundane and frivolous In the Impressive
and maji's'lc solltuilo that seemed to descend
, ipon her from the obscurity above. At first
It was accompanied with a slight thrill of
vague fear , hut this passed presently Into
that profound peace which the mountains
alone can slvo their lonely or perturbed
children. It seemed to her that nature was
never the sameon the great plains where
men and cities alvvayn loomed Into such
ridiculous proportions when the Great Mother
also.l herself to comfort them with smiling
illlsldcs or encompassed them and drew
.hem clc o In the loving arms of mountains.
The long white Canada stretched before her
n a purity that did not seem of the earth ;
the vague bulk of the mountains rose on
plther sldo of her In a mystery that was not
of this life. Yet It was not oppressive ;
neither was Its rcstfulncss and eiulet sug
gestive of obllvlnusncto and slumber ; on the
contrary , the highly rarefied air seemed to
; lve additional keenness lo her senses ; her
tearing hod become singularly acute ; her
eyesight pierced the uttermost extremity
of the gorge , lit by the full moon that oc
casionally licno through slowly drifting
clouds. Her nerves thrilled with a delicious
scnso of freedom and a strange desire to
tun or climb. It seemed to her , In her
exalted fancy , that these solitudes should be
teopled only hy a kingly race and not by
such gross and material churls as this moun
taineer who helped them. And , I grluvo to
say writing of a sentimentalist that was
and a heroine that Is to be she was getting
outrageously hungry.
There were a. few biscuits In her travcl-
ng hag , and 'she remembered that slio had
icen presented with a small jar of Call-
ornla honey at San Joso. This she took
out and opened on the scat before her , and
spreading the honey on the biscuits ate
hem with a keen schoolgirl relish and a
ileasant suggestion of a sylvan
ilcnlc. In spite of the cold. It
vas all very ntrango ; qulto an
experience ) for her to speak of after-
vards. People would hardly bcllevo that she
lail spent an hour or two , all alone , In a
Ireerted wagon In a mountain snow pass.
t was an adventure such an ano reads of In
ho magazines. Only something was lack-
ng which the magazines always supplied
omothlng heroic something done by some-
) ody. If that awful-looking mountaineer
hat man with the long hair and moustache
and that horrlhlo sold ring why such
a ring ? was only different ! Hut ho was
> robahly gorging beefsteak or venison with
ler father and Mr. Waterhouse men were
always such selfish creatures ! and had
julte forgotten all about her. It would only
lave bocii decent for them to have brought
ler down something hot ; biscuits and
lonoy were certainly cloying , and somuhow
didn't agree with the temperature. Rtio
was really half starved ! And much they
ureil ! It would just ucrvo them right If
omethlng did happen to her or seem to
mpnen to her If only to frighten them.
And the pretty face that was turned up In
ho moonlight wore a charming hut decided
) OUt ,
Good gracious ! What was that ! Tim
lorsea were cither struggling or fighting In
heir snow shelters. Then ono , with a
Tightened neigh , broke from Its halter and
ashed Into tliu road , only to ho plunged
r.ortlng and holplem Into the drifts , Then
lie other followed. How silly ! Something
lad frightened them. Perhaps only a
abult or a mole ; horses were such absurdly
ervoiis creatures ! However , It was juit
H well Homebody would see thorn or hear
hem that neigh wan really qulto human
nd awfuj niul they would hurry down to
co what wai the matter , Bho couldn't
ho expected to net out and Iwk after the
horurn In the RIIOW. Anyhow , flic wouldn't !
fiho was a good deal safer whcro she was
It might liovo been rats or mice about that
frlghter.ca them. Goodncnsl
She WAH still watching with curious
wonder the continued fright of the animals
when suddenly she felt the wagon halt
humped , half lifted from behind. It was
BUch a lazy , deliberate movement that fern
n moment she thought It came from the
party who had returned noiselessly with
the runners. She scrambled over to the
hack scat , unuuttor.cd the leather curtain ,
lifted It , but nothing was to bo seen. Con
sequently , with feminine quickness , she said :
"I sco you perfectly , Mr. Waterhouse don't
bo silly ! " ! But at this moment there was
another shock to the wagon and from be
neath It arose what at first seemed to her
to ho an uplifting of the drift Itself , but
as the snow was shaken away from Its heavy
hulk , proved to bo the enormous head and
shoulders of a hear !
Yet oven then she was not wholly fright
ened , for the snout that confronted her had a
feeble Inoffenslveness ; the small eyes were
bright with an eager , almost childish , curi
osity rather than a savage ardor , and the
whole attitude of the creature lifted upon
his hind legs was clrcus-llko and ludicrous
rather than aggrcsslvo. She was enabled
to say with some dignity , "Go away Shoo ! "
and to wave her luncheon basket at It xvlth
exemplary firmness. llut hero the creature
laid ono paw on the back scat as If lo steady
Itself , with the singular effect of collapsing
the whole sideof the wagon , and then
opened Its mouth as If In some sort of Inarticulate -
articulate reply , Dut the revelation of Its
red tongue , ltd glistening teeth , and above
all , the hot , carnivorous fume of Ha breath ,
brought the first scream from the lips of
Miss Amy. It was real and convincing ; the
horses Joined In It ; the three screamed to
gether ! The bear hesitated for an Instant ,
then , catching sight of the honey pot on
the front seat , which the shrinking hack of
the young girl had disclosed , " ho slowly
reached forward his other paw and attempted
to grasp It. This exceedingly simple move
ment , Jiowever , at once doubled up the front
scat , sent the honey pot a dozen feet Into
the air and dropped Miss Amy upon her
knees In the bed of the wagon. The com
bined mental and physical shock was too
much for her ; she Instantly and sincerely
fainted , the lost thing In her " cara
amidst this wreck of matter being the
whir" of a bullet and the sharp crack of a
'
* . . . . . .
She recovered her consciousness In the
nlcHcrlng light of a fire of bark , that played
upon the rafters of a roof thatched with
bark and upon a floor of strewn and shredded
oark. She even ouspectcd she was lying
> ipon a matress of bark underneath the
heavy bearskin she could feel and touch.
She had a delicious scnso of warmth and
mingled with a strange spicing of woodland -
land freedom , oven a sense of homo protec
tion. And , surely enough , looking around ,
she saw her father at her side.
He briefly explained the situation. They
had been at first attracted by the cry of
the. frightened horses and their plunging ,
wliich they could see distinctly although
they saw nothing else.
"Hut , Mr. Tenbrook "
"Mr. Who ? " said Amy , staring at the
rafters.
"Tho owner of this cabin the man who
helped us caught up his gun. and , calling
us to follow , ran llko lightning down the
trail. At first we followed blindly , and , un
knowingly , for we could only see thestrug
gling horses , who , however , seemed to be
alone , and the wagon from which you did
not seem to have stirred. Then , for the
first time , my dear child , wo suddenly saw
your danger. Imagine how we felt as that
hideous brute rose up In the road and began
attacking the wagon. Wo called on Tcn
brook to fire , but for some Inconceivable
reason ho did not , although ho still kept
running at the top of his speed. Then wo
heard you shriek "
. "I didn't shriek , papa ; H was the
horses. "
"My child , I knew your voice. "
"Well , It was only a very little scream
because I had tumbled. " The color was
coming hack rapidly to her pink cheeks.
And , then , at your scream , Tcnbrook
tired It was a wonderful shot for the dis
tance , so everybody says and killed thti
bear , though Tenbrook sava It onnhtn'f in
I bcllevo ho wanted to capture the creature
allvo. They've queer notions , these hunt
ers. And then , as you wero.unconsclous , ho
brought you up hero. "
"Who brought mo ? "
"Tcnbrook ; he's as strong as a 'horse.
Slung you up on his shoulder like a feather
pillow. "
"Oh ! "
"And then , as the wagon required some
repairing from the bruto's attack , wo con
cluded to take It leisurely , and let you rest
hero for awhile- . "
"And where Is whcro ore they ? "
"At work on the wagon. I determined
to stay with you , though you are- perfectly
safe here. "
"I suppose I ought to thank this man ,
papa ? "
"Most certainly , though , of course , I have
already done so. But ho was rather curt IK
reply. These half-savage men have such
singular Ideas. Ho said the beast would
never have attacked you except for the
honey pot , which It scented. That's ab
surd. "
"Then It's all my fault ? "
"Nonsense ! How could you know ? "
"And I've made all this trouble. And
frightened the horses. And spoilt the
wagon. And made the man run down and
bring mo up hero when ho didn't want to. "
"My dear child ! Don't ho Idiotic ! Amy !
Well , really ! "
For the Idiotic one was really wiping two
larpp tears from her lovely blue eyes. She
subsided Into an ominous silence , broken
by a single muffle , "Try to go to sleep
dear ; you've had qulto a shock to your
nerves , " added her father soothingly. She
continued silent , but not sleeping.
"I smell coffee. "
"Yea , dear. "
"You've been having coffee , papa ? "
"Wo did have sonic , I think , " said the
wretched man apologetically , though why
ho could not determine.
"Before I came up ? while the bear was
trying to cat me ? "
"No , after. "
"I've a horrid taste In my mouth. It's
the honey. I'll never eat honey again.
Never ! "
"Perhaps It's the whisky. "
"Whatr
"Tho whisky. You were qulto faint and
chilled , you know. Wo gave you some. "
"Out of that black bottle ? "
"Yes. "
Another silence.
"I'd like some coffee , I don't think he'd
begrudge mo that , If ho did save my life. "
"I daresay there's some left. " Her father
at once bestirred himself and presently
brought her some coffee In a teacup. It wan
part ol Miss Amy's rapid convalescence , or
equally of her debilitated condition , that she
made no comment on the vc&acl. She lay
for sonio moments looking curiously around
the cabin ; she had no doubt It had a worae
look In the daylight , but somehow the fire
light brought a wondrous luxury of colors
In the bark floor and. thatching. Besides It
was not "smelly" as she feared It would bo ;
on the contrary the spicy aroma of the
woods was always dominant. She remem
bered that It was this that alaways made a
greasy , oily picnic tolerable , She raised
herself on her elbow , seeing which her
father continued confidently , "Perhaps ,
dear. If you sat up for a few momenta you
might be strong enough presently to walk
down with me to the wagon. It would
save time. "
Amy Instantly lay down again. "I don't
know what you can bo thinking of , papa.
After this tiliock really I don't feel as If I
could stand alone , much leas walk. But , of
course , " with pathetic resignation , "If you
and Mr , Watcrhouto supported roe , perhaps
I might crawl a few steps at a time. "
"Nonsense , Amy , Of course , this man
Tonbrook would carry you down as ho
brought you up. Only I thought hut there
are steps ; they are coming now. No ! It la
only he. "
The pound of crackling In the underbrush
was followed by a momentary darkening of
the open door of tlio cabin. It was the
tall figure of the mountaineer. But ho did
not even nmko the pretense of entering ;
standing at the door he delivered his now
to the Interior generally , It was to the
effect that everything was ready , and the
two other men were even then harneealnR
the homes. Then ho drew back Into the
darkness.
"Papa , " said Amy , In a euddcn , frightened
voice. "I've lost my bracelet ! "
"Haven't you dropped It soraowhcro there
In the bunk ? " asked her father ,
"No. It's on the floor of the wagon. I
remember now It fell oft when I tumbled )
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n
VA
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And It will bo trodden upon and crushed !
Couldn't you run down , ahead of me , and
warn them , papa dear ? Mn Tenbrook will
have to go so slowly with me. " She tum
bled out of the bunk with singular alacrity ,
shook herself and her skirts Into instan
taneous gracefulness , and fitted the velvet
cap on her straying hair. Then she sal
hurriedly , "Run quick , papa , dear , and a
you go , call him In and say I am quit
ready. "
Thus adjured , the obedient parent dlsap
pearcd In the darkness. With him als
disappeared Miss Amy's blngular alacrtt }
Sitting down carefully again on the cdg
of the bunk , she leaned against the pos
with a certain Indefinable- languor that wa
as touching as it was graceful. I need no
tell any feminine readers that there was no
dissimulation In all this no coquetry , n
ostentation and that the young girl wa
perfectly sincere. Out the masculine readc
might like to know that the simple fact % vaa
that , since ehe had regained consciousness
she had been filled with remorse for he
capricious and ungenerous rejection of Ten
brook's proffered service. Moro than that
she felt she had periled her life In tha
moment of folly and that this man thU
hero had saved her. For here ho was. evei
If he did not fulfill her Ideal it was only she
that wan not a heroine. Perhaps if lie hat
been more like what she wished she \\oult
have felt this less keenly ; love makes little
room lor the exercise of moral ethics. So
Miss Amy Forester , being a good girl a
bottom , and not exactly loving this man , fcl
toward him a frank and tender consldcratloi
which a more romantic person would have
shrunk from showing. Consequently , when
Tcnbrook entered a moment later ho foum
Amy paler and more thoughtful , but , as he
fancied , much prettier than before , looking
up at him with eyes of the alnceres
solicitude.
Nevertheless , he remained standing near
the door , as If Indicating a possible In
truslon , his face wearing a look of lowering
abstraction. It struck her that tills mlgli
bo the effect of his long hair and genera
uncotithness , and this only spurred her to a
fuller recognition of his other qualities.
"I am afraid , " she began with a charm
ing embarrassment , "that Instead of resting
satisfied with your kindness In carrying mt
up here , I will have to burden you again
with my dreadful weakness , and ask yoi
to carry me down also. But all this seems
30 little after that you have Just done am
for which I can never , never hopcito thank
you ! " She clasped her two little hands
together , holding her gloves between , am
brought them down upon her lap In a ges
ture as prettily helplcbs as It was unaffected
"I have done scarcely anything , " he said
glancing a.way toward the fire , "and your
father has thanked me. "
"You have saved my life. "
"No ! no ! " he uald quickly. "Not that !
You were In no danger , except from my
rifle , had I misted. "
"I see , " oho said eagerly , with a little
posthumous thrill of having been after all
a kind of heroine , "and it was a wonderful
shot , for you were so.careful not to touch
me. "
"Plcaso don't say any more. " ho said ,
with a slight movement of half awkward
ness , half Impatience. "It was a rough
Job , but It's ovcruiow. "
He stopped and' chafed his red hands ab
stractedly together. She could see that he
had evidently Just washed them and the
glaring ring was imoro In evidence than
ever , llut the thought gave her an Inspira
tion.
"You'll at least-ilct me shako hands with
you ! " she sMd , .extending both her own
with childish frankness.
"Hold on , Miss' Forester , " ho said , with
sudden desperation. "It ain't the square
thing ! Look hero ! I can't play thin thing
on you I can't let you play It on mo any
longer ! You wasn't In any danger you
never were ! That bear was only a half-wild
thing I helped to ra'r myself ! it's taken
sugar from my hand night after night at the
door of this cabin as It might have taken
It from yours If It was alive now. It slept
night after night In the brush , not fifty
yards away. The morning's never came yet
till now , " ho said hastily , to cover an odd
break In his voice , "when It didn't brush
along the whole side of this cabin , to kinder
wake mo up and say 'So long' afore It
browsed away in the canyon. There ain't
a man alone the whole divide who didn't
know It ; thar ain't a man along the whole
divide that would have drawn a bead or
pulled a trigger on It till now. It never had
an enemy hut the beci ; It never even knew
why borseu and cattle wore frightened of U.
It wasn't much of a pet , you'd say , Mlta
Forester ; It wasn't much to meet a lady's
eye ; hut wo of the woods must take our
frlcndi where wo find 'cm and of our own
kind. It ain't DO fault of youru what hap-
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arc and gets me. " Ho stopped short ac
pened , hut when It comes to your thanking
mo for It , why. It's It's rather rough you
desperately and as abruptly as he hail
begun , and stared blankly at the fire.
A wave of pity and shame swept over the
young girl and left Its high tide on her
check. Dut even then It was closely fol
lowed by the feminine Instinct of defense
and defiance. TUP real hero the gentleman
she reasoned bitterly , would have spared
her this knowledge.
"Hut why , " she said , with knitted brows ,
"why. If you knew It was so precious and
so harmless why did you fire upon It ? "
"Because , " ho said , almost fiercely , turnlni
upon her , "because you screamed , and then
know It had frightened you ! " Ho stoppei
Instantly , as she momentarily recoiled from
him , but the very brusqucncss of his actloi
hod dislodged a tear from his dark eyes , tha
fell warm on the back of her hand , am
seemed to blot out the Indignity. "Listen
miss , " ho went on hurriedly , as If to cove
up his momentary unmanllncss. "I knew
the bear was missing tonight , and when
heard the horses Bkreeylng about I recklnei
what was up. I knew no harm would como
to you , for the horses were unhirnessei
and away from the wagon. I pelted down
that trail ahead of them all , like grim death
calkllatln' to get there before the , bear
they wouldn't have understood me ; I was
too high up to call to the creature when ho
did como out , and I kinder hoped yoi
wouldn't sec him. Even when ho turncc
toward the wagon , I knew It wasn't yoi
ho was after , miss , that you , being dlffcrcn
and quicker-minded than the rest , woulc
see It , too. All the while them folks were
ycllin' behind mo to fire as If I dldn'b
know my work. I was half way down
and then you screamed ! And then I for
got everything everything hut standing
clear of hitting you and I fired. It was
that savage that I wanted to believe that
ho'd gone mad and would have touched you
till I got down there and found the honey-
pot lying alongside of him. Dut there
It's all over now ! I wouldn't have let on a
word to you only I couldn't bear to take
your thanks for It , and I couldn't bear to
have you thinking mo a brute for dodgln
them. " Ho stopped , walked to the fire
leaned against the chimney under the shal
low pretext of kicking the dull embers Into
a blaze , which , however , had only the effccl
of revealing his two glistening eyes as ho
turned back again and came toward her.
"Well , " ho said , with on Ineffectual laugh
"It's all over now , and It were all In the
day's work , I reckon 'and ' now , miss , II
you'ro ready , and will Just fix yourself your
own wav so as to ride casv. I'll carry you
down. " And slightly bending his strong
figure ho dropped on one knee beside her ,
with extended arms.
Now It Is one thing to bo carried up a
hill In temperate , unconscious blood , and
practical business fashion hy a tall , power
ful man with steadfast glowering oycs , but
quite another thing to be carried down again
by the same man who has been crying , and
when you arc conscious that you are going
to cry too , and your tears may ho apt to
mingle. So Miss Amy Forester said : "O ,
wait , please ! Sit down a moment. O , Mr.
Tcnbrook , I am so very , very sorry , " and ,
clapping her hand to her eyes , burst Into
tears.
"O , please , please don't , Miss Forester , "
said Jack , Hitting down on the end of the
bunk with frightened eyes , "please don't do
that ! It ain't worth It. I'm only a brute to
have said anything. "
"No , no ! You are so noble ! so forgiving ! "
sobbed MEJ | Forester , "and I have made you
; o and kill the only thing you cared for ,
that was all your own. "
"No , miss not all my own , either and
that makes It so rough. For It was only left
In trust with mo by a friend. It was her
only companion. "
"Her only companion ? " echoed Miss
Forester , lifting her bowed head.
"Except , " said Jack , hurriedly , mlscom-
irchcndlng the emphasis with masculine
'atulty ' "except the dying man for whom
slio lived and sacrificed her whole life. She
; ave mo this ring , to always remind mo of
ny trust , I suppose. " ho added , ruefully
coking down upon It , "It's no use now , I'd
better take It off , "
Then Amy oycd the monstrous object with
angelic simplicity. "I certainly should. " she
uald. with Infinite sweetness ; "It would only
remind you of your lota. Hut , " she added ,
with n sudden , ewlft , Imploring look of htr
duo eyes , "If you could part with ft to me ,
t would bo such a reminder and token of
of your forgiveness. "
Jack Instantly handed It to her. "And
now , " ho said , "let mo carry you down , "
"I think , " she said hesitatingly , "that
I had better try to walk , " and fiho felt
icreelf lifted la tbo air , iiuelt the bark
YOU
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An Installment Policy for
$100,000 will leave your family
$5,000 yearly income for 20
years , in any event , and if your
stated beneficiary is then living
he or she will be paid $5,000
yearly during life.
A 5 per cent Debenture fen !
$100,000 will leave your wife
$5,000 yearly income either foi ;
20 years or until her death if
prior thereto ; then $100,000 wiij"
be paid in one sum. A possible
return of $200,000.
is m , WIN - ,
The true business man actk
promptly. Get our rates at once.
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT.
By ROBERT BARR
( "Luke Sharp. " )
A DRAMATIC AND HUMOROUS SERIAL IN TWENTY $ >
INSTALMENTS , BEGINNING NOV. 22 , IN *
ROBKHT HAIIU needs no Introduction to American editors , since ,
long before lie atlnlned distinction as a novelist In ICngland , lie lind
achieved no small measure of fame in this country through Ills "Luko
Sliari ) " letters , written for the Detroit Free Tress.
Ills llrst novel , "In the Midst of Alarms , " placed him at once aiming
the leading present-tiny writers of llctlon In England and America.
Kor years Mr. Harr lias been ambitions to set forth In the form of llc
tlon the conditions of life as they exist today In u great Industrial
center , as did Dickens years ago the life of the social conditions that
then existed. With this purpose in view , Mr. Harr has made a clo.se
study of the manufacturing districts of London , and In this , his latest
novel , "Tho Mutable Many , " hu pictures In his characteristic manner
the- struggle of Marsten , an Intelligent young worklngman , secretary
of a labor union , against Mr. Sartwell , thu manager of the great Iron
works of Monkton & Hope.
It Is a drama of stirring scenes from beginning to < > nd. AH a foil
to the exciting situations In the contest , Mr. Harr Introduces the hnppy-
go-lucky character of young Hamcy Hope , who turns up unexpectedly
In every emergency , and In his own way helps In the solution of nmny
difficult problems.
In tihort , the story abounds In the humorous , droll and lively Inven
tion which makes Mr. Harr the most diverting of the newer writers ,
and might be characterized aa refreshing , highly amusing and stir
ringly dramaMc.
READ THE SUNDAY BEE.
thatch within an Inch of her nose , saw the
firelight vanish behind her , and subsiding
Into his curved arms a In a hammock , the
two passed forth Into the night together.
"I can find your bracelet nowhere , Amy , "
said her father , when they reached the
wagon.
"It waa on the door In iho hut , " said Amy ,
carelessly. "That was what detained us. "
My pen halts with Home dlllhlcnce between
two conclusions to this veracious chronicle.
Aa they agree In result , though not In
heory or Intention , I may venture to give
hem both. To ono coming from thu lips of
ho charming heroine herself I naturally
'leld the precedence. "Oh , the bear story !
don't really remember whether that waa
icforo I wax engaged to John or after , llut
had known him for some time ; father In-
reduced him at the governor's ball at
Sacramento. Lot mo see ! I think It was
n the winter of ' 60. Ves ! It won very omus-
ng ; I always used to charge John with hav-
ng trained that bear to attack our carriage
o thut ho might como In as a. here ! O , of
ourfco , there are a hundred absurd wtorles
bout him they used to say that ho lived
11 alone In u cabin llko a savage , and all
hat sort of thing , and wan a friend of a
athcr dubious woman In thu locality , whom
ho common people made a heroine or
( Igglt'H or Wlgglca , or some such prepoater-
un name. Hut look at John , thuro can
ou conceive III" The listener , glancing
t a very handsome , clean-fllmvun follow ,
aultlcssly attired , could not conculvo such
buurdlty. So I thcroforo ulmply tflvo tbo
opinion of Joshua Dlxley , superintendent of
the Long Divide Tunnel company , for what
It Is worth. "I never took much stock la
that bear Htory and Its captivating old
Forester's daughter. Old Forester knew a
thing or two and when he was out hero
consolidating tunnels ho found out that
Jack Tenbrook woii about headed for the bli :
lead and brought him out and Introduced
him to Amy. You see , Jack , clear grit aa
ho wax , was mighty rough style and about
as simple au they make 'cm , and they had ,
to get up something to account for that
girl's taking a shlno to him. Hut they ,
seem to bo happy enough and what
you going to do about It ? " And with th
philosophic query I commend them to itio
reader. 1MKT HAHTB.
A Uvlim
A correspondent telegraphs to the Parl
Petit Journal that , being In the neighbor *
hood of Thenelle , near St. Quoiitln , ho called
at the houno of .Mine , do Crolx , and waa
astounded to find that her daughter Is still
living. It Is thirteen years now -ftlnco ,
Marie do Crolx fell Into- her long uluupp
When Hci'n the other day her eyes ami
mouth were closed , and her teeth were to
firmly clenched together that It was lm
possible to force them open , The faca
looked as If made of wax , und the wliolu
body gave ono the Impression of a corpntf.
Although her breadline wan HO slight an to
bo albiost Imperceptible , the woman wad
alive , Her only notirlstiuiunt U the yolk ol
an egg bettton up anil injected Into lie *
dtomtcb ,