The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1870-07-01


heA ran away with. Piuey Woods. Didn'l
4r. Oakhurst remember Pineyi She thai
used 70 wait On the table 1t the Temperate,
HOusee' They had been engaged 3 lonQ
time, but Old Jake Weeds bad objected, and
20 they had run away, and were gcing Il
Poker Fiat 70 be .rnazsisd,s and here they
were. And they were tired out. and how
lucky It was they haal found place 70 camp
and company. All this The Innocent de-
livered rapidly. while Piney-s stout, com
sly dausel Of Afteen-emerKed from behind
the pine tree, where she had been bluShtn1
unseen, and rode 10 the side of her lover. :,
Mr.. OakhurSt seldom troubled himself
with sentiment. Still les with prcprie,y.
But he had vsgue idea that the situatisn
was not fclicito0s. He retained bis pres
ence of mind sufficiently to kick Uncle
Billy, who was about to say something. and
in Mr.. Oakhurst's kick superior power
that would not hear trifiing. He then en-.
deavored to dissuade Tom Simson from de.
laying further, but in vain. He even point
ed out the fact that there was no provisions,
nor means Of making camp. But, unluck'
~, The Innocent" met this Objection Ny
assuring the party that he Was provided
with On extra mule loaded with provisions.
and ''Piney can stay with Mrs. Oekhurst.
said The Innocent, pointing to the Duchess,
''aud can shift for myself"
Nothing but Mr.. Oakhuzst's admonishing
foot saved Uncle Billy from bursting into
roar of laughter. As it was, he felt com.
PEELED to retire up the canyon until he could
recover his gravity. There he confded the
joke to the tall pine trees. with many slaps
of his lex. cont0rtions Of his face. and the
usual profanity. But when he returned n
the party. he found them seated by fire
for the mir had grown strangely chill and
the sky overcast-in apparently amtcabls
conversation: Piney was actually talking
Duchess, who was listening with N interest
and animation she had not shown for many
days. The Innocent was holding forth. up.
pnrcntly with equal effect, to Mr.. Oakhurst
and Mother 6hipton. who was actua " &c.
Taxing into am1xbility. rs this yer id
picDic:" said Uncle Billy. with inward scorn.
As he surveyed the sylvan group, the glanc.
ing fire light and the :ethered animals in
the foreground. Suddenly On idea mingled
with tho alcoholic fumes that disturbed his
brain. II was apparently Ut q JOcular ma
ture. for he felt impellcd tn slap his leg
again and cram hrs 6st into his mouth.
AZ the shadows crcpt slowly up tho noun
tain, slight breeze rocked tho tops of the
pine trees and moancd through their long and
gloomy aisIes. The ruined cabin, palchet!
and covered with pine boughs, was set
apart for the ladies. A. the lovers parted,
they unaffectedly exchanged parting kiss,
10 honest and sincere that it might have
been heard above the swaying pines. Tue
frail Duchess and the malcvolcnt Mother
Shipton were probably too stunned to re.
mark upon this last evidence of simplicity.
and 70 turned without word to the hut.
The fire was replenishctl. the men lay down
before tho door, and in few minutes were
asleep.
Mr.. Oakhurst was q light sleeper. To.
wards morning he ow0ke, benulnbed and
cold. Al he stirred the dying fire, the
wind. which was now. blowing strongly,
brought to his cheek that which caused the
blood to leave it-snow.
He started to his feet with the intention
of awakening the slcepers. for there wns
no time 10 lose. But turning 10 where
Uncle Billy had been lying. he found him
gone. A suspicion leapcd to his brain and
curse m his lips. He ran to the spot
where the mules had been tethcred; they
were no longer there. The tracks were al
ready rapidly disappearing in the snow.
The momentary excitement brought Mr..
Oakhuyst hack to the fire with his usual
calm. He did not waken the slecpcrs. The
Innocent slumbered peacefully. with smile
on his good humorcd. frsckled face; the yir.
gin Piney slept beside her frazier sisters Is
though attended by celestial guardians, and
Mr., Oakhurst. drawing his blanket over his
shoulders, etroked his mustachios and wait
I'd for the dawn. It came slowly in whirl.
ing mist Of snow fakes, that dazzlcd and
f.. hat Ia
the landscape appeared magically changed.
He looked over iii: valley. and summed up
tho present and future into two words
SHOWED jnv'
A careful inventory of the provisions.
which, fortunately for the party. had been
stored within the hut. and So escaped tho
the fact that with care and prudence they
might last ten days longer. THAT IT," said
Mr.. Oakhurst, s0tso coce to The Innocent,
''if you are willing 10 hoard us. II you
ain't-and perhaps you'd better not-you
can wait until Uncle Billy gets back with
provisions" For some occult reason, Bdr.
Oakhurst could not bring himself to dis.
close Uncle Billy's rascality, and 80 offered
the hypothesis that he had wandered from
the camp and accidentally stampeded the
animals. He dropped warning to tho
Duchess and Mother Siipton. who Of course
knew the facts of their associates detection.
'.They'll find out tho truth al'out rs al,
wien they find out anything" he added sig
nificantly, and there's no good frightening
them now" % - ; - - IL
Tom Simson not only put all his world y
store at the disposal OF Mr.. Oakhurst, but
seemed to enjoy the prospect OF their en-
forced seclusion. "Wc'll have good camp
for 4 week. and then the snow'll melt, and
al 70 back together. The cheerful gsyety
of the young man and nr. Oakhurst's calm
infected the otbeD. The Innocent. Will,
the aid OF Pine boughs, extcmpOrized Z
thatch for the roodess cabin, and the
Duchess directed Piney In the re.arranye.
ments Of the interior with taste and tact
that .opsucsl the blue eyes Of that provin-
cial maiden 10 their fullest extent II reck-
on now you're used to ine things ut Poker
Flat" said Pincy. The Duchess turned
away sharply, to conceal something that
Redeemed her cheeks through its profession
Al tint. and Mother shfpton requested Piney
not q ''chattcr.," But when Mr. Oakhurst
returned from \ weary search Of the trail,
he heard the sound Of happy laughter ocho-
ei from the rocks. He stopped in some
alarm, and his thoughts drst naturally 70.
ycrted 70 the whiskY-which he had prtl-
IDENTIFY eached And yet II don't somehow
sound IKE vhskI," said H. @eanhler. Il
was not until he caught sight of tho blazing
dsu thsou4h ~ ssill blisdjng Storm. md
thexroup around h, that 10 ssettled 70 the
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