Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-03-04

MIR. ELIAS STORY.

| CONCLUDED FROM YESTERDAYS PAPER
"No! she hadn't told me herself, then
By and by, asked her, in my green kind
of way, what brought her to see me
never shall forget the smile with which
she turned to answer me. We were sit
ting quite close; it never was in my ma
ture, when once acquainted with a wom-
an, to keep away from her. Her gar
ments brushed ,my knees; occasionally, in
tine enthusiasm of talk, leaned near
her cheek. You know how it was. Twas
thinking of the useless pegs in my house
down in the valley. You will be disap-
pointed, she said, when you learn that l
came to do you a real service And then
she went on to relate that, having occas-
ion to pass the night at a certain place not
many miles away, she had overheard,
through the thin partitions of the house,
the description of my fort, an account OF
my wealth, real or supposed. and plan
for my murder and robbery. The would
be murderer was so described as to make
it quite certain that it was he whom had
fed, clothed, and sent away rejoicing, only
a few days previous. l was inclined to
treat the matter as jest; but she awed
me into belief and humility at once by the
majesty with which she reproved my un-
belief: "A woman does not trife with
subjects like this nor 90 out of her way to
tell travellers tales. warn you. Good
by
after this she would not stay, though
awkwardly expressed my repret at her
going. BY her command, saddled her
horse, and helped her mount him. Once
in the saddle, her humor turned, and she
reminded me that had not invited her to
return. She said she could fancy that a
week of reading, talking, riding, trout
fishing, and romancing generally, up
those splendid woods, might be very
charming. WasI going to ask her to
come?n
II didn't ask her. A young man with
a reputation to sustain up there in the
mountains, couldn' invite a young lady to
come and stop Il week with him, could he ?
/ must have refused to invite her, now,
mustn't | ?"
The perfect ingeniousness with which
Ella put these questions. and the plantive
appeal against the hard requirement Of
social laws in the mountains, which was
expressed in his voice and accent, were
SO indescribably ludicrous that both my
husband and myself laughed 'convulsively
"Inever tell my wife that part of the sto-
ry, for fear she might not believe in my
regard for appearances, knowing how
| fond / am of ladies' society. And the
struggle was great; assure you, it was
great.
| $50 she went away. AS she rode slow
ly down the trail, she turned and kissed
her hand to me, with a gesture of such
grace and sweetness that | thrilled all
over. I've never been able to quite for
give myself for what happened afterward.
She came back, and | drove her away |!
Usually, when tell that to women, they
call me mean and ungrateful; but young
man living alone in the mountains has his
reputation to look after-now, hasn't he P
That's what ought to have done-now'
wasn'tit P-what always say did do. 1t
was the right thing to do, under the cir
cumstances, wasn't ?"
| While we had our laugh out, Ella shift
| ed position, shook himself, and thridded
his soft light hair with his slender fingers.
He was satisfied with his success on con-
veying an expression OF the sort of care
he took of his reputation. I" Now, then,
was left alone again, in no pleasant frame
of mind. couldn't doubt what my beau
tiful visitant had told me, and the thought
of my murder allplanned out was depress-
ing, to say the least of it. But, as sure
as | am telling you, the departure of my
unknown friend depressed me more than
the thought of my possible murder. The
gate barred for the night, sat and looked
| into my fire for hours, thinking wild
thoughts, and hugging to my lonely bos-
ON an imaginary form. The solitude and
the sense of loss were awful.
g. This was Sunday night. Tuesday
morning l received visit from three or
four mounted men, one Of whom was my
former naked and hungry protege. He
hid not now try to conceal his character
from me; but said he was going down to
clean out the Chinese camp, and propos-
ed to me to join him, saying that when
Edward returned with the horses we
would pay him S400, as agreed by Sam
Chong Lung. was on my guard bu,
told him would have nothing TO do with
r"bbing the Chinese that they were my
friends and customers, and he had better
let them alone after which answer he
went off. That afternoon, Edward came
in with his prisoners and horses. He was
very tired, on account of having travelled
at night, to prevent the rescue of his pris-
oners by other vagabonds, and to avoid
the Indians.
| GU VIII uuuerSldnu now ule pres
ence ofthe horses increased my peril, las
there was no doubt the scoundrels meant
to take them. 1t wouldn't do either to let
Edward go on to the Chinese camp; SO
persuaded him to wait another day. We
brought the prisoners, bound, inside the
fort, and took care of the horses. said
nothing to Edward ofmy suspicious.
About dusk, my expected visitor
came. He appeared to have been drink
ing and. after some mumbling talk. laid
down inside the fort, near the gate. l
placed my double-barreled rifle beside me,
and mounted guard"
Had you no arms but your rifle p' ask
ed my husband, anxiously.
| II wanted none other, for we under
stood each other-my rifle and l."
"What were you looking for; what did
you expect A hand-to-hand encounter
with these men?" was next my inquiry.
1T seemed most likely that he had
planned an attack ON the fort, Ifso, his
associates would be waiting outside for a
| SIGNAL He had intended when ha laid