The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1875-02-04

them there undisturbed on her return.
When she had shut the door after her
father, Phoebe took from her pocket a
new specimen particularly fine one,
and very valuable; it was present Just
received from Jose Apodoca. 1t had
probably been won in the rear room at
Slim Jims, but shat did not trouble
Phoebe. When she first came to Cali
fornia she had been shocked at hundred
| things which she now looked upon with
Indifference. She admired her nugget,
not for its value, but because it was
pretty; perhaps because in her heart
there was a soft place for the handsome
Mexican. She despised him 70: dlis lazi-
ness, and yet-she put it on the shelf
with a sigh. "I'll tell papa," she
thought to herself, "when he feels
kinder toward jose
Yet, i'll spite of old Langslales en-
phatic translation of the " Inglis" over
his door, Apodoca came again.
Phoebe "couldn't be cross to people, -
and smiled and chatted rose-pink deep
ened i'll her cheeks, light frightened in
her eyes, until Jose was more enthralled
and bewildered than ever. But. for all
her pleasantness. Phoebe was dutiful
adorer with the necessity of departing
before her father came home for his din
| ner, but likewise besought him not to
come again, ullcss to her evening recep-
ton. The Posy and her father seldom
entertained less than twenty in an even
ing. Every one i'll the camp would have
been there if the cabin had been bigger;
as 1t was half the callers had to content
themselves with standing outside. and
catching now and then word OF smile
from the goddess through the door
way. The New Orleans Saloon did not
begin to have such attractions for them;
and the evening before the Posy went to
Bootiack Bar, and held a grand farewell
reception, in her ball dress, with shoes
and stockings on. the saloon was wholly
deserted, and Slim Jim himself closed up,
and went with the crowd to old Iangs-
dale's cabin.
But Jose intimated, III mellihuous if
adlllterated Spanish-Spanish flowed like
oil from Posy's ready tongue-that he
could not speak more than two words to
her III the evening, and besides with q
smile and jerk of his thumb toward
Slim Jim's), his business engagements
prevented his coming in the evening:
and, still besides that, he must there meet
certain hated John, who was supposed
to be the choice Of her heart. as he cer-
tainly was of her fathers.
Phoebe pouted and made face mt the
mention of John; he would have been a
grand catch for pretty Phoebe Langsdale
in the little down-east town where she
had been brought up-but the goddess
of Sandy Gulch could afford to. be scorn-
full.
Jose, however, was inclined to question
the sincerity OF her scorn; she, in turn.
protested vigorously, and, i'll the midst
of the discussion, old Langsdale walked
in unsuspiciously. Casting one look full
of anger and disgust at his daughter, the
old man, who had the strength of a giant,
seized Apodoca by the shoulders, and
half lifted, half kicked him out, yelling.
"Git.i git" at the top of his voice
The Mexican, however, was not to be
kicked out of anywhere by anybody
with impunity, and, drawing his short,
sharp knife, without which Sandy
Gulcher would have been unrecogniza-
bic, he made furious bound toward the
old man, with his knife appraised, and a
murderous rage distorting his handsome
face. But Phoebe was there before him;
seizing his arm with her little brown
hand, the rose-pink all faded out of her
cheeks, and her eyes wide open with ter
ror, she cried: Don't strike-dont
strike !" catching her breath in terrified
sob. Flinging his knife into the chap
aTr0i, he caught the terrified goddess in
his arms, pressed burning kiss-his
first and last-on the round, warm cheek,
and fled, and Sandy Gulch knew him no
more. He knew that Phoebe and her
guardians would never forgive his draw
ing knife on old Langsdale, and he m
armed. A man who would resent any
thing from the Posy's father was not to
be tolerated in Sandy Gulch.
Time went by, and the goddess still
reigned without rival i'll her kingdom;
and poor John still sued at her feet,
though getting hopeless. His univer-
sity education, his talents, his proud
family, his manly beauty, all availed him
nothing i'll his desire to gather to him
self the blooming Posy; and then, he
did have wretched luck. He often said,
with gloomy smile, that when his pick
went in, gold went out at the other
end.
chc hiSill, OOllll Dat III tllc Itdi lOOll,
tipped back i'll his chair with his heels
on the window-sill. The Posy held no
reception that evening; she had started
at daybreak, accompanied by her father,
for visit over to Van Duzens. Aside
from the unwonted absence of the Posy,
John felt melancholy; he was dead
broke, and had come to the conclusion .
that his claim was not worth as much as
his pick; and then, although old Langs- |
dale had invited him to ride over to Van
Duzen's and help escort the Posy home ,
that night, yet he could not but let the
of Phnbe's cool manner
rankle i'll hi m;9l. more than the pros
pect of his felicity 5r,t'lad it, 4
" Bucnds nOches, Senor john" said
musical voice.
John looked mp, trihe surprised.
g Hullo, Apodoca, that you!"
Apodoca responded that it was un-
loubtedly himself, and invited John to
game of cards. John looked at his .
watch; in ten or fifteen minutes he must .
De starting for Van Duzen's. 1t had .
been the Posy's sovereign desire to leave .
there about ten o'clock and come home /
Dy moonlight; moreover, he knew that .
he Mexican hated him, and that his .
reputation as all honest man had not
0een improved since he left Sandy
iulch. So John tipped back a little .
more in his chair, and said he couldn't;
lad promised Langsdale and the Posy to ,
'ide home with them from Van Duzcn's .