The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-10-05

solitude's one shelterlng ranch, the
passengers, spell-bound with fear and
desperate hope, kept such profound
silence, one might think them an en-
bassy of the dead Not so when a sud-
den halt and revelation by lightning
flash of log-cabin and corral and tree
arched court proclaimed arrival. Then
slumbering host who appeared present
ly with a lantern in his doorway, and
was made to understand that some
special burden would be given to his
hands from the interior of the dripping
coach. Two passengers descending
from the box claimed hospitality, and
being assured of welcome, Immediately
gave assistance in receiving from the
wagon the well-wrapped charge COM
mitted to "Alger's care" and COM
mended to tenderness bya sharp female
voice and a chorus of cultural male
voices, through which the clear words
of child rang audibly: eyes, be kind
to dear Miss Bessie, cause she's so
good"
Then "good-by," and "good-by, my
poor girl and "good-by, dear, dear
Miss Bessie" and the stalwart host OF
Ayers Ranch received his charge.
The overland mall" being corporal
part of those great energies, time and
tide, that wait for no man, rolled away
into the storm and darkness, and the
door of the solitude's cabin was closed.
Unwrapping his unresisting burden,
the paternal heart of Absalom Alger
was moved with compassion when he
saw, PROSTATE and fainting, a beautiful
girl, delicate and innocent looking as a
lily. He listened to the explanations
of her travelling companions, one of
whom had himself set and bandaged
the broken arm which caused the girls
faintness, and was the result of the
overturning of the coach during the
storm that day. Her history he knew
already from the sharp-voiced .lady:
GA child's goyerness accompanying a
family to California, and left now at
Ayers, to await the arrival of friends
who would follow the same route two
weeks later, and who, as no doubt the
girls strength would be recovered by
that time, could bring her the journey
west with Them
Alger called his two daughters from
their sleep and committed the girl to
their care, while he conducted to the
cabins loft the weary men. When the
next morning at breakfast-time these
weary men refreshed came down from
the loft, they found themselves pre-
coded from the same slumberous To-
cality by other mighty hunters, "who,
like themselves, made Ayers Ranch
the center of excursions into the vast
plain, prolific at that season of game.
One of these dodgers, and the earliest
to make his appearance, was a remark
ably noble-looking young man, whose
air of native refinement was of Just
that spirited sort which the hunting
costume enhances. Jane Alger, the
elder daughter of the house, met this
"splendid fellow" who was no other
than Harry Barton, with peculiar
expression of sly pleasure.
81 have some news to tell you," she
said, as she followed him to the door
step, where he stood with his bright
eyes peering into the blue aerial space,
washed clean to brilliancy by the
nights storm, and drew deep breaths
of free and vitalizing air.
"We have had a miraculous arrival"
said she.
"Of what?" asked Harry Barton,
somewhat abstractedly, but pleasantly
too, for he had great respect for Miss
Alger, under whose admirable house,
keeping auspices and ministrations he
had dwelt for three months.
"The prettiest woman you ever saw
in your life," said Jane Alger, intently
watching her auditors face. She had
theory about this young man, and
she fancied that her sentence would be
the fitting key in the mysterious lock.
So it proved. Harry Barton's whole
expression changed. His kindled eye
lost brilliance at once, his heaving
chest shrank; something like sneer
marred his frank lip.
ga miracle" he said, "that de.
test"
"What do you detest?' asked Miss
Jane.
"a pretty woman. Is she coming
to breakfast? If so please give me my
coffee at once
go no; it will be some days before
she comes to breakfast"
"Then all | can ask is" said Harry
Barton, that, as you care for my appe.
tite, Miss Jane-and you have shown
much kind consideration for lido not
withdraw your kindness; keep the mir.
acle' out of my sight,
Just as l thought" reflected Miss
Jane, as she retired to the kitchen, with
a gentle air of conscious success-"k kill
or cure"
Out of his sight the pretty woman
was kept, but not out of his hearing
for so it happened that on the Sunday
evening following he heard, molens
UolenS, the miraculous arrivals
voice.
On the wild plains Sabbath servic,
had hardly won a thought, and som'
of the hunters had even at morning
made sallies out on the plain in searcl
of antelope; but, as the day declined
there came that indescribable cain
which we associate with the day ofrest
and at shutdown all the members of tn,
household were at the ranch. Ate
supper the men lounged in attitudes o
nonchalance or repose on the green