The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-03-26


detour and came here to warn you. And
now that l have done it, if you will
please to get my horse, will ride away
again All fair that. l, full of thanks
and repentance, asked her TO stay longer
if she was not perfectly rested; but she
declined, and / brought the steed round
and helped her to mount him. Once in
the saddle her humor changed; she smiled
and reminded me that | had not been
polite enough to invite her to return. A
week of reading, talking, riding, trout
fishing and rpmancing up in those splen-
did mountains would be very charming;
perhaps she would come if l asked her"
"And did you ask her?'
81 did not. A young man with repu-
tation to sustain up there in the mount
aims couldn't invite young lady to stay
a week with him; could he, now?" cried
Joseph, quantity; which set us both
laughing.
so parried the question as easily as
| could, and she rode away. In going
slowly down the trail she turned and
kissed her hand TO me with a gracious
sweetness. | assure you the struggle
within in my own mind was great at that
moment, and / don't know whether ]
have forgiven myself yet for what
happened afterward."
"What did happen"
"She came back again. She came back
again, and drove her away. That is, |
made the best excuses could for not
readmitting her, saying we should, per-
l,nY, HnrItt nd Low RI
what not in my fort that night, and it
would be no place for delicately bred
woman. The pretty and modest mud
was to come from Willamette Valley and
hang up her pink garments on my pegs
had rushed into my mind, you see. But
l never like to confess to this part of the
story, because get laughed at But
don't you think | did right, having my
reputation to keep upF
While we had our laugh our Joseph
was pushing his soft, fine hair off his
brow with those slender fingers that
looked as if no rough work had ever
come near them; and what must they
have been before it did come?
He went on thoughtfully: "She finally
rode away, not having been invited to
get off her horse, leaving me in anything
but pleasant frame of mind. From
telling myself l was a bear, / turned to
the other subject-the contemplated
robbery and murder OF myself. Had
she simply invented that little fable? or
was it true bill? felt inclined to be-
lieve in the latter. Anyway, | deemed
it we'll to be prepared for all contin-
gencies, barring and bolting my fort
against intruders, and sitting up late
over the fire. This was Sunday night.
On the Tuesday morning three or four
men rode up, one of whom was the
traitor, my former naked and hungry
protege. He no longer attempted to con-
oeal his true character from me, but
said he and his comrades were de-
termined to clean out the Chinese
camp, and he asked me to join them in
the rasd. / was on my guard in answer
ing him, simply saying that would have
nothing to do with robbing the Chinese;
that they were my friends and customers,
and l thought that they had best be let
alone. With that he went off. That
same afternoon Edwards came in, having
captured some of the horses. He was
very tired, and asked leave to stay with
the horses at my place till next day. |
said nothing to Edwards of the gang just
gone away, or that Gas expected) they
had talked of making raid on the Chi
nese only to throw me off my guard for
it was my fort on which the attack was
to be made.
dusk came on. ] sent Edwards, dead
tired, to bed, made a great fire in the
tent, and sat by it, facing the window.
My expected visitor came, the villain! !!
lie made believe to have been drinking,
and put that forward IS q plea for asking
shelter until the morning, The instant
he was inside / made the gate fast, driv-
ing the big wooden pins home with an
ak. | caught gleam from his eyes as |
was doing this which"
"But why not have made the gate fast
before he entered?
because he was safer inside than out.
A conviction had come over me that this
man was some most desperate character.
His comrades were no doubt waiting
near, and his plan had been quietly to
open the gate to them"
"Had you no arms but your rife?
II wanted none, for we understood
each other, my rifle and |. This villain
understood us, too. ldon't think, either,
that he liked to see Edwards sleeping in
the tent. The lad was not good for
much; but still he was somebody 1t
would now'bc contest of skill between
the fellow and me. He was waiting his
opportunity, and so was |. OF all villain
ous-looking men he was the worst look.
ing-tall, swarthy, black. bearded, and
with hard face that must have been
handsome once, and fierce black eyes
cleaning with evil. He sat on one side
of the hearth, | on the other, our eyes
fixed on one another.
"You guess, dare say, that | have {
quick ear, for you know what my TEN
perament is-all sensitive consciousness
NV good hearing had been cultivated
too, by listening for the Indians b.
and by detected very steaIthy move
, ment outside the fort, and then fain
chirrup, such as a young squirrel nigh
make. Up sprang the man. but | coy
cred him with my rife, cooked He say
the movement, showed his teeth, ant
, drew out pistol, but not before | ha'
ordered him to throw down his arms o
t die. He hesitated; he saw that in N,
eve and aspect which made him quail
{ While | held the rifle levcled and M
: finger Oh the trigger he threw down hi
, arms-pistol and knife--with dreadful