The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1881-12-02

dread of something terrible to come, told
Dan the story of Desmonds love for her
of his passionate offer, his rejection, and
lastly, of her fear that he would seek re-
venge upon him, her own darling, under
the guise of friendship.
Bresford leaned from his saddle and
kissed the sweet face so close to his, and
laughed joyously and low.
"Put away such terrors, my love. The
man may hate me, but I can pity him,
knowing what he has lost, He will never
do me harm.
"But you will be careful--you will
watch him. whispered Bessie, her plead
ing eyes upturned.
But neither saw the shadow that crept
from among the sage brush behind them
and vanished in the cleaning
And so Bresford was warned but he
smiled incredulously az the thought of
the matter later. True, this man Des-
mond might have loved Bessie-for how
could he help it?-but twas only sorrow,
not revenge, that filled his heart and eyes
with sadness, and Dan felt far more OF
sympathy than of distrust for the man.
The days passed, and autumn looked
toward winter. The pines upon the
mountain side grew more and more som.
bre, and seemed daily to wrap their
mantles of feathered branches more close
ly about them, as if preparing for the
coming of the snow.
The mountains themselves were tipped
with white, and the park grew duncol-
ored and brown. Night became chill,
and the open fire in the yawning chin.
ney necessity; the sun looked fal
away, and thin sheet of ice often
covered the shadows in the river at the
break of day. All nature was at rest
her years work done, waiting hour by
hour the coming of winter.
Bresford hunted, fished and rode, and
with him almost constantly was his prom
! ised wife For old Tom had been in
terviewed, and his consent to the union
gained.
AT Christmas time a wedding was tc
take place at the mountain ranch, ant
then the young people were to depar
for Denver, whittier the old man was tC
follow them in the spring
The neighbors knew about the Ell
gagement, and it pleased them for Brcs
ford's friendly, unassuming ways hac
won him place in the rough hearts o
the ranchers, and the coming wedding
was looked forward to with anticipation
of pleasure by all the inhabitants of tina
portion of the park.
The first snow had come, when ont
early morn, as Bresford stepped from
the cabin door to look at the sky anc
decide upon his plans for the day he
was met by Carl Desmond.
"Good morning, sir, said the latter
do you hunt to day :"
Il was just debating the question" re
turned Dan Il should like some fresl
venison, if it could be had, but fear th'
deer have all gone south"
"Most of them have sir {; but yester
day discovered the trail of seven ell
in Horse Gulch, leading into the noun
tains. We might overtake the animals
if you cared to try. In fact, am SURE
we could, for they travel slowly in th'
snow, and we ought to be able to bag {
couple. 1t may take two days, though.
"By Jove l am with you if it take
four days, if we can get some elk !" crie'
Bresford, with true hunter spirit "Shal
we start at once?'
81 can be ready in an hour" replie'
Desmond.
"And I also," replied Dan.
And so they separated.
No thought of treachery had come t
the younger man as he agreed to tn
trip, which would make him the sol
companion of his defeated rival for
full day Or more but when he told Be-
sic, and stopped to kiss her goodbye, he
face was like the dead.
"Oh, my love-" she whispered, "nc
with him-not with him !"
"Why, sweetheart 2" said Bresfor'
soothingly. You are wrong to SUI
pect the man so. He does not ha
me"
"But-"
"But, darling" returned her love
closing her lips with kiss, 81 ha,
promised and must go. Do not be foe
> ish. Only little time, and shall
t with you always. Goodbye, my pet
, good bye till tomorrow night"
And, before the girl could even C.
out, Bresford was gone.
1t was a little before nine in the NOR
. ing when the two huntsmen, each tho
1 oughly armed and furnished with ratio
e for a two days tramp, struck the trail
. the elk. 1t was past four in the afte
noon, and growing duskish, when tn
8 made their first halt, far down amo
the beetling crags of the mountain
: twenty miles from the park and half
Y far from the nearest ranch or road.
!, The men seated themselves upon
4 great boulder, looked at each other a
d laughed.
n "What do you think ?" queried Br
ford. SIN tender-foot, you know, |
l. III obey your orders if l have to follC
Ii these long horns into New Mexico"
a "Well, sir" said Desmond, defer
h TALLY, ''if you are willing, | think
e had better stick to it bit longer. '
cannot be far from the south branch
h the Platte, and, when we find that,
y will camp. If it does not snow, we {
follow the trail tomorrow, and certain
|, overtake our game. If it does snow,
can follow the river out to the park s
e 80 home
# "All right !" replied Dan, tossing
r, rifle to his shoulder again, "Then /
ID be moving"
le They started on, In less than
n, hour, and while yet light enough
N NAMED to note their surroundings, t
e. found the river frozen, from shore
ID shore, followed it far enough to ent
ID deep gorge, where at a certain pc
in they found an air hole and open wa
rs and there they paused and decided
,e camp.
at They built their fire upon mar
/. strip of beach, close beneath a mon
is pine that grew from the cliff side ab
p. and fairly oyerhung them. They
nd their jerked venison, drank their r
water, and smoked their pipes. Nj
We time, time waned.