Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1882-09-07
THE BETROTHAL In
THE PASS:
A STORY FOUNDED ON FACT.

STORY FOUNDED ON FACT.
The prairie schooner, went slowly
through the deep sand, drawn by its
team of mules. By their. side trudged
the driver YEARLY, pausing now and
then to wipe away the drops of perspir-
alton from his forehead and to glance
behind him over the long track cut by
the wheels in the white, alkali-
covered desert. Far away to the west
the great mountains lifted their heads
into the clear sky, standing like senti
nels guarding the approach to prom
ised land. Seated on the front seat of
the wagon wasa girl about twenty,
dressed in cotton gown, with great
sun bonnet on her head. The utter
plainness of her surroundings and her
apparel could not disguise her beauty,
and In spite of her long ride through
clouds of alkali dust, she somehow con-
tinued to look fresh
Allie said the man at last, well
get there bout five, / reckon
Il hope 80, father, cause the animals
are bout worn out, an L expect you
amt so peart as you might be-
That airs fact. This yer's bin the
hardest day yet, 'cording TO my way Of
looking at it. r. 49, Z
Never mind, daddy, it'f all be right
when we get once across the mount
aims. What's that ? Over yonder, I
mean pointing, as she spoke, to the
figure of horse and his rider just on
top of one of the small hills.
The man took long look, and then
said: " EFft5tkiE Sc
It's white man, / think, and he's
comm this way. Allie, reach me down
my rife off'n them. hooks.' ~
The girl did as she was told, and the
father examined the weapon to see that
it was all right. Then placing it on
his shoulder he trudged along once
more. The solitary rider approached
the wagon much faster than they had
at first thought he would, and in about
twenty minutes he was close enough to
hail.
'Hop on, stranger sung out the old
man. who are you, an what's. your
biznessp' ,,....
My names. James Burton, and I'm a
scout and mountainman. What's yours,
an whar did you come from P was the
reply. in frank, clear tones. as the
stranger drew his horse to a stop.
I'm John Duncan, late of Pike coun-
ty, an bound for Galiforny. This yer's
my daughter Allie -,
Burton bowed sorlewhat awk waIdly
in response totbei blunt introduction.
and seeing the old man drop his rife
into the hollow Of his arm, rode for
ward. Strangers, when you are once
assured of their good faith, are far too
seldom met with in, the desert to per-
NIT of all parties being anything but
cordial. In half an hour after Burton
had Joined old Duncan and his daugh-
ter, to hear theui talk one would ha, q
supposed they were old friends. An
eager interchange Of news between
them resulted, by the time they reach
ed the water hole, in making each enc
acq TAINTED with the history of the 9th
or. When they camped for the night
the young man assisted the elder iii re-
leasing the mules from their heavy
harness, and in gathering fuel from the
scanty greasewood bushes for the fire.
He cut the bacon in slices for Alice to
fry, and contributed as his share of the
supper leg of venison he had hanging
from his saddle, having shot the deer
to which it had belonged, as he told the
girl, the day before, in the park, as all
small valleys walled in by mountains
are called in the west. After supper
the two men satgby the fire, smoking
and talking. and when the girl climbed
into her bed in the wagon, and the men
had rolled themselves up in their blan-
kets and lain ON the ground, she could
hear the hum of their voices until she
fell asleep. .... -.
The next day they started out bright
and early, and by night, had reached
the foot of the long ascent which led
to the pass through the mountains. The
day following this they, by nightfall,
had got into the pass itself. Here, at
the base of an enormous peak, they
camped. BY this time young Burton
and Alice Duncan had become very in
innate. He thought her one of the
most delightful and fascinating girls he
ever saw, and she had come to the con-
clusion that she had never met quite so
splendid man. That evening after
supper the old man anpounced that he
was very tired and proposed to turn In
at once. hsft~ - =. =
Burton and the girl made up their
minds to sit up for while and talk.
Soon the long-drawn SHORES of the
sleeper told them that they were prac-
tically alone, and the conversation be-