River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1883-08-23
logs. while she prepared something hot


ing lost was rather comiCal situation.
II should think sol" exclaimed Storey,
eff you had not come along just then |
! should most likely have spent the night
! on the plains. l could not see any trail
| the storm was SO binding. 1t was
worse than folly, my leaving Bozeman
| for ridge on such an afternoon. |
might have known it would storm! But
1t only threatened when set out"
Are you acquainted much with the
country about hCre?" asked Mr. Josslyn.
" ought TO be-" said Storey, smiling;
| 4 hunt in these parts every fall"
You don't say sol Come way to
| Montana to hunt You must be very
fond for the sport"
Very. Montana is a good country
| for hunting, too, guess that's all Miss
Josslyn would admit it was good for"
| added the young man, again smiling, as
! he recalled Zara's pensiye young face.
She hates it; / can see that" Mr..
! JOsslyn said, in acontidential tone: "but
| she knows we have got to to stay here,
! for the present, anyway; SO she makes
| the best Of it. Our ranch is not very
| comfortaDle-not as comfortable as |
would wish for Zara's sake; but we are
! trying to get away from this wilderness,
! so lay by all We make. I'm sorry
| haven't better shelter to offer you, after
| urging you to come with me, though,
| he added.
Il am very grateful for your hospital
| ity," Storey fastened to say II am
more thankful to you for taking me in
at all, and | have spent many a night
Oh ranches far less comfortable than this
one"
Then cara appeared and said simply:
We use our kitchen for dining
room. VIII you come to supper, pleased"
Storey rose Immediately, and with his
host followed the young girl into low
ceiled but exquisitely neat room.
cara presided at the head Of the small
round dining-table, and poured fragrant
coffee into quaint, real china cups.
These came from home" she said
proudly, as she handed William Storey
one Of the blue and white treasures.
The evening was spent in pleasant
chatting, and passed SO delightfully."- to
the young girl that she fairly stared
at the little clock when it struck eleven.
A bed was made IN IN the "best
rOom," as Mr.. Josslyn's cramped she'd
bedroom, opening, as Zara's did, out of
the kitchen, was not deemed sufficient
lv comfortable for the guest. And when
William Storey fell asleep that ght he
dreamed of the little red-curtained room
in which he lay, ana saw Zara's pretty,
girlish face with the fire-glOw upon it,
Just az he had seen it when awake.
The next morning the sun shone
brightly, but all about the ranch lay the
snow in cleaning white drifts.
You had better remain with us to-
day" said Mr.. Josslyn after breakfast,
gancing out the window as he spoke.
81 should like to-, said Storey, "but
think / ought to 90 back to Bozeman.
r. toto
Miss JOsslyn)Wil be looking for me. If
you will let me, / viii ride out in day
or two and see you again, for next week
| 90 home"
cara gave little longing sigh at his
last words. He was going home. How
she wished she could 90!
Later she stood with her father in the
doorway and watt hed their guest depart
The sunlight fell upon her wistful young
face, and Storey thought how very pref
ty she was as he rode away.
In few days he returned, as he said
he would. Tara received him with evil
dent pleasure.
Father has gone to look after the
sheep" she said, "but he will be home
to dinner. He will be very glad to see
You I know"
Storey sat down on the rude, home
made lounge, and Zara took her favor
tie seat, the foot-bench by the fire.
~ 90 home tomorrow" said Storey
-'go home | mean to your dear East"
smitingly.
so soon" cried the young girl,
81 am coming back next fall-for
another hunt May come and see you
them
"You win never come, said cara sim
q will never come! Why?' asked the
young man in surprise.
Suppose | don't forget, viii you be
glad to see me when | conner" inquired
Storey With sudden eagerness, and lean
ing toward lara so as to get a better
view of her half-averted face.
Yes, shall be glad to see You"
The answer sounded little cold, but
Storey was not dissatisfied, somehow.
''Then | shall surely come" he said
Presently he went on: "You don't
know how appreciate your taking me
in the other night. | shall always re-
mem err your kindness"
"Please don't say any more about it,
said cara quickly, ''for your coming gave
us much pleasure. You did not seem
ike stranger to us Father said he
felt as though he bad always known you
| suppose your coming from the east
had something TO 90 with IL.
Haven't you met eastern people IN
BoZeman" asked Storey.
ooh yes-several But the majority
of people we have found i'll Montana
seem to be from Missouri. | don't call
that east, although they call it so here!'
a little contemporary.
Storey laughed Have you ever no
ticed how all the Missouri people seem
to think they have made this territory?
he inquired But for them Montana
would never have been inhabited"
''They are welcome to tins glorious
country, they and-the IndiansP she
exclaimed.
1t was late in the day-not until after
dinner, some time, that the young man
took his departure. He rode away with
no little reluctance, and lara fingered
long in the doorway watching him.
The short Montana summer was
barely over-the cottonwood trees
were still yelow-and the air was vet
quite warm and pleasant, when one af-
ternOon, toward sunset, Tara looked up
from her sewing and saw tall, hand
some man coming towards the house on
horseback.
Miss JossynW cried well-remem-
bered voice.
lara rose, trembling little, from the
door-steps where she had been sitting.
She wore quite joyous expression,
Storey thought, secretly pleased, as he
left his horse to Craze by the gate and
FASTENED toward the young girl.
Are you glad to see me?" be in
quired eagerly, taking Iara's hand.
You know am glad" she exclaimed,
her face flushing under his earnest
gaze. Father and have talked of you
so often" she went on; you know our
life is so quiet and monotonous here,
that your coming to us last fall was quite
an event"
II am very glad. My coming to you
was quite an event to me. / assure you.
In ali my ramblings since l left you
during the gay season at the seaside this
summer. event could not get this
lonely little ranch out of my head,
somehow Your wistful face haunted
me-indeed it did | grew unreason
ably impatient to see-well Montana
again. l tried to reason with myself;
Won had forgotten me, most likely, !
thought, but III vainl | pictured you
about your everyday nfe-cOuld see
the shadows deepening in your eyes
and one day cried aloud, Its shame
for SO young creature be buried"
7 ~.