Sacramento daily record-union., 1883-10-27
A QUEER HIDING-PLACE.


Lieutenant Russell, while we waited for
the mail stage, "You have been at this
frontier post ever since Captain Boswell
was stationed here ,"
Yes; we have been here eight years,
phe replied, with the rare smile that glori-
fed her face. 81 have passed through
many trying ordeals here, but 1 really
think that had an adventure in the East,
before married the Captain, equal to any
thing that have experienced.
"Will you relate it and oblge rs 2"
urged Russell.
"Thank you" said our little hostess.
81 don't mind"
Three of US were sitting in an inner
apartment of the small frontier hostelry.
The bar-room was packed with miners, and
we had chosen to have our suppers served
by ourselves, as we had appointed to 60 on
to Custer City in company.
cit was in lS-," she began, &C had
Just made the acquaintance of Captain
Boswell, as he, having some business mat
ters to arrange with father, had called at
our place several times. Finally, there
came rare day IN autumn, and he and
father were closeted the greater part of the
day, overhauling papers, memoranda,
deeds and receipts. My father at the
time was doing great deal of business as
an attorney.
Sat tea time father said to me, 'Bess,
you won't mind an evening alone SO long as
Thomas is about, will you?
81 said no, for although there were
many robberies being committed in the
neighboring cities, private families in the
suburbs felt no fear. Our house was mile
from the city proper, and half mile from
neighbors either way.
"'We fnd,' he continued, that the
Captain has got to hunt up some more pa
pers concerning the estate before he can give
Barron satisfactory title. We shall 90 to
Judge Whitcomb's office, and our search
may be so successful that ii o'clock will
End us home again. Still, we may be de.
tained longer. Shan't call and tell your
Cousin Milly to come down and spend the
night with youf
'No-yes, l contradictorily answered.
Do as you please am not timid in the
least, with Thomas about
"' Bat Captain Boswell is going to leave
$1,000 here until he returns
"'Does anyone know about the money!?
"Only ourselves
are likely to be back before graveyards
yawn and thieves do walk abroad.
"Thomas brought the horse round, and
while father spoke to him l touched the
Captains sleeve
Where is your money left 2
"' In your fathers desk in the library.
Then he looked with a tender, inquiring
glance into my face (how the little woman's
cheek flushed at the memory and said {:
Little girl, if you are in the least afraid
we will not go tonight, although it is alb
solutely necessary.
81 told him, honestly, that was not
afraid. never had that strata of timidity
in my makeup peculiar to womankind !;
and 30 they rode away.
sang about my work as l put things
In shape around the room, and viewed the
brilliant sunset, without fear or care.
Thomas, our new man. Of all work, was
very busy pottering about the grounds, ty-
ing up grapevines and mulching evergreens.
l knew there was coarse aftermath upon
the hill that father was anxious to have put
on the strawberry beds, and seeing Thomas
60 up there with his basket l tied scarf
over my head, took another basket and
went up to help him.
"As l passed up the mill 1 saw man in
the highway speak to him. l hesitsted
about going on, but the man made only q
moments pause and then went down the
hill and was soon concealed by turn in
the highway.
"'Who was that, Thomas !, 1 inquired
"0h, miss, it was a man from the mills,
saying that my brother has had bad fall
on the dam and is believing for me to come
and see him. His legs are broken en-.
tirely.'
"What will you do?
"'I told the man l could not come to
see him to-day-but if l went, miss,
would be sure to be back by ii o'clock, if
not earlier
"' You may go, Thomas, if your brother
is hurt so had. Papa will not be away
long,
"'But, my young lady
"'Never mind me in such case as
this always was very tender. hearted
You may go, and will run right back to
the house..
"He talked a few minutes more, was
profuse in bis thanks for my kindness, and
then started down for the city. 1 took up
the two baskets and went singing to the
house.
81 sat down an hour by the open win
dow, enjoying intensely this being alone,
and the quiet beauty of this cool autumn
evening.
perhaps you will wonder at this" and
the dimples played about her pretty
mouth, but little birds were singing 3
new song in my heart, and the quiet let me
hear the sweet echoes.
p,k I oh da1 for ha,, ~
rather careless, as the road was thor
oughfare, and chance straggler nigh sur
prise me. l arose, closed my window, and
obeying some strange, impressive power,
walked through the hall into the library,
took my fathers key from its accustomed
place, unlocked his desk, found the pack
age of S., 600, and, placingit in my bosom,
relocked the door and returned to the sit
ting.room. l did not light a lamp; had
no need of fire, as that room frsm the
kitchen stove warmed the sittingroom suf.
fciently in this mild weather.
1.-The house was old-fsshioned, very,
with a fireplace in the sitting-room open
ing up into chimney of capacity sufficient
for q foundry stack. We had cheerful
open fires later on; but the house being an
ancestral pile was getting somewhat dilap-
idated, and the partition separating the
hues in the large chimney had fallen in.
Men had been sent out to clear the rubbish
and make repairs, but the work. half done,
was suspended on account of the arrival of
Captain Boswell and this important bust
ness affair.
az would have enjoyed immensely to
kindle a sparkling fire In the huge wide
fireplace, but as affairs were l could not.
SO 1 unused in darkness for hours. really
took no heed of time, until my quick ear
caught the sound of football approach
ing, close up to the doorstep, could have
taken my oath. 1t was so light an echo
that I sprang to my feet, thinking that my
Cousin Milly, absent when my father
called, and returning later had come down
to stay with me.
sprang up with smile TO answer her
knock, albeit was a bit jealous of her
pretty face but no knock came, and the
echoes died out, and altogether concluded
I had deceived myself in regard to them.