Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1885-12-10
THUNDER GULCH.
BY EVA BEST.

OWluk n0 lOL. GA
claims Jack, conscious that such pleas
ant vernacular weighs more with his
present comrades than the elegant
phraseology of higher types of society,
"if that isn't woman tooling those
those horses down to Kent's canon!
What can have happened the Buc-
caneerP"
"Say, you'd better hire out for a
'stronomer that kerrys his own tele-
scopes, yOu he'd, pard!" is the biting
sarcasm that assails Jacks ears, as he
stands with eyes fast fixed upon the
little moving speck away in the shadow
cast by the great perpendicular wall of
the narrow canon. "You'd be in de-
mand, yOaL would, at the transit O.
Weenus! What1l you take to swop
eyes, pard? Mine must be failin' me
at is female" interrupts another
member of the little party Of miners,
as the stage swung out into the warm
sunlit road "Buccaneer Ben has been
foully dealt with, boys, else that air fe-
male wouldn't be handlin' the ribbons
at this particular dangerous crossin'l"
and as he speaks the four great horses
dash into the boiling, angry little river
that separates their camp from the
canon.
out all right, as I'm sinneri Be ready
to receive her ladyship, boys; fall in
line-eyes front-silencel"
The horses labor slowly up the steep
river bank, and, as if it was an accus-
toned stopping place, halt of their
own accord directly beside the line of
the wondering miners, whose eyes are,
each and all, raised toward the drivers
seat. Yes, it is woman who sits upon
the hard leathern cushions-a young
woman, with wide, horror-stricken eyes,
and pallid cheeks.
Jack sees the slender white hands
slowly loose their grasp of the strong
reins, sees the pretty pale lips try to
move, sees also, with dismay, the great
eyes slowly draw their creamy white
coverings down over the dilated pupils,
and, noting all this, stands with open
arms to catch her as she falls.
~Move away, boys; bring water.
Lively, men-she has faintedp
Jack, holding the unconscious bur-
den in his strong arms, gaZes intently
at the pretty white face. It is deli
cate oval, framed in masses OF fine,
well-kept hair of a nondescript hue,
that might be bronze in shadow, gold
in sunshine, or merely pale brown in
common light of day.
Jack places one booted foot upon O
rock near by, manages to seat the slen-
der figure upon the leveled limb, and
dips his Drowned hand into the water
pail the miners have brought to him.
"Its pretty desperate remedy" he
thinks, as he dashes great drops of the
cold liquid into her wan face, "but 1
must fetch her to, Or" What
fresh discovery is this? What new
idea flashes across the young mans
brain, sending the blood flushing to his
bronzed cheeks, where it burns for q
moment, then ebbs, leaving him as
white as the woman in his arms?
Directly her eyelids tremble, part,
and q look of perplexity meets Jacks
troubled, downward gaze.
"Jacque?" is her first word--a sweet
little syllable devoured by miners ears
that for long, long months have heard
no gentler music than the screech of
bllO bhO VI VI bhO
panther.
"Yes, it is jack" answers the as
tonished man upon whose knee she
rests, and whose arms encircle her, as
if days of such exertion would not tire
them. As his answer comes slowly, it
is lost upon the little lady, who faints
again, and lies, limp and unconscious,
upon his breast. Again is water ten
dered by the oflicious miners, and again
do the lovely eyes look out upon strange
surroundings; but, as they open, q re-
solve enters the heart of Jack Bernard,
and before she can speak he orders the
men away to fix couch somehow,
somewhere beneath the grateful shad-
ows of the forest trees. Full of i'm
portance, off they go; sorry-looking
knights, but chivalrous to degree
as yet.
~My name is Jack" he whispers I;
"you call for Jack. Let them think
that / am he; say that l am your
brother; say you were seeking me.
God will forgive us the liel 1 was at
medical college for years; / under
stand your condition. You may need
help sooner or later, and 1 can give it,
and save you from them. 1 do not
know what will happen you, else. Will
you do my bidding? I would"
~Oh, yesl"
@And your name?'
"Leda Bonnard. am very ILL.,"
Il understand; God help you through
itr
1t is wild and far from the haunts Of
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