The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1885-09-12


''but jest yer ride like Jehu. Git yel
boots on, an I'll have the saddle or
Comanche."
In five minutes Jack, with his head
bent to the blast, was squirting his horse
wildly up the valley.
There was nothing aesthetic abou,
the external appearance of Simpsons
Ranch. The architecture of the house
was of the early cowboy period, with
suggestions of that of the mining camp.
There was severe simplicity about the
roughly hewn logs which made up the
walls, and although the freaks of fash
ion bring many queer things into pop
ular use, the plastering of crevices with
ad0bc has not yet been naturalized in
polite ncighborhoods. Never, however,
should the wise traveller in the West
and Southwest judge of the kernel by
the shell, of the interior by the exterior.
Both Mrs. Simpson and her daughter
possessed the rare and charming "gift
of practical management" which Haw
thorne has ascribed to little Phoebe, in
Tile House Of tile Seen Gables. at
is kind of natural magic" he says,
''that enables these favored ones to
bring out the hidden capabilities of
things around them; and particularly
to give a look of comfort and habita-
bleness to any place which for however
brief period may happen to be their
home"
So did cheap and simple material
take new character and virtue from
their hands SO were rough walls hidden
by chintz of tasteful pattern and homo
geneous tint SO did refinement supply
the place of costly equipment. Jack
Reynolds realized all this the first time
he entered the building. To be sure,
he saw it under favorable circumstances.
The daughter of the house had come
ont to meet him as he approached.
When she saw it was her own favorite
horse he had brought home, her face
was lighted up by smile which went
straight to his heart. Before his visit
came to an end he discovered that her
name was Edith. What more he dis
covered about her no one but himself
would know but it could not have
been otherwise than pleasant, for he
arrived at his home in the highest of
spirits. He counted the days until he
thought he might call again, and he
made them as few as he possibly could.
1t was strong evidence of Broncho
Sans Partially for his young friend
that he took but mild exception to
what must surely be distraction to an
embryo cowboy but then Sam HIM
self had seen the young lady, and her
grace and sweetness had made an i'm
preston on even his case Hardened
SenSibilities.
Char amt no kind O. use in talkin'
about it," said he cts human natur.
Pm an old man now, but | was young
once myself, an l know. He's a
fellow thet's got sand, an she's real
good-appearin' gal, an l allow it amt
no ones business but THEIRS
The road up the valley was narrow
and rough one side was often much
higher than the other; the prickly cac-
tus bushes trenched on it; and many
burrows and holes lay as pitfalls before
the rider. All riders, however had not
such horses as Comanche. He knew
what was expected of him. With a
splendid stride he went over the diff
cult path as flower English turf, clear
ing this treacherous gully with a spring,
swerving to avoid that pile of earth
washed down by the evenings rains,
leaving one landmark after another be-
hind in his headlong course. They
talk to this day Of the time in which he
made the distance.
Jack saw him like the good horse
ulan he was. His excitement was in
tense, but every faculty seemed under
perfect control. One thinks and re-
members at such times with unwonted
quickness and vividness. Not know
ing what duty of peril awaited him,
nerved for whatever it might be, he
still found himself wondering whether
Sam and the other man could get the
horses to place of safety. Then he
thought, for what seemed to him a long
time, but was probably few seconds,
of his far-away home. Then the alb
sorbing theme of what he must soon
encounter took the place of all else.
The horse began to breathe a little
hard, but his pace never slackened.
At one time Jack fancied he heard
hoofs behind him, but he dismissed
the idea as absurd. The next moment
he saw something which made his
heart beat fast. What had shown it.
self in the gray light of dawn as a slen.
der turbid rill was now large stream,
and growing higher every moment. In
stinctively he called to his horse.
Faster the noble animal sped on; the
water was around his feet. There was
a turn in the valley where it narrowed ;
a surging torrent reached his knees as
he rounded the point of the cliff. In
five minutes he slackened his pace, for
there, parting the flood which eddied
around it, tugged and tore at it, hurled
logs and stumps and tree trunks at it,
was Simpsons Ranch, and at the win