Sun River sun. [volume] (Sun River, Mont.) 1884-1885, 1885-02-12

oi1no Was just mis- own business and
no ono else's. But women was scarce
in mining camps then, an was took q
good deal Of notice Of. So Mrs. Har.
rington hadn't bin in Gulch City
more'n month before il was pretty
we'll known as it wern't any use for to
try an git acquainted with her, as she
didn't want no friends. II was like.
wise known that though she and
Wiley always appeared ~ strangers
in public, nevcr speaking 70 one an.
other, they was really pretty intimate
and used to spend most o their time
in each others cabins. We boys used
to laugh over IL, and wonder wha,
their reason was for kcepin' ~ al
mighty close. Sid, as livin' next t.
'ein. was kind Of authority on thei,
doings, and used to como round te
our cabin every mornin' with fame,
bulletin o their intimacy. ether.
mometer way up" he used to say
"crops doin' well,' when they'd bin
particularly friendly; a stiff breeze
from N. Il. A cold day for Mrs. H.,
when Wiley had been away to hi.
claim. But beyond that wo none OF
lis heard or saw much Of either oi
'em; and what We did see of Wiley
down town none Of us liked extra
well. He seemed quiet, slinlin
kind Of chap and made no friends.
1t was n long in August, l think
that Wiley and Mrs. II. came to Gulcl
City, an by December they'd pretty
well dropped out o notice. We'd
givin up g';essin' what they was ther
for, and Sid's bulletins had ceased
We'd had spell Of frost along to the
end of November, but by the middle
of December the snow had gono again
and the last two weeks of tho old
year were just splendid wcather cold,
but sunshiny and Il days work was as
easy as cain yer meals. My Scotch
chum and l used to take it in turn to
git up and cook breakfast in the NOR
Minis, and on New Years Eve it fell to
my turn.
Well, ! turned out soon after day
light and started fire, and grabbed
Il pail to so down to the creek for
water. The trail down ran from our
door back Of Sid's cabin and the emp
ty one, cos we stood bit higher up
hill, and then cut round tho corner of
Mrs. Harington's place and right
past her door. 1t was mighty sharp
mornin, and was josgin down hill,
stampin my feet, with the pail clankin
in my left hand, round back OF the
two cabins and down past Mrs. H.
corner, when just ms 1 rounded her
corner J. give jump which nearly
sent me of my balance, and away
went the pail down the hill. There,
right in my way, lay Mrs. Harrington
on her side, her dress all bloody and u
pool Of blood soakin down hill from
under her.
I guess I stood there for three min
utes without movin. Then I stopped
down, hollerin to the other boys to
come out, as loud as I could, and felt
her face which was damp aud chilled
with the frost. But her body was
warm, and l thought could feel her
heart beat. BY this time Sid and my
partner were out, thinkin I'd seen a
bear or summat, and called to 'em to
come and help mo carry her into the
cabin. AS soon rs we'd got her into
ler cot, Sid went of down town after
! doctor, and Craig that was the
5cotchman) and me, we undid her
lress, lit II fire and set to chain her
lands till the doctor came.
With the doctor came Wiley. W.
III watched him clps,ly, but he was
juict and sIinkin Us ever. Very much
shocked, Of course, but if he had any
ear for himself lie hid it dog-gone
veil. The doctor said she was alive,
,ut couldn't live more'n a few hours,
md it was doubtful whether she'd
'yer become conscious again. The
M was gettin up by this time, and
he news that the wasl-woman up on
he hill had been shot was all over
amp. by 10 O'Clock, half the camp
'as crowded ronnd the cabin. The
ick woman was still unconscious; the
octor, Craig, myself and one or two
thers wore round the bed, and Sid
nd Wiley was standin at the door
eepin the crowd out. We was all
akin in an undertonc, wonderin' how
was no one had heard the shot fired,
nd keepin an eye all the time on
iiley, to soc how he behaved.
Suddenly there came n "sh" from
le doctor, and tho cabin was SO still
III might have heard the sunlight
'eepin along the floor. She had