The Bad Lands cow boy. [volume] (Little Missouri, Dakota [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-1886, 1885-01-01
NQISO BAD, AFTER ALI

However, the marriage III all human
probabilityswould have takensp place ,Sand'
my little loverstory been entirely nipped
in the bud, had it not been for the grim
hand Of fate, which beckoned the un-
fortunate Con TO- q little Watering place,
on fishing excursion ostensibly, but
in reality to fall in love with pretty lit
tie Mabel Gordon. SRI ,3iss
He met her at some village gathering,
and it being fixed principle of his to
attach himself to the prettiest girl III the
room, he in the present case adhered to
his purpose with q rigidity which would
have been extremely amusing only that
it SO soon became serious, for after two
or three lettings had fol lowed the! rus
tic soiree Master Con was fairly infatu-
ated, and innocent Mabel began to
think that her ideal hero had stepped
Eout from his "castle in the ali" and TAX
en- earthly lodgings forever and ever
more. \ s9s,i3s. q, ~: sss5;
\ For week the dream was bright and
undisturbed then Con began TO feel
uncomfor J.e. I, 4 N
With the prospect Of being married
to one girl in q month, he WIS hardly
dishonorable enough to propose the
same course with another; but being
neither very clever nor original, he
scou1dn't see the slightest loophole. So,
lby way Of inspiration, perhaps, he lin
gered on at Mabers side; and she, poor
Child, was happy even in the uncertain
ty. Ii a. .ts-3 y - Z IS 5S
NOf course people, talked, as they al
ways do talk; and some, more daring
than the rest, encompassed Con, and
looked unutterable things as they spoke
Of Mable's parentage. 5;5 49, 5:.
Lives with her father and mother?
Oh, yes. But thep they don't happen
to be her father and mother. She is
their daughters daughter; / and /, as to
who was her father well, we don
know, and the Blairs take care to give
us no information. !" - SsSs$ \! D :z
& Then Con was awfully angry. i;s y
III He was just young enough, to be
Quixohc, and, Of course, he wanted to
marry her, shame or no shame; to take
his little star faced angel to himself for
?eyerm ore I'd transplant his little field
daisy to q more luxuriant soil. y
~ He went up so see her, with letter
from Emily Cummings in his pocket
and On ominous guilty feeling about his
heart ii Il a 81
BY Jovei but this ID q cheering
scrape. Those Cummingses win be af-
ter me like pack OF cultures; but all
q know is: that I'll never have o wife If
i don't get Mabel Gordon !. 2 ! ts eS3sl I.
s So, with trembling determination, he
went into her presence pretty Mabel,
with her white face appraised and her
wondr ouss hair falling around her Ike
q glorious gold cloud.
thought Yo1 would come, !" she said
shyly the color family flushing her
fair cheeks. And then Though nature
hadn't made him 50, Con felt more Mt
iterly fool Sh than ever.
Asst I could stay away lnhe answered,
half reproachful lily; then added pathet-
icall g At least, until / have TO-, for,
I'm going away in q day or two. n
N I suppose Mabel had the natural
coqusttisL less Of her sex; but lot: that
particula lar moment it deserted her. en-.
tirely Her eyes wand Tered down the
rond and she leaned more heavily than
ever against the garden gata 81
oh, are; yon r. very faint and ;tremu-
lous, she murmufed 4
Yes; butt ~ come back again if: any
one wants me. Il " y
She stole one quick glance at him
from under herr downcast lids. q I'll
Do you want me, Mabel Shall j
come back "a! you 3.
No answer came from the parted lips,
but I think he knew she wanted him,
Tor. leaning over the garden gate, he
answered her silence by saying, Very
well, dear, I'll be back in very little
While, end i, y s'r 4 be- waiting for ne.
Il was not very definite, to say the
least Of it. n B t'4ss
i Any other girl would have preferred
q more lucid proposal, but poor little
Mabel had one Of those rare natures
which are satisfied to give all and take
almost nothing TO love preeminently,,
perfectly, and receive4in return s tri-
fling need pf affect ion. ~
The world doesn't contain great
many like her, and for one, am
heartily glad. 49,
think the women who hold their
own, and any thing else they can get,
are far more preferable; but then earth
and earth e children must be yarieRated
and sharp as well ass.sweet. y
Con went home that night ecstatically
but guilty happy, and when he reached
home he found g letter awaiting hin-a
letter from his mot her, the eldest Mrs:
reighton, asking, Of 4 should say de-
mandinR, his instant return. Sss}3
Emily is very i'll she said, and
certainly yonr place should lie beside
the lady Who in four weeks will become
your wife. In adj ition To this, nm
afraid that some Interior obiiect causes
your long delay in that out -tlie-way
place. Ihave heard but totally dis
believe, q rnmor Of some girl whose
pretty face has attracted your attentions.
" foated upon me with some appear
ance of veracity, and might have tron.
5bled me had I not known that i could
trust your dignity as being 8 member 81
the Creighton family and your honor a
being engaged to Emily Cummings. II 4
II Con crushed the letter ii his hand
and tried to stare circumst ances In TIL,
face, but circumstances bafaed him, and
n a state Of semi torture he retired "a
his dream disturbed couchs s.
t The next morning he returned to Lon.
tSdon, leaving little ;notesf0r Mabelin
explanation Of his absence.
Emily Cummings was much better
when he reached the city.
Mrs. Creighton greeted him with dig
United pleasure, and poor Con felt d
utterly mean and dishonorable q in
most inyeterate enemy could have de.
I3sired.
lsse For q week he wandered around Ia q
very uncomfo table state, and then lie
tibegan 70 make audd len resolutions
8. I. has al confound led fool 4 am T., lie