The Dillon tribune. [volume] (Dillon, Mont.) 1881-1941, 1886-06-05

country az" -N'al!I' NNtcIliuS. Il new anu
higher life WAS opened mp to- her Sh,
kept her secret longngs to herself and
never divuycd the hiding place of tn,
still II, the early summer If 1854 Little
Kate celebrated her 18th birthday
She was Il daughter of the mountains
--bright-eyetl. curly haired. fresh faced.
with rounded limbs and u good digestion.
and able to shoot Il rife or rid" Il l,nr>, with
the best man in the country. \ scare o,
more of the young mountaineer> clnieav-
ored. in their hunelv fashion. tu make
Katy their sweetheart. but she rrpulsc,i
them all. One hoi August day. when the
little underground stream tina, supplied
the n'n,n>hiuc st ii, in the cave behin! the
/ thick laurel bushes on Iuc,,m cliffs had
run dry. and Crippled Bill aud his partner
! had removed their business tna secluded:
! spring branch here they were '',>ily en-
gagged making rum. l.ittl. Kate sat on
the rude porch Wh,st roof overriding the
! ,.Uur of her fathers cabin. hu>ily engaged
III spinning. singing like Il lark ne;,l,-
while
\ man. young and Strong-limbed as 1.
Hercules. wearing clothes whose texture
and color We're hidden beneath II thick
coating Of dust. and carrying IL light pack
on his back. STRIDE up the mountain road
which led from the Narrows He paused
for Il moment in front of Crippled Bills
cabin, cast AN adn,iring glance at the girl
on the porch. and then boldly Unattached
the rude gate set in the paling tence. which
Enclosed the little garden, and marched up
tn the steps of the porch.
Il beg your pardon he began. and Lit
tie Kate dropped her distaff with a fright
enetl cry and turned to the intruder with
flushed cheeks and eyes big with appre-
hension. ut is very dusty continued the
stranger. land am very thirsty Would
you kindly give me drink of water:'
'Sartin' sure" answered Kate. III git
We fresh drink from the spring" and
seizing Il wooden pigeon which stood on Il
shelf beside the door. she ran quickly
down the mountain path leading to the
spring. while the stranger dropped his
pack on the porch and with Il grateful
sigh seated himself in the rush bott toned
chair which Kate had motioned him to
take.
If you have no objection" he said, when
she returned with the water, and prof
fered him gourdful. which he drank in
deep draughts. Il will rest here a white.
have travelled II long distance aud I am
very tired"
y
please" answered the girl. Hospitality. We
are plumb welcome
He awaited himself Of her permission
with thanks, and when he began to talk
and his words brought up the pictures she
mad heretofore seen only in her day
dream,-~she stopped her spinning and
drawing up her chair beside his listened
with eager interest
They We're sitting there together when
Crippled Bill hobbled up. CARRYING Il brown
ing ct ,n"'nshne whisky in each hand. At
sight OF him the girl. with glad cry,
jumped from the porch and ran down to-
the gate. She threw her arms around the
old mems neck and kissed him. whisper.
ing meanwhile that Il stranger MIN" had
come and was thar on the poch.' The
newcomer had followed her down. and
when Crippled Bill looked upquickly. with
froWn on his face, the young man raised
his hat and apologized for his intrusion.
I'm an artist" he said, ";ld NY bust
ness here is to make sketches OF this most
picturesque solitude.
Crippled Bill answered him grlfTly, de-
spite Little Rates fruwning protest but
t he old man finally picked up the TWO jugs
81 whisky and walked toward the house
mEttering something about 'hevin' no
room To entertain strangers. He followed
Kate inside the house. The stranger re-
manned Oh the porch. Father and daugl.-
ter held whispered consultation and
presently Crippled Bill came out and ill
V'ted the young man TO take ~ cheer
The latter had already introduced
himself as Harry Morgan. artist
and when he had told the old
moonshiner several stories that tick
led the latter nightly and had
listened patiently to Bills running ac-
count of Morgan'S raid and his own
Wonntling by Il stray Federal bullet. the
two became quite good friends, and before
Kate announced supper Harry Morgan
h,td prevailed upon Crippled Bill to allow
him to occupy the little bed in the loft
and to eat ut his table until he should
have made sufficient E;lmber of sketches
0t the picturesque nu,ks at Nmum Creek
The supposed artist remained at Crippled
Eills cabin ahmut three weeks. He
Sketched every day and Kate accom-
panied him Oh his trips us pilot, for she
| knew every rare ingle and every feru-car-
peted glen and ever; purling brook in all
that country. AT night. after supper,
Morgan and the old ,nuunShiner would sit
Oh the porch smoking their pipes and tell.
| ing stories
| After her work WAS finished Kate woultI
come out and sit in the shadow with EcI
Knitting. but ii was either to" dark to SET.
the stitches or she i'ec;.me Interested in
| the stories the two m.n told, for she rarely;
did much work. One morning. ;lter
breakfast, the young man shouldereu his
pack and ln'c Crippled Bill and his
daughter goud-by. 'l!le old nounshin.r
would accept n"pay for the Young man :
entertainment, and Morgan, turning sue
denly, slipped II ring from his little finger
and. catching Hates hand, placed it o.,
| lli.i Lrl.,,1, II