The Dillon tribune., 1886-12-31
Ghe Ailon Eritu,,e.
THE GREAT DEADWUw MYSTERY.
BY BRET HARTE.
copyrighted 1886, by Houghton, Mifflin & Co.,
and published by arrangement with them.l

and published by arrangement with them.l
Alice. Yoh have no consideration"
"But when lou haze discovered him-wh,
then:" quericd Miss Alice.
"What then:'
Yes. My belief is that you will find th
telegram only u mere business cipher, and q
this quest mere nonsense
"Alice! Why, uom yourself thought you
fathers conduct that night very strange
Have you forgotten?"
The young lady had not, but, for some far
reaching feminine reason, chose to ignore /
at that moment, when her late tumble in tn
snow was still fresh in her mind.
"And this woman, whoever she may be,
continued Mrs. Rightbody.
"How do you know there's a woman in thu
case?" interrupted Miss Alice, wickccily,
fear.
"How do-I-know-th there's q won,an,'
slowly calculated Mrs. Rightbody, founder.
ing in the snow at the unexpected possibility
Of such a ridiculous question. But here l,e1
guide few to her assistance. and stopped fur
ther speech. And, indeed, q grave problem,
was before them.
The road that led to their single place of
refuge-a cabin, half hotel, half trailing post,
scarce a mile away-skirted the base of tho
rocky dome, and passed perilously near the
precipitous wall of tho valley. There was a
rapid descent of a hundred yards or more to
this tcrrace-liko passage; and the guitlcs
paused for moment OF consultation, cuoliy
ol,l ;1,o %o< ~,
Mrs. Rightbody, or the half insolcnt in!c-
pendence of the daughter. The elder guido
was r,lsset bearded, stout and humorous, the
younger was dark bearded, slight a,,d ~
rious.
"Ef you kin git young Bunker Hill to let
you tote her on your shoulders, I'll get tho
madam to hang OH to me-" came to Mrs.
Rightbody's Mortified ears as the expression
of her particular companion.
"Freezc to the old gal, and don't reckon on
me if the daughter starts in to plny it alone"
was the cnigmatical response OF tho younger
guide.
Miss Alice overheard both propositions;
and, before the two men returned t. their
side, that high-spirited young lady bad urged
her horse down the declivity.
Alas! ut this moment gust of whirline
snow swept down upon her. There was a
founder, mis-step, fatal strain on the
wrong rein, fall, O few plucky but unavail-
in: struggles. and both horse aud rider slid
ignominiously down toward the rocky shelf
Ars. Rightbody screamed. Miss Alice, from
. confused debris Of snow and ice, uplifted
vexed and coloring face to the younger guide,
q little the moro angrily, perhaps, that she
saw u shade of impatience on his face
Don't move, tut tie one end of the lass
under your arms, and throw me tho othcr,"
he said, quietly.
"What do you mean by 'lass'-thc lasso7"
asked Miss Alice, disgustedly.
Eyes, ma'am."
"Then why don't you say so!"
"Oh, Alice" reproachfully interpolated
Mrs. Rightbody, encircled by tho elder guides
stalwart arm.
Miss Alice deigned no reply, but drew the
loop OF the lasso over her shoulders, and let
1t drop to her round waist. Then she essayed
to throw the other end to her guide. Dismal
failure! The first fling nearly knocked her
OF the ledge; the second went all wild against
the rocky wall: the third caught in a thorn
bush, twenty feet below her companions feet.
Miss Alicc's arm sunk helplessly to her side,
at which signal of unqualified surrender, the
younger guide threw himself half way down
the slope, worked his way to tho thor:, bush,
hung for moment perilously over the pare
pet, secured the lasso, and then began to pull
away at his lovely burden. Miss Alice was
no dead weight, however, but steadily half
scrambled on her hands and knees to within
foot or two Of her rescuer. At this too
familiar proximity, she stood up, and leaned
little stitily against tho, line, causing the
guide to give an extra pull, which had the
lamentable effect of landing her almost in his
arms. AS it was, her intelligent forehead
struck his nose sharply, and regret to add,
treating of romantic situation, caused that
somewhat prominent sign and token of u
hero to bleed freely. Miss Alice instantly
clapped handful OF snow over his nostrils.
'Now elevate your right arm," she said
commandingly.
He did as he was hidden, but sulkily.
"rhat congresses the artery"
No man, with pretty woman's hand and
q handful of snow over his mouth and nose,
could effectively utter heroic sentence, nor,
with his arm elevated stifily over his head,
assume o heroic attitude. But, when his
mouth was free again, he said half-sulkily,
half-apologetically:
II might have known girl couldn't throw
worth cent"
"Whyp demanded Miss Alice sharply.
why-becauso- you see-thcy
haven't got the experience" he stanmeresl
feebly.