Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-11-25

You know how anxious was todiscover
your poor fathers strange correspondent
Alice. You have 10 consideration.
"But when gol. haze discovered him-what
them queried Miss Alice.
what thens"
Yes. My belief is that you win find the
telegram only a mere business cipher, and all
this quest mere nonsense
"Alicel Why, you yourself thought your
fathers conduct that night very strange.
Have you forgotten@
The young lady had not, but, for some far.
reaching feminine reason, chose to ignore it
at that moment, when her late tumble in the
snow was still fresh in her mind
"And this woman, whoever she may be-
continued Mrs. Rightbody.
"liow do you know there's woman in the
case@ interrupted Miss Alice, wickedly, /
fear.
How do-I-know- there's a womanr'
slowly calculated Mrs. Rightbody, founder
ing in the snow at the unexpected possibility
of such a ridiculous question. But here her
guide few to her assistance, and stopped fur
ther speech. And, indeed, grave problem
was before them.
The road that led to their single place of
refugee cabin, half hotel, half trading post.
scarce a mile uway-skhted the base of the
rocky dome, and passed perilously near the
precipitous wall of the valley. There was a
rapid descent Of a hundred yards or moro TO
this terrace-like passage; and the guides
paused for moment of consultation. coollv
oblivious, alike to the terrified questioning of
Mrs. Rishtbody, or the half insolent indie
pendence of the daughter. The elder guide
was russell bearded, stout and humorous; the
younger was dark bearded, slight and Sc
rious.
"Ef you kin git young Bunker Hill to let
you tote her ON your shoulders, I'll get the
madam to hang on to me" came to Mrs.
Rghtbody's Mortified ears as the expression
of her particular companion.
freeze to the old gal, and don't reckon on
me if the daughter starts in to play it a!one,r
was the enigmatical response Of the younger
guido
Miss Alice overheard both propositions;
and, before the two men returned to their
side, that high-spirited young lady had urged
her horse down the declivity.
Alas at this moment q gust of whirIing
snow swept down upon her There was a
hounder, mis-step, IA fatal strain On the
wrong rein, a fall, few plucliy but unavail-
ng struggles, and both horse and rider slid
ANONYMOUSLY down toward the rocky shelf.
Mrs. Rightbody screamed. Miss Alice, from
n confused debris of snow and ice, uplifted a
yexed and coloring face to the younger guide,
little the more angrily, perhaps that she
saw shade of impotence on his face.
Don't move, Tut tie one end of the lass
under your arms, and throw me the other"
he said, quietly.
What do you mean by 'lass'--the lassor
asked Miss Alice, disgustedly.
yes, ma'am."
"Then why don't you say sogo
oh, ALICE" reproachfully interpolated
Mrs. Rshtbody, encircled by the elder guides
stalwart arm
Miss Alice deigued no reply, but drew the
loop of the lasso over her shoulders, and let
it drop to her round waist. Then she essayed
TO throw the other end to her guide Dismal
failure The first fling nearly knocked her
off 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 Alice's arm sunk helplessly to her side,
at which signal of unqualified surrender, the
younger guide threw himself half way down
the s. pc, worked his way to the thorn BUSH
hung for moment periously over the para
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 a
foot or two of her rcscuer. At this too
familiar proximity, she stood up, and leaned
a little stifily against the 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 a
hero to bleed freely. Miss Alice instantly
clapped a handful of snow over his nostrils.
Now elevate your right ARM" She said
commandingly.
THAT congresses the artery
No man, with pretty womans hand and
a handful Of snow over his mouth and nose.
could effectively utter a herolc sentence, nor,
with his arm elevated stifily over bis head.
assume a heroic attitude. But, when lis
mouth was free again, he said haif-sulkily,
-apologetically:
i might have known a girl couldn't throw
worth a cent
"Why4 demanded Miss Alice sharply.
Because why-because you Sec they
haven't got the experience he stammered
fcebly.
NONSENSE they haven't the elaviele-that's
all! Its because I'm woman, and smaller
in the collar bone, that haven't the play of
the forearm which you have Sect She
squared her shoulders slightly, and turned
the blaze Of her dark eyes full on his. @Fx-
perience, indeed A girl can learn ANYTHING
boy cam
Apprehension took the place Of ill-halnlor in
her nearer. He turned his eyes hastily away,
and glanced above him The elder guide had
gone forward to catch Miss Alice's horse.
which, relieved of his rider, was founder
ing toward the trail Mrs. Rightbodv was
nowhere to be seen. And these two were
still twenty feet below the trail,
There was an awkward pause.
shall / pull YOU up the same waysn he
queried Miss Alice looked at his nose. and
hesitated. "0r viii you take my hand.s he
added, in surly impotence. To his surprise.
Miss Alice took his hand, and they began the
ascent together
But the way was difficult and dangerous.
Once or twice her feet slipped on the smoothly
worn rock beneath; and she confessed to an
inward thankfulneSS when her uncertain feIni-
nine handgrip was exchanged for his strong
arm around her waist. Not that he was I'M
gentle; but Miss Alice angrily felt that he
had once or twice exercised his superior mas
culine functions in rough way; and yet the
next moment she would have probably re.
9ected the idea that she had even noticed it.