New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-05-06
snectfullv. abut YOU must have something.

Then she looked up half resentfully ha1i-curl-
ously evidently thinking that this was q very
odd stagc-driver. At last she said: You are
giving yourself needless trouble, but as you insist
upon 1t, Will take cup of tea and little milk
II her purpose was to rid herself Of his i'm
portunities, her request was very effective. Tea
Milk! The lieutenant returned to the STATION,
house, thoughtfully pulling his mustache: Now,
he said TO himself, that Is like woman! why
couldn't she ask for oysters and champagne, or
something reasonabe--but tea milk"
Nate" he said, doubuully,, to the hostier
you don't happen to have such thing as-as
tea about the house, do you n
Why not?" replied the station keeper, prompt
~. a. s. .n onr saoe h,usb wash. r.
Joined the lieutenant, impatiently, Pm talking
about store tea"
sWeii, that's what I'm talking about" said
Nate; . Chinaman gave some to Frank the otner
Nste,s said the lieutenant drawing out his
Task, tako q drink"
And in o few minutes he was carrying out a
cup Of tea and some crackers to the water-trough,
unconscious of the elaborate wink with when
Nate, restored somewhat to good-humor by the IN
expected drink fsvered the eEefy
The lieutenant found the object Of his solic1-
tude as he had left her. enduring the discomfort
of her condition with silent patience s;s rs ont,v INIT
in the same even tone of a superior Evidently
this woman was accustomed TO being Walted on.
Il suppose that condensed milk VIII DO lot tne
" Yes , certainly the baby had bottle; But.
alas! search for the bottle revealed the fa0t
that it must have been tolted out OF the stage
while the mother was unconscious
What shall do !" she exclaimed, her forttude
suddenly forsakIng her. Z" He wont drink out OF
a cup and l am afraid he is hungry now" Evil
IDENTIFY tears were gathering behind the veil, tears
that she never would have shed for herself
oh, ! can fix that easy enough said the stage
driving lieutenant consol1ngly.
Ouioklv pntArinp the house once more, Tor Time
was getting precious and the beans were getting
cold he seized empty beer bottle. washed IL out
drove the cork In tight, pared the cork down TO
convenient size and pierced 1t with saddlers
awl then tearing piece of linen from his hand
kerchief he padded the cork and tied it securely.
There" he said to the disconsolate mother,
81 think that will work. | once raised hitter
of puppies on no better one"
The lady, who had smiled rather hopelessly at
this cumbrous device, anxiously watched the in
fant's attempts to manage 1t. The heutenant,
notwithstanding that the beans were getting cold,
looked on with almost as much interest An , en,
baby's face. Evidently the bottle met
mother gave the child quick, Delighted mug u
yelled face to the driver and said, but this time
her voice trembled: You are so klndl no"
can I thank you ?'
instinctively, though carelessly. lifting his mar;
he WENT back to his supper OF cold PORK tnd
beans, while the eyes behlnd the ven Io,lowcu
him with look Of increasing surprise ana curl
The stage, when it left City of Rocks, MA WAS
twenty minutes late But s sne At its ap
proach. found il no mean rival that afternoon
"Pll bet ten dollars he makes it up, afore ne
gifts to Stoney Creek and not turn mar au cone ono
temptation Of the fast-receding cloud OF DUST ne
added in a more reckless tone, III bet ten dollars
he sd makes it f he si nt TO on DCE ee
of these generous propositions ne shook ms ne,u
and remarked confidentially: " There amt many many
and. disappearing in the gloom Of the interior OF
tbe house. City of Rocks was left once more to
the hot silence Of its fantastic stones
The sun was setting behind Bald Butte as the
which led down to Stoney Creek The air was
growing cool The rabbits, looking Ike sage
bushes in notion fitted about IN Sne twnsn H.
A colony of prairie-owls, posting themselves at
intervals along the road, accompanied the lnIIuu
ing vehicle through their territory the head OF
the line rising as the stage drew near and graVey
flying down to take station at the loot, until tne
danger departed they solemnly withdrew. Down
the grade the stage went, with the driver on .le
ness, until, with final Jolt and lurch' they
fetched up on the bank of Stoney Greek Inc
driver swung himself off the box ana TAXING an
horses. The elderly passenger emerged from the
stage with tin cup, and scooping up some OF
the bright, cold water from the NOISY nlouhtaaIn
stream, calamity took it to the lady lnslae.
Then, helping himself he said to the driver, with
a laugh:
Il ledge you've been making up, time. re
herded em along pretty lively down 1het Gsoston
in which he found himself had responsibilities
that discouraged sociability Cong TO the 9unet
side of the stage he got out ms oVeFcOaT anu
cloth, long and vouminous, with cape that
came to the waist. Quietly slipping his revolver
from its holster, he put it in narrow pocKe1 IN
made for the purpose dispensed with the ostenta;
tious and cumbrous method of betting the pistol o
on outside. These preparations for the night com
pleted, he mounted to his place and made the
usual, warning inquiry, "All set ?'
If you don't mind. pard' sad the passehis ed
IN ride outside for ways anu give Ino i"uy
a chance to stretch" -. A.
elderly stranger climbed laborlously TO MS sue.
The horses hoofs spashed and the stage wheeiS
cruncbed their way through the stream, Whie
the water fretted and foamed nolslly about inc
wet fetlocks and through the cleaned spoKeSS.
Then hoofs and wheels came out on lhe sou
bank and the stage sped silently along the damp
bottom land. Dark forms shaped themselves
into cottonwood trees and alder bushes, ana as
solved again into the darkness, while the Ifesh
odor of the earth and growing things scented the
cool night air .,,
Have a drinls?o said the passenger, socially,
drawing out q bottle.
mo, thank you, said the lieutenant, uoh
drink on the box" a.u
Right you are" said his companion; we'll
here's 1uckl You haint ben long on the hne'
1 take it?
NO" said the lieutenant.
Il was up in this section couple O. years
ago." continued the passenger, and l KINDER
thought l didn't rec'lect your face, It's fine
country up we're, but it amt as fine country
as some I've seen. Was you ever up around
No, the lieutenant had never been to Sin-e-ah-
Qua-teen.
We'll. sir" continued the passenger, cnthus1-
astically, that's fine country, and mighty
curious one, too; the curiousest / even seen.
Me an my pardner was in there one summer
and found Unions as big as my two fists, and
the next day. When we struck up along the
PendOreille, we got into seven feet of snow.
When we got down into Kootenai, along Pack
River they was taking out heap O. gold. Then
we struck St Mary's River, and, gentlemen! l
never did scch place for fish. All them
rivers rise in lakes, and / was told by old
Hudson Bay man, that had been with the com
pany nigh on TO forty year, that they never had