Mohave County miner., 1888-07-28
MY FAIR UNKNOWN.

The quaint, old fashioned little town OF
Deal In one Of the qusintsst places on tho
Kentiab coast True, II laossesses tiny
stone jetty. At the extremity OF when q
beacon flashes through tbs night. bat no
gay promenmder pacs It's ssphaited
parade, no Cockney children disport them
selves upon It's beach. and the burnt cork
minstrel u there . genius almost IN
known.
Here found, myself three summers ago
whilst on skaching tour ] had dome
the dorm. washed In the sea IN every
mood, smoared. sketched dsubed ana
spaitersd until there was not stick or
stone In tbs place that had not found ITS
way into my sketch book.
On the last day of my stay ssnntsgsd
down 10 ths beach with tho lazy gait Of
man who has done bis duty. my camp
stool under nay arm. my box OF tools 10
hand mot that set out With any distinct
purpose OF using ths same. for bad OK
hsiisted the s.a and my own capacity
bu, simply for the sake OF cornIanionship
I confess I was growing tribe lonesome
Nature sometimes bored me ...... ..a
A strolIed along. rejecting with
satisfaction that wonld leave the heid
with Q clear conscience and empty paint
tubes. a rock lying In peculiar position
struck my fancy and stopped TO
sketch II.
unfolded my little camp stool and set
II down ON this hard. level sand Inc
tide was low. but the stool stood un
evenly. and. gIancing down to ascertain
| the causs. 1 saw that ono leg tilted down
into footprint. and looking ahead, no
ticed that the footprints went on and on.
xigzag along the beach. disappearing IN
| the distsnce--narrow dainty footprints
| o womans
| Feelings akin to those experienced by
Robinsor Cr1lsoe rushed over nae as
| rassd Remember that L. had ss.ecn fos
| several weeks In this out OF the way place
! withou, another human soul With whom
70 oommrus except my landlady. and cur
eouamunings were mostly Of sordid m.
ture. and here were delicate prints OF q
personality that might lead to the most
delightful consequencesl
| could sketch NO more Gathering up
my baggage. I prepared 70 follow thu
trail
| Il am somewhat Of philosophis turn Of
mind. and as walked along lapsed into
train of thought worthy tho great Das.
win himself
| In the frst place. measured With my
eye the lsngth Of the slender footprints
and calculating by ths proper proportions
that the foot should be - long a. the dis
tance from the wrist TO the elbow. thu
maker of them must be. ! concluded
about fset ia good height for . wo
man
That II was Q woman. knew BY thu
fringe like marks where here and there
| the long dress made It's delicate ts2al
, Then she must be slender for such mar
row foot TO support her weight; beside
the foot marks were lightly pressed init
the sand. They were rather far apart
She took long steps for q woman. and
nothing gives more grace 70 walk, u
my mind Idstest these lettering, trip
ping womeni
With the astuteness Of detective
, noticed thxt tho distance between eacl
! two Of the points was Of equal length
I that indicated alertness and the poise 0
elastic strength, for Q dreamy woma,
would have walked all over the beach
. and Q weak woman would have taksn. I'M
u even steps. ....s.
All along beside the footprints wer
!. othe, marks, which. after close tnspec
. tion. knew TO be punctured by the en-
4 Of parasaL Another good festurc, 70
J. II showed that the unknown female whor
! YVES tracking was not over careful OF he
I complexion. and argued . comnendabl
t absence Of vanity. and . oorrsspcndin
j presence Of good sense But, alasi th
: imprint Of ths hsel was exceedingly smal
: and more sharply cut into che sand tina
the toe, making the unmistakabls iniprei
. sion of the French heel So my fair ur
o known was 0 damsel Of civilization
= slave TO fashion. possibly. ...
n As ! pursued the trail round ths poiI
:. at Walmer castle It turned In TO the whi.
u glistening beach above high water marl
q aud there discovered impressions In ii
II soft sand % clear - II chiseled In ston
n the square mold Of book. small--s move
!. !. there were tho lines Of . garment. snd Il
n long. straight line where the umbrella
. parasol had lain, each new fold OF silk =
q produced perfectly. and the marks ut Il
g. handle whsrs fingers had ciutehsd II
I. long. fns marks--a delicate hand. Fro
II this knew she hsd stopped to put dow
10 her book and psrasoi--she did not thro
NJ them down, therefore she must 30 gent
- q --and then she must have stood there u
o; gazed out at tho sea for . long time.
'r How did ! know thisi From tho ts
=. footprints. side by side. pointing seawar
- 70 and sunk deep In the sand She must
(. thoughtful. little sad. which always Il
II lows: and hers she had loft bunch
re Wild flowers. which she must ha'
~ ~ plucksd In the fields on her way To wa
or der In fields. 70 pick flowers as you 6
are these not evidences Of refinement al
. beauty loving naturef
n. could not help breathing hope tn
i. che was nsither old nor plain took I
o, tbs simple bouquet It was limp. b
showed every Indication Of being recent
n plucked She could not be far away.
III In ynv ~nfhnssssm darfed forward a.