Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1888-01-28

hang round nights and stampede the stock,
to be able to swing yourself on to a hoss,
whenever you hear row goin' on outside"
"Do you mean that you"-
"Paw used, and do now, sense I've come
into the room" She pointed to a monde
script garment, half cloak, half habit, hang
ing on the wall. "Ive been outer bed and
on Pitchpine's back as far ez the trail five
minutes arter heard the first below"
Hale regarded her with undisguised as
tonishment. There was nothing at all Anna
zonian or horsey in her manners, nor was
there even the robust physical contour that
might have been developed through such
experiences. On the contrary she seemed to
lazily eifeminate in body and mind. Heed-i
less of his critical survey of her, she beck
oned him to draw his chair nearer. and,
looking into his eyes, said:
"Whateyer possessed you to take to huntin'
meng'
Hale was staggered by the question, but
nevertheless endeavored to explain. But be
was surprised to find Chat His explanation al-
peared stilted even to himself, and, he could
not doubt, was utterly incomprehensible to
the girl She nodded her head, however, and
continued:
"Then you haven't anythin' agin' George"
II don't know George" said Hale, smiling.
"My proceeding was against the highway
man."
"Well, he was the highwayman."
II mean it was the principle objected to
principle that consider highly dangerous. "
"Well, he is the principal, for the others
only helped, reckon" said Zeenie, with
sigh, "and reckon he is dangerous"
Hale saw it was useless to explain. The girl
continued:
"What made you stay here instead Of go
in on with the kernel! There was suthin'
else besides you wanting to make that Stan
ner take water. What is it?'
A light sense of the propinquity of beauty,
of her confidence, of their isolation, of the
eloquence of her dark eyes, at first tempted
Hale to a reply of simple gallantry; a
graver consideration of the same circum-
stances froze it upon his lips.
"I don't know" he returned awkwardly.
"Well, I'll tell you,' she said. "You
didn't cotton to the Kernel and Rawlins
much more than you did to Stanner. They
amt your kind"
In his embarrassment Hale blundered upon
the thought he had honorably avoided.
Suppose" he said, with constrained laugh,
II had stayed to see youl"
II reckon 1 amt your kind neither" she
replied promptly. There was a momentary
pause, when she rose and walked to the CHM
ney "It's very quiet down there" she said,
stopping and listening over the roughly
boarded floor that formed the ceiling Of the
room below. 81 wonder what's going on"
| In the belief that this was delicate hint
| for his return to the party he had left Hale
rose, but the girl passed him hurriedly, and,
opening the door, cast quick glance into the
stable beyond.
"Just as reckoned-the horses are gone
| too They've skedaddled," she said, blankly
Hale did not reply. In his embarrassment
a moment ago the idea Of taking an equally
sudden departure had flashed upon him
Should he take this as justification of that
| impulse, or how! He stood irresolutely
gazing at the girl, who turned and began to
| descend the stairs silently. He followed
When they reached the lower room they
found it as they had expected-deserted.
II hope didn't drive them away" said
Hale, with an uneasy look at the troubled
face of the girl "For really had an idea of
| going myself moment ago."
She remained silent, gazing out of the win
dow Then, turning with a slight shrug of
her shoulders, she said, half defantly:
whats the use now? Oh, NAV! the Stanner
crowd has vamosed the ranch, and this yer
stranger kalkilates to stayH