Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1888-01-28
SNOW BOUND At EAGLES
By BRET HARTE.
Copyrighted by Houghton, Mifflin & Co., and
published by arrangement with them.l

involve them in ridicu'e. In country ter
rorized by practical joking they did not
doubt but that this was new form of hoax
ing calculated to PROVOKE some response that
would constitute them as victims. The inn
mediate effect upon them was that complete
silence in regard to himself that Hale de-
sired. They drew together again and con-
versed in whispers, while Hale, with his eyes
fixed on the fire, gave himself up to some
what late and useless reflection
He could scarcely realize his position. For
however he might look at it, within space
of twelve hours he had not only changed
some of his most cherished opinions, but he
had acted in accordance with that change in
way that made it seem almost impossible
for him ever to recant. In the interests OF
law and order he had engaged in an unlaw-
full and disorderly pursuit of criminals, and
had actually come in conflict, not with the
criminals, but with the only party appar-
entity authorized to pursue them. More than
that he was finding himself committed to a
certain sympathy with the criminals
Twenty-four hours ago, if any one had told
him that he would have condoned an illegal
act for its abstract justice, or assisted to COM
NIT an illegal act for the same purpose, he
would have felt himself insulted. That he
knew he would not now feel it an insult per-
picked him still more. In these circum-
stances the fact that he was separated from
his family, and as it were from all his past
H.r 49, -
not disturb him greatly; indeed, he was for
the first time little doubtful of their prob
able criticism on his inconsistency, and was
by no means in a hurry to subject himself
to it
Lifting his eyes, he was suddenly aware
that the door leading to the kitchen was
slowly opening. He had thought he heard it
creak once or twice during his deliberate re-
ply to Stanner 1t was evidently moving
now so as to attract hiS attention, without
disturbing the others. 1t presently opened
sufficiently wide to show the face of Zeenie,
who, with gesture of caution toward his
companions, beckoned him to join her. He
rose carelessly as il going out, and, putting
on his hat, entered the kitchen as the retreat
ing figure Of the young girl glided lightly
toward the stables. She assembled few open
steps as if to hay loft, but stopped before a
low door. Pushing it open, she preceded him
into small room, apparently under the roof,
which scarcely allowed her to stand upright.
By the light of a stable lantern hanging from
a beam he saw that, though poorly furnished,
it bore some evidence Of feminine taste and
habitation. Motioning to the only chair, she
seated herself on the edge of the bed, with her
hands clasping her knees in her familiar atti-
tude. Her face bore traces of recent agita-
ton, and her eyes were shining with tears.
By the closer light of the lantern he was sur
prised to find it was from laughter.
Treckoned you'd be right lonely down there
with that Stanner crowd, partickerly after
that little speech O your'n, so I sez to NAV
I'd get you up yer for spell. Nav and
heerd you exhort 'em! Nav allowed you WOE
talkin' a furrin tongue all along, but I-sakes
alive!-I he'd to hump myself to keep from
Dustin into yell when yer jist drawed them
Webster unabridged sentences on 'em." She
stopped and rocked backward and forward
with laugh that, subdued by the proximity
of the roof and the fear of being overheard,
was by no means unmusical "I'l tell ye
whot got me, though! That part commenc-
ing: 'Suckamstances over which I've no con-
trout
"Oh, comet didn't say that" interrupted
Hale, laughing.
"'Don't make it convenient for me to exer-
else the privilege of kickin' yer out to that
extent" she continued; "'but If l cannot
dispense with your room, the least l can say
is that it's id sight better than your COM
pany'-or suthin' like that! And then the
way you minded your stops and let your
voice rise and fall jest ez easy ez if you wos a
First Reader in large type. Why, the kernel
wasn't nowhere His cussin' didn't come
within mile O yourn That Stanner jist
turned yaller."
"rm afraid you are laughing at me-" said
Hale, not knowing whether to be pleased or
vexed at the girls amusement.
II reckon Pm the only one that dare do it,
then" said the girl, simply. "The kernel sez
the way you turned round after he'd done his
cussin', and said yer believed you'd stay and
take the responsibility of the whole thing
and did in that kan, SOFT did-anybody
tome style--was the neatest thing he'd seen
yet! MOI Nav says amt much on man
ners, but know man when see him."
For an instant Hale gave himself up to the
delicious fattery of unexpected unintended
and apparently uninterested compliment
Becoming at last a little embarrassed under
the frank curiosity of the girls dark eyes he
changed the subject.
"Do you always come up here through the
stablesp he asked, glansing round the room,
which was evidently her own.
II reckon" she answered, half abstract
edly. there's a ladder down thar to
maw's room"-pointing to a trap door be-
side the broad chimney that served as a
wan-"but it's handler the other way, and
nearer the hosses ef you want to get away
quick"
This palpable suggestion-borne out by
what he remembered of the other domestic
datailS-that the housa had t,ao,, v,la,rad