Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1888-01-07

cnought t. buy some small blt OF lInd-
ranch is what you call it.-and live on for
I few years until | grow up with my
adopted country. AncT existence may
i do not say it will give nc bal, that
energy for which my own people in the
far past were famous"
The Colonel iStcnel approvingiy. Then
orc1ing his heat, Monsieur Alexis said |
that it might be prcsumptuous on his
part to throw himself at tie mercy of Lis |
new fricads, but would the Colonel |
allow him 10 accompany him and !
Miss Mcljiddc to Denver. Even more
than that, he had Il good deal OF money /
about his person, and it was Il risk to |
carry it around, and the Colonel might !
arrange 50 as to have it sent to Denver. |
The colonel was quite taken aback. /
Such unlimited confidence he hardly ex ,
pectcd. Then the colonel consulted F.
Almeria, and she b,u>hed and seemed to /
bc in doubt.
"Would it not compromise mc?" she
inquired.
"StuT and nonsense" said The Colonel.
"Almery, there is Il ranch on Powder
Creck-I had TO take it last ycar-what
myself noways, until see how he pans
out."
'Oh, papa. that's one of your horrid
business terms. am sure that tie long
railroad travel is thing dread, and you
going to sleep most of the time, and pass
ing hours on the smoking car, and no.
body to talk to-"
"Well, then, guess we can fix it;
anyways, if we take th3 trip together,
vi always be within call. It's good
ranch. Almcry. AMI worth all the Inoacy
ask for ii, aud if he shows up well, III
act square b. him. There's only one
thing: he seems so bl,ssed innocent and
confding like"
When NJ. Alexis met Miss McBiddie
that evening, he touched her gloved fin
ger-tirs with his lips. Almcria gave
little gasp, half surprise, half pleasure.
Her confusion was manifest, and he no.
ticed it. "Forgiyc me-" he said 1T
was only Fuss an custom eXpr, ssive of
heartfelt gratitude. am like chill,
and cannot reprcss my feelings. it VIII
be such happine>; for me to see this new
land under delightful auspices
She was a fairly prudent young woman,
| not yet twenty-e;ght. If it ere Il con-
quest she had made, she had no fancy to
exhibit her tr rumph, and Monsieur Alex
is, though lie had been rather demon
/ stIative - Just once showed no further
! sign of cyultatiOn.
! They had u great deal to say to one
another. The weather was pleasant, the
moon at her full, and Alneria was hap
/ pier than she mad ever been in her life
| before. It would be on the cars that NJ
| Alexis woGll tell the whole story of his
| life. OF course such mau rs that, Il
man evidently Of the void, would have
10 be forgiven for his faults. lie was
free: he had told her that plainly enough;
/ but then she would not lie quite satisfied
with that; and the colonel, who was
shrcwd, would make further inquiries; !;
bat if she love him, and she felt as she
did, she would be wrctchel woman if
matters turned out not SO roSea.e as she
hoped for Yet the recital, the acting Of
her romance. might take place as the two
were speeding over the monotonous prai-
rie:.
VI. Alexis had never looked brighter,
more elegant, than WI en- the steamer was
near the dock. Il an such an infant,
my dear Colonel, that put myself entire
ly under your charge" he said, with a
pleasant smile.
Then Miss McBiddie laughed, and
made cunning remark that hc was n
fairly wcll-grown baby to be hauled
around in leading strings. "But, she
added, 'if he was real good, not trouble
some, and did not bother with toD many
questions, she would take him and her
father that night 10 the theatre. That
should be his first sightseeing in New
York. You see, the opera at Denver
and New York may not be as good as in
Then Almeria tried to remember in viii h
of her four trunks had been packed her
finest dress. and wondered if the Gu tom
house people would dcay her much, and
the probabilities of her wearing Eer lovely
silk that very night.
Il have little curiosity" said VI.
Alexis, ''about New York, and care moth
ing for huge cities, for they all wear q
family resemblance. The bigger they
grow the more MARI ed the likeness.
shall like Denver far, far better than New
York. Now | must 90 down TO my
, room, and will come UP again in mo-
ment, and will elfacc my individuality
as would little duckling under the pro
tecting wing of its parents
Then the Colonel, who had gone to the
ships side. called his daughter, "Al
mery," he said, with glce, its awfu
kind: there's whole Colorado deputa
tion on the dock a waiting for us.
| And the Colonel waved his handkerchief
: as did his daughter.
, 1t was all done in a second. though tn,
arrangements necessary to bring abou
! the climax had leen under careful prep
araticn for fully sixty days beforehand
, OF Quarantine ground, alongside of tn
I visiting doctor, there had come on boarC
, of the steamer "a man who looked neiihe
@ hard nor rough, only determined. tn
8 captain of the steamer he did not eyel
nod to, but he at once sought out tn
; ships surgeon. and said few words T.
). him. The waiter had NJ Alexis's La,
q and satchel, and monsieur had Just fifte'
;. on his gloves, when hand was clappe,
on his shoulder, and the determined
I looking man said, in low voice, whicl
). Monsieur Alexis heard distinctly, thougl
steam was roaring through the escape
: pipe: 81 arrest YOU"
e "Why?" inquired NJ. Alexis, withou
r even quaking.
a Don't make any bother, but com
h quietly along. Your game is played
g No use of my going over It all. Here