The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1888-03-08
Miss Priscilla.
From the Chicago Ledger.

From the Chicago Ledger.
"It is the most provoking thing I
ever had occur to me, Mr.. Craft. The
/ loss of $40, 900 is not inconsiderable,
but our business will stand the pres.
sure. I believe. A cool thousand is
yours if you will secure the robber. !"
1.-THE reward is good; l will do my
best, Mr.. Storms" said, as sat in
a listening, half-thous shtful attitude,
/ before the mine-owner.
One week before, Luke Storms had
been waylaid, knocked senseless and
robbed, while driving from the town
of Upgrade to the Crescent mine, of
which he was sole owner.
At Upgrade he had drawn the $1O,-
600 from the bank, all in national
bank notes, and after a short waiting
in the town, set out on horseback to
regain the Crescent, one OF the then
best-paying silver mine in Colorado.
| Soon after the robbery, the mine
owner having heard of my vocation
from a friend, called me to his house
and gave me an account his trouble,
concluding with the offer of ST, 900 for
the arrest of the man who had robbed
him of his money.
"Have you many acquaintance in
the town of Upgrade?" 1 questioned,
finally.
Several"
"Name them"
He did so, each one being far ar
one to me, since had been some weeks
in the town looking up another trail,
| which l believed led in another direc-
ton. when Storms induced me to listen
to his troubles.
81 will give week to your case, Mr..
Storms" l said; that is all the time
can spare now"
Il am sorry" he said; "you can do
nothing in so short time"
"That remains to be seen," re-
turned, and then bidding the mine-own-
er adieu, turned my face toward Up
grade mounted on a fleet horse.
The trail that followed led through
a wild country, over rocky hills,
through deep-wooded depressions, al
together gloomy journey, and when
arrived at the spot where the miner.
Storms, had been waylaid and rob-
bed, involuntarily came to halt.
At the left gurgled shallow brook.
fringed with bushes; a bridge spanned
the water just ahead, and on the
right was O. dense thicket, beyond
which lofty ridge raised upward sew
eral hundred feet.
1t was from this thicket that the OBJ
ject had been hurled that had sent Mr..
Storms senseless from his saddle.
As / sati in the saddle looking about
with one hand on the but OF my re-
! volver, a sharp scream in advance
! beyond the bridge, attracted my at
tention.
A femalein distress.
| at once spurred forward, and
turning a point OF rock, came upon
scene that enlisted my sympathies.
Beside the road was female-a
beautiful young girl, wringing her
hands and wailing beside dead horse
that lay on the ground in the narrow
road between the shafts of q light We
hicle. Evidently the animal, a rather
sorry beast. had been stricken down
suddenly, and the lady thus deprived
of a mode of conveyance most unex-
pectedly.
ooh. sir, I am so glad you came,"
cried the girl, wringing her pink and
white little hands in a helpless way,
and transfxing me with pair of the
most beautiful eyes had ever beheld.
"Pve been trying ever so hard to in
duce Homer to rise up. He fell quick
as a fash. Oh, dear, I don't know
what to do"
"Your horse is dead, Miss" I said
as sprang to the ground and made
brief examination.
dead! Poor Homer!"
With clasped hands the girl regarded
her fallen beast, while tears filled her
heavenly blue eyes. I glanced at her
as she stood there, and mentally as
sented that she was the most lovely
female had ever looked upon.
She could not have been over 20,
and there was an artless expression
of countenance that was altogether
charming.
II was intending to visit Upgrade"
she said, in answer to an inquiry, and
after her first deep emotions had sub
sided. II have a brother living there,
and a sister upon the hills. l rode
out with brother Frank two days ago,
and yesterday he was compelled to
return, and so he took the stage, leav-
ing me to drive in with Homer and the
vehicle. l was elated at the progress
l had made, when poor Homer drop
ped as though he had been shot. What
can we do sir?"
ri will put my horse in the shafts;
am on my way to Upgrade, and you
will not be delayed long, after ALL"
"You are very kind sir. What
name"
"Williams," said quickly. Even
under the influence of this girls mar
velous beauty l was not led to give
my true name and character.
"And / am Priscilla Mcdonald. !
feel sure we shall get on very nicely,
you are so kind"
Miss Mcdonald adjusted herself to
circumstances with naivete that was
truly charming, and very fattering to
myself.
I was not long in exchanging the
living FOR the dead, and then, seated
beside Priscilla, gave the horse rein,
and soon was whlrled from the vicin.
ity of the accident.
Ileft my fair passenger at the door
OF one of the most imposing dwellings
in the frontier city, she informing me
that Frank would care for the vehicle,
and rode my horse to the "Great
Bear" the principal hotel in the town.
The time was now evening. When l
moved to consult my watch l met
with a startling discovery.
My handsome gold chronometer,
with its heavy chain, was gone!
/ stood stunned for an instant,
realizing that had been robbed.
at once remembered my adventure
on the road from the Crescent to Up
grade. When left the mine I had
consulted my watch, so that the loss
had certainly occurred between the
hn,v of ny, lo,,o or1 ha