The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1891-09-25

lllC lHllld- lcILeT VI Iuelr urSI Ut ldSI
name.
While 1 puzzled over the note the
stage referred to in it rolled into the
| camp and stopped outside the tavern,
and Monk bawled out again that
breakfast was gettin' cold as bowl
derr
'Be right DOWN. shouted back.
There were but two solutions of the
note in my mind One was that old
Monk or some of the tavern habitues
had sent it in a joking vein. They de-
lighted in nothing better than having
laugh at an eastern tenderfoot's eX-
pense.
The other surmise was that it might
have been sent by some young miner
admirer of Beth's, who had but lately
returned to Sunset after an absence,
during which had arrived.
l settled upon the first surmise as the
most likely one. and, to turn the laugh
on my supposed would be jolIers. de-
termined to ignore the notes reception.
AS it turned out, neither of my sur
misses was correct.
hurried down to breakfast and be-
gan it, with old Monk my sole COM
panion in the lonely dining-room. AS
we chatted together the morning stage
rumbled out of sunset.
ANY MALE" l asked of him; and
commented mentally that he was act
ing his role of joker well; but | never
suspected that had not hit upon the
reason why the odd note had been sent
to me.
He answered me in the negative and
we drifted into commonplaceS.
just before the meal was finished my
attention was drawn to stranger who
passed through the bar-room, of which
the dining-room was a part. He is con-
nected with my story SO l will describe
his appearance.
He was man of about my height,
but some years older appearing; and,
instead of his having smooth face and
dark hair like mine, he wore sandy
beard and his hair was of the same shade.
His dress was that of mincr-high
boots. loose-neclled flannel shirt, light
drab felt hat, the lacking coat (if can
say that and ever-present belt with its
holstered weapons.
"Who is he?" | asked of Monk, with
nod toward the door through which
the stranger had passed.
"a new arrival gent" the old fellow
answered. Says he comes from New
Mexico and is drifting about after a
lost mine
"Whcn did he Gomez"
"Threc days ago to-day"
This is the first time I've seen him."
eyer never round; yer mimi 50
steady" old Monk remarked, with
twinkle in his merry eyes.
'And his name?" | asked, ignoring
the old fellows significance.
"Mark Russell
Monk had to leave me then, and |
finished my breakfast alone.
Aftcrward | started out on one of my
rambles, my noon lunch in a little
basket on my arm. l had found that
these runs made my days pass quicker
than lounging about the camp did. and
then there was the pleasure of some
times picking up nugget or two of
virgin gold. One day l found three
really good-sized bullets of the precious
metal.
When I came back at six in the after
noon this time | had four of the bits of
valuable yellow metal, and | was in
good spirits / had entirely forgotten
about the note of the morning. Ny
feeling in my pocketbooll and finding
it there only brought it to my mind,
and then | smiled at the joke l mag
ined | was having on Monk or some of
the miners.
| ate my supper with relish and
then started to make a call upon little
Beth. AS l have said before, her ia
theirs cabin stood about half mile
east of Sunset.
| found miner Abbott absent and
Beth busy inside Her hair looked like
spun gold as it shimmered in the light
of the lamp on the center table. She
wore dress of some blue stuff with
silk handkerchief or scarf tied loosely
about her graceful neck.
Fathers shopping around in the
mine she said, as asked about him.
"Shall l call him?'
NO" | answered.
And was on the point of saying how
witching she looked, but she prevented
me by asking if had experienced any
luck that day.
l showed her the nuggets | had
found, and she, in turn, some gold-dust
her father had brought from the mine.
Father is coming in now" she ex-
claimed, looking out into the twilight,
as the gold was examined. But she
added as he did not appear: "Well,
must have been mistaken"
'Beth, why do you act as you do
toward me?" l asked. | felt that l
could not keep my avowal of love back
any longer. You must know that you
have stolen my heart"
She looked frightened. She blushed
hotly, too, and attempted to silence me,
but l would not permit her to do so.
Beth" l continues: Can you not
care little for me now?"
And told her could never care for
another woman and had never done So
"Mr. Kingston, she said, when had
told her all, lit is not right that you
should marry a little ignorant western
girl like me. We can be friends but
that must be all"