Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-09-12
CHAPTER II.

yond.
CHAPTER II.
Once within the friendly shadows of the long
belt of pines Mrs. Baker kept them until she
had left the limited settlement of Laurel Run
far to the right aud came upon an open slope
or Burnt Ridge where she knew 10 Simmons
mustang, Blue Lightning, would be quietly
feeding. She had often ridden him before and
| when she had detached the tifty-foot RATA from
bis head stall he permitted her the further
recognized familiarity Of twining her fingers
III his blush name and climbing on his back.
The tool shed OF Burnt Ridge tunnel, where
10 8 saddle and bride always hung, was but a
canter further on. She reached it unperceived
and another trick of the old days quickly ex-
temporized a side saddle from simmons Next
can tree. with It's high cantle and horn bur, and
the aid OF a blanket Then leaping to her seat
she rapidly threw of her mantle, tied it by its
sleeves around her waist, tucked it under one
knee and let it fall over her horses TANKS. By
this time Blue Lightning was also struck with a
flash OF equine recollection, and pricked up his
ears. Mrs. Baker uttered little chirping cry
which he remembered, and the next moment
they were both careering over the bridge.
The trail that she had taken, though precipi-
tate, difficult and dangerous in places was a
clear gain OF two miles on the stage road
There was less chance Of her being followed or
meeting any one. The greater canons we're
already in shadow; the pines on the further
ridges were separating their masses and show
ing individual silhouettes against the sky, but
the air was still warm, and the cool breath of
night. as she well knew it, had not yet begun
to now down the mountain. The lower range
OF Burnt Ridge was still uneclipsed by the
creeping shadow of the mountain ahead of her.
Without watch, but with this familiar and
slowly changing dial spread out before her.
she knew the time to q minute. Heavy Tree
Hill, lesser height in the distance was al
ready wiped out by that shadowy index finger
-half-psst seven! The stage would be at
Hickory Hill just before half-past eight she
ought to anticipate it if possible-it would stay
ten minutes to change horses-she must arrive
before it left,
There was good ewo-mile level before the
rise OF the next range. Now, Blue Lightning!
all you know And that was much, for the little
chip hat and futtering ribbons well bent down
over the blush name. and the streaming gauze
Of her mantol almost level with the horse 3
back, swept down across the long table land
like a sAimming blue jay. A few more bird
like dips up and down the fluctuations and then
came the long. cruel ascent of the divide.
Acrld with Precipitation, cuking with dust,
suffering In tine slippery impalpable powder Of
the road, gogsiiy staggering in a red dusty
dream, coughing. snoring. head tossing becom-
ing suddenly detected, with slouching haunch
and limp legs on easy slopes. or wildly spasmodic
and agile on sharp activities, and Blue Light
ming began to have ideas and recoliections. An
she was devil for lark-tLis lightly clinging,
there. de remembered her now. Ha! yory
well then. Hoop La. And suddenly leaping
out hike rabbit, bucking, trotting hard, am
bling lightly, walking on three legs. and recreat-
ing himself as only California mustang could
the lnvincib!e Blue Lightning at last stood tri-
umphantly upon the summit The evening
star had just pricked itself through the golden
mist OF tue horizon lines o'clock. She could
do 1t now! hut here, suddenly, her first hes-
tation seized her. She knew her horse, she
knew the trail, she knew herself but did she
know the man to whom she was riding. cold
chill crept over her, ana then she shivered in a
sudden blast; II was night at last, swooping
down from the invisible Sierras and possessing
all 1t touched. But 1t was only one long de-
scent TO Hickory Hill now, and she swept down
lights OF the settlement were Just ahead of her,
but SO, too, were the two lamps of the waiting
stage before the post Office and hotel.
happily the iounging crowd were gathered
around the hotel and she slipped into the post
Office from the rear unperceived. As She
stepped behind the partition, its only occu-
pant-a good-looking young fellow with a
reddish mustache-turned toward her with a
flush OF delighted surprise. But it changed
at the sight OF the white determined face that
had never looked once toward HIM, but was
fixed upon large bag, whose yawning mouth
was still open ana propped up beside his desk
"Where is the through money lettor that
came In that bagf' che said, quickly.
'.What-ao-you-meanY' he stammered,
with a iace that had suddenly grown winter
tEan her own.
Il mean that it's dccoy, checked at Heavy
Tree Crossing, and that MIR. Hone OF San
Francisco Is now waiting at my Office for to
know II you have taken it,
The laugh and lie that he had at first tried to
summon to mouth and lips never reached
them. For. under the spell OF her rigid,
truthful face, he turned almost mechanically
to his desk and took out package.
Good God! you've opened it already" she
cried pointing to the broken seal.
The expression on her face more than any
thing she had said convinced him that she
knew all. He stammered under the new alarm
that her despairing tone suggested. Yes. 1
was owing some bill-the collector was waiting
here for the money, and took something from
the packet But was going to make it up by
next MALL swear it,"
How much have you taken?'
only tribe. ="
'How much?''
"a hundred dollarsr
She dragged the money she had brought from
Laurel Run from her pocket, and counting out
the sum replaced II in the open package. He
ran qnickiy to get the sealing wax, but she mo-
TONED him away us she dropped the package
back into the mail bag. No; as long AS the
money is found in the bag the package may
have been broken accidentally. Now burst
open one or two OF those other packages q lit
tie'-so she took out packet Of letters and
bruised their official wrappings under her little
foot until the tape fastening was loosened "Now
give me something heavy" She caught up u
brass two-pound weight, and in the same fever
ish but collected haste wrapped it in paper,
sealed il, stamped it and. addressing il in
large printed hand to herself at Laurel Hin,
dropped 1t in the bag. Then she closed it and
locked 1t; he would have assisted her. but she
again waved him away. Send for the express
man and keep yourself out Of the way for q mo-
ment." she said CURLY.
An attitude Of weak admiration and foolish
passion had taken the place Of his former trem-
uious fear. He obeyed excitedly, but without
word. Mrs. Baker wiped her moist forehead
snd parched lips and shook out her skirt. Well
might the young expressmsn start at the unex-
pected revelation Of those sparkling eyes and
that demurely smiling mouth at the little win
dow.
Mrs BakerT
She put her finger quickly 10 her lips, and
threw world OF unutterable and euigmatical
meaning into her misehievous face.
There's u big San Francisco swell taking my
place at Laurel tonight, Charley"
Yes, ma'am-"