The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-10-25

leading by its bride the first-comer's
horse
What's up. kid7 Where's the ante
| lope ?" he asked.
can't see him. It's the steepest point
on the gulley, and he rolled over right
here. Myeyes are no good through the
glare of the snow. Can you see it, Der
rick?r
Are Won sure yon hit him, kid %
'You lust bet I hit him. Didn't I see
him jump? He was caught right behind
the shoulder"
Derrick dismounted and shaded his eyes
with his hand. Soon he began to laugh.
You're great hunter, Hermann" he
said. Selling the boy round the neck and
caressing him roughly. ''I thought you
knew an antelope from steer. Look boy,
there's your antelope"
The boy, Hermann. twisted away from
him impatiently and looked where the
other told him TO.
.'Corne of, Derrick" be cried, laughing
and flushing bright red. 81 didn't shoot
that | guess he fell over in the blizzard
last night. III bet my antelope's buried
IN the drift
Then you may make up your mind to
leave him there. l hope, kid, it's not one
of our brand, that frozen steer there.
We've lost enough this winter, and if the
luck don't improve, why"
The boy looked at him wistfully.
What, Derrick 2" he asked.
81 guess it'll have to be another year out
here for you, kid"
HerInann's face heightened.
"0h Derrick, I'm Il DOW, and one more
year will make me SO far behind the
others"
The rough plainsman looked down at
him gently.
You're dead set on this thing, Ell, kid2
Amt you happy enough, along o. me?"
The boy slipped up beside the man and
slid his hand into the others.
81 never was unhappy since you took
care of me, when l was left alone out here,
Derrick, but it amt that-I've got to be Of
some use and do something-an'- ="
''An' can't you be of use out here long
of me?" Derrick asked, sadly.
II can't just make II clear, Derrick,
only | feel I've got to try-an' learn
things"
You read too much, Hermann. And
do you think you've been of no use here?
Do you think folks back East will think
as much of you as | ?'
The boy rubbed his cheek, like coaxing
child against the mans arm.
"Let me go, Derrick"
Derrick sighed.
Seems TO me you'd be happy enough
here, kid, and you've got to mean lot 70
me. I'm getting old, and have no women
folk, an no chick TO care for or any TO care
for me-. | thought you'd grown to like
me, and l mean well by you, but If you
want to go, I'll not stand in your way,
though it'll be tight pull"
The boy looked distressed.
"But i do care for you, Derrick" he
said. There's no one in the world l care
for so much as you"
Derrick was silent for minute.
= h
next summer, Hermann. [ can say no
better than that It's PROMISE
He turned TO the lad and lifted him up
in his arms.
1--WE been as tough as they make 'em,
kid, in my time but I'm growing past that
now. I've done lots o. harm, but 1 want
TO do one good thing. You was deserted
an starvin' and I picked you up an
trained you. | want to make a man Of
you, not the kind of thing I was once, but
man. Eff you feel dod sartin tibet this
ERE schoolin' is needed 10 do it, why, can
stand it-only-old chap-you'll be one of
the tine folks. an you'll forget all about
old Derrick"
No. no, Derrick, neverl" the boy cried,
clinging TO his neck. 81 know what you've
done for me, an if | want to be educated
an'-an' RIGHTS as much for the thought
of you as of myself
''Well, lad, I've promised" Derrick
said; ''iet it rest until summer time.
Come, how about this ere antelope? Sure
it wasn't that steer7"
But the boy did not answer at once.
Shading his eyes with his hand from the
glare of the snow, he looked eagerly into
the ravine.
Derrick" he cried. What's that
close behind the steer, right under the
bluff"
Derrick looked.
II see something half covered with
snow" he said. 1T looks like man,
kid"
Il can see his foot. Oh! Derrick, it is
man. He must have tumbled into the
gulch last night in the blizzard"
"Well, son, he is clean out of luck for
he must be frozen stiff by this time. We
can't do anything for him. Come, let's
ride ON
"And leave him there! Why, Derrick.
he may be alive!'
The man was rough outside and in. The
boy was of delicate figure and of very
earnest face. But when his gaze found
the others eyes, Derrick looked abashed.
You're always right, son." he said,
apologetically. IN crawl down an see,
but, honest, it's not any use"
With an eager alacrity, which betrayed
has anxiety to make reparation for his pre-
vlous thoughtless brutality, Derrick
searched the edge of the ravine for the
most ready and the safest path TO descend
by TO the bottom. The boy was as eager
in his assistance, and would have boldly
slid down the steep bank from where he
was, but the ranchman. careful of the lads
tender bones, babe and besought him to
stay where he was.
Soon Derrick found the place he sought,
and lost no time in scrambling down. The
spot whore the wayfarer had fallen was
partly hidden from his sight by the drift,
and by an oyerhanging rock. which had
served TO shelter both steer and man from
the utmost violence of the storm, but Her.
mann watched his friend safely reach the
foot and disappear partly in the shadows
cast by the bluff
lis he dead, Derrick"
Then came an answer, but the bow
hardly recognized the voice. Again he
shouted:
as he dead. Derrick ?"
Derrick came out from the shadows and
looked up. The boy was too excited to
take notice of the pallor OF his companions
face.
lis he dead?" he insisted.
Derrick replied in hoarse cry:
He died-djed long ago."
Hermann stamped his foot impatientlv.
Come and mind the horses and III 90
down. have hask OF whisky. 1t NAV
help him.
Derrick looked up. scared and dazed, but
motioned the boy back.
stay where YOU are. I'll bring him"
1t needed care 10 go down into the
ravlne. 1t needed more care and gigantic
strength 10 get UP again and bear that
senseIess body with him, but in a few
minutes the ranchman arrived and laid
the body at the feet OF the boy. Then he