The Monitor., 1891-09-18


sick. | will take him home and Mimosa
will care for him."
The conversation, carried on in a low
tone, awakened the miner.
Come with us and you shall have
food and shelter" said the friendly In
dian.
Scarcely able to bear his weight Mar.
tin leaned upon the arms of the two
men, and soon found himself in the
humble Indian cabin.
"Mimosa, here is a stranger. Take
care of him. Red Cloud never left hu
man being to die. He will get well, and
then we will send him back to his peo
pie"
A shy, pale Indian girl came forward
and did as she was bidden. She did not
speak, but looked very pityingly out of
her fawnlike dark eyes. When Martin
had been placed in the simple bed she
prepared food for him and fed him as
though he were a child. Day by day
she came and went, speaking little, but
doing gently the things which only
woman's hands can do.
After time the miner, still young
man, gained in strength and began once
move to hope for successful future.
sMimosa," he said one day, II owe
my life to you, and if am ever rich
will come back and reward you"
81 shall miss you," said the girl shyly.
"But ! want no; money. / shall be
happy because you are we'll again and
happy"
q shall yet find gold, Mimosa. used
to think l should be rich, and then be-
came poor and sick and lost heart. You
wear ring on your finger and some
times chain about your neck, both OF
beaten gold. Did the metal come from
mines near here?"
'My father gave them to me" she re-
piled, and nothing more could be learned
from her on the subject.
Would you care, Mimosa, if l wore
the ring until went away? Perhaps I
can find the place where the gold came
from"
"You may wear it till you come back
rich," she said smiling.
Days grew into weeks, and the time
drew near for the miner to say goodby
to the girl who had become his comrade
as well as deliverer Tears filled her
eyes as they parted "You will forget
Mimosa," she said
"No, will bring back the ring, and
you shall give it to the man who makes
you his bride. shall never forget Red
Cloud nor his daughter"
Strong and hopeful again, Martin took
mn II fo nhfaira6 xxyrrly oy,I ho1i
more that he should find gold. So sweet
and blessed a thing is hope, giving luster
to the eyes and quickening the flow of
blood along the veins.
But he missed the Indian girl. The
pines On the snowy mountain peaks
whispered of her The evenings seemed
longer than formerly; the conversation
of the miners less interesting. He was
lonely. He was earning a fair living,
but of what use was money to him If he
was to feel .desolate in heart? Mimosa
was not of his race, but she had a Iowa
bic nature. He remembered that she
looked sad at his going away. He Won
dered if she ever thought about him. II
she had some Indian suitor. would she
not wish for the ring again? He would
like, at least, to see the man and his
daughter who had saved his life. He
would carry back the ring. All! IL he,
knew where the gold in it came FROM,
perhaps he could indeed become rich.,
and then whs could make him so happy
as Mimosa:
Months only increased the loneliness jnI
Martins heart. He was becoming d1s-1
couraged again. He even began to feax'
that Minosa was married, and his soul
awakened to sense of loss. He would
go back just once and see her, and on
his journey back he would sit for half
hour under the tree where Red Cloud
had found him
What ails Martini" said one miner to
another. HE must be in love-no fun
in him as in the old days. Going to
quit camp, he says"
After Martin had decided to 20 to see
Red Cloud, his heart seemed lighter. II
Minosa were married he could at least
show her his gratitude. And if she were
not? Well, it would be very restful to
see her once more!
He started on his journey. The full
moon was rising as he neared the old
tree, where Red Cloud had found him.
AS he approached he was startled by a
white figure He turned aside for a
moment, and then went cautiously up to
the great trunk. Two dark eyes full Of
tears gazed up into his eyes, at first with
a startled look and then with CLEAN OF
joy and trust.
"Mimosa," he exclaimed, and clasped
the Indian girl in his arms
"Why are you here, child, at this time
of night?"
III came here to think of you, Martin,
and the moonlight is so sweet and COM
forting. The green trees and the noun
tains tell me Of you"
II have brought you back the ring.
Mimosa."
"And are you rich yet? You were to
kaAn IL till Won were rich"