Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1891-11-14
ENRICHED BY APANTHER


west there lives George Randolph,
mining king, who by nature is as
stern and arbitrary as men are apt
to be when they acquire sudden rich
es. In addition to his gold he pos
sessed a rare treasure in the person
Of his daughter Bessie, as sweet a
seventeen-year-old maiden as ever
lived.
Pretty Bessie did not lack for low
ers, and quite as naturally the fav-
ored one was the very one her faith
er objected to.
Clyde Brown was frank spoken,
with an honest, manly face, q true,
loving heart, and little else.
"Why, Elizabeth"-her father al
ways called her that when displeas
ed-"how can you forget that We
are descended from the Randolphs Of
Virginia ? just a little longer,
daughter year or two at the most
and we will go east and live as
other people do. Then my jewel
may find worthy setting"
II want no one but Clyde, papa,
protested Bessie tearfully.
But tears made no impression up
on the hard heart or George RAN
dolph.
However, he condescended to give
a conditional consent to their union
such an absurd condition that peo-
pie laughed and shook their heads
and Bessie's merry face grew grave.
when you can show the posses
sion Of $1,000 you can have her.
he said grimly, in answer to Clyde
Browns manly petition. "Until
then I'll hear no more about it,
"You can never do it," sobbed
Bessie when they stood alone in the
moonlight by the road a few mo.
ments later, while her father watch,
ed angrily from the window. "For
tunes are wonderfully made in these
mines sometimes, but none will fall
to u.s."
"Don't be discouraged, my prec
ious Queen Bsss,'' Clyde returned
with all lovers unreasoning fond
ness. "Only trust me through al
and wait for NE, no matter what
may happen. Will you promise
me?"
s!Indeed | will, dearest Yor
knew that I would before you ask
ed, she murmured. "But do moi
try me too much, for father is as
hard as rock"
~ must go away for awhile my
darling. Somewhere in yonder end
less chain of mountains fortune il
waiting for me. / feel i'll know il
as well az if it were already in my
grasp he answered in solemn ear
nestnsss.
"God grant that it may be So
she added.
And then she walked slowly to
the house, TO her fathers great re
lief.
The next morning Clyde left the
town, fully equipped for prospect
ing tour, and quite alone excepting
the three large dogs which followed
sedately at his heels.
For some time the prize which he
sought eluded him, but it came to
him at last in a strange manner.
One day, after following the course
of a noisy, shallow stream into mar
row valley hemmed In by lofty
mountains. he camped at the foot oi
q gigantic tree near the water.
The dogs whined uneasily and
shifted at hole among the roots Of
the tree but he called them away and
went on building fire to cook bis
supper from the loose wood and
branches around.
Now, that the fire is ready" he
unused aloud, Il wender If I'll find Z
game hsreabout.n
As if in answer, half grown deer
came down to the stream on the op
posits bank not many reds away.
It stopped, with one foot appraised
and looked at the dogs with startled
eyes; but the next instant the re
port Of Clyde's rifle rang out, tht
deer leaped into the air and fell in
to the stream, from which it Val
soon dragged by the dogs.
But the echoes made by the re
port had not died out among th,
hills before another sound aroused
them again.
It was the scream or an angry
panther from the mountain behint
HIM, and it was instantly answered
BY another on the right, and yet an
other far down the valley on th'
| left.