Los Angeles herald., 1891-03-12
DOLLY.

Dolly and he were friends. How or
why the friendship was first struck up
is unknown. But this much is certain,
that the first advances must have come
from Dolly herself, for friendship of
any kind, much less friendship with a
chubby, dimpled little maiden, was not
much in Jim's line.
There was nothing attractive about
Jim-quite the reverse. A great hulk
ing fellow, with sullen face and evil
eyes, who, young as he was, had dipped
more freely into life's book than is well
for any men to dip. And Jim had not
come out of the ordeal unsoiled, 1t was
u rough place, that little western mining
camp in which he worked-a rough
place, full of rough men, with whom,
moreover, he was no favorite.
II calc'late," said Judge Remis, who
was taking his ease outside after hard
days work and blowing in a gentle,
meditative sort of way the curling smoke
from his pipe, 81 calc'late that more
thorough paced young scoundrel than
that Jim don't wlak the earth-darned
if he do"
This sentiment, as fully embodying
the views Of the camp, was received with
mods of assent. "And yet," said the
judge, taking the pipe from his mouth,
the better to enforce the remark, "Dolly
there seems sort O. struck with him."
''That's so," said big Ben thought
fully.
The camp uttered growl or two of
protest What did Dolly see in him?
was what the camp wanted to know-a
question more easily asked than an
swered.
Pretty baby Dolly! with her dimpled
face and brown eyes = darling baby
Dollyl the God given bit of childhood
which was blossoming in the midst of
that band of wild, hard living, hard
drinking fellows, not one of whom, at
his widest and worst, would have done
aught to harm her.
raising himself up on his elbow from the
soft grass.
The men followed his gaze, and about
twenty yards away, appearing over the
prairie ridge, they saw the two-Dolly
seated on Jim's beautiful horse, Red
Mustang, one of Jim's Strong arms
thrown protectingly around her, the
other carrying her basket of berries, full
to an extent that showed that Dolly's
chubby little hands had never gathered
them alone.
Dolly herself was regarding the lusci-
ous fruit admiringly. "Daddy'll yike
'em, Dim, won't he?" they heard her re-
mark.
"Wellr' said Jim savagely, "seein' as
it is Daddy, I've no doubt he will. Dad
dy's ready for most all he can get"
There was a sufficient amount of truth
in the statement to cause smothered
laugh of amusement among the listeners.
in which Daddy, otherwise the judge,
good humoredly joined.
Dolly did not laugh; instead, her brown
eyes grew troubled. Jim's remark had
savored of disloyalty to Daddy, and 10y
atty to Daddy was part of Dolly's simple
creed. Suddenly she frightened. $50
am l." she announced.
"Are yer, now?" asked Jim.
"Iss," said Dolly. Aren't your
Jim made no reply. Catching sight of
the spectators, he lifted Dolly and the
berries roughly to the ground, and went
on his way in his customary moody 81
lence.
Dolly, apparently quite used to such
treatment from her strange friend, picked
mp her basket and trotted contentedly to
her fathers side.
"Who've You been with, Dolly?" said
Big Ben, catching her up in his arms and
tossing her to the sky.
"Dim," said Dolly from Ben's shoulder.
Them men laughed.
"Well, am surprised" said Big Ben
loftily-"a little gell like you taking up
with such as him. wonder at you,
Dolly"
For answer Dolly buried her hands in
Big Ben's curls, laughing gleefully.
Whereupon a glorious game Of romps
ensued.
However, it SO happened that Jim was
to give practical answer to Dolly'sques-
ton as to whether he was ready for all
he could get by committing a theta
daring theft, and by no means his first,
although for the first time discovered.
"Canght red handed" said Big Ben,
his hand tightening ominously ON his
heavy stock whip.
The camp was soon ablaze with the
news, and from every side there focked
angry, fierce eyed men. They made
short work of such sinners in those days.
"A few yards of rope and the nearest tree
used to settle the business effectually.
Aman might gamble or swear or use
his pistol as freely as he pleased, but in
such q community theft was necessarily
the objectionable crime.
"To the right aboutr' said Big Ben,
sterniy.
Jim scowled at him. He did not. t.ask
Tor mercy, knowing that it would be
useless. He would have been the last to
stfer it in such case himself.
Suddenly attracted by the tumult ap-
peared Dolly. looking out at the world
from her great sun bonnet.
"Run away!" said the judge sharply;
lsthis ere amt no place for little CELLS. "
Dolly was an obedient little soul, and
in aaa ordinary case would have obeyed.
But baby as she was, something of the
significance of the scene came home to
her: Jim standing alone amid that ring
of cruel faces.
She gazed pitifully at him.