Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-12-01
ASTR0KE OF LIGHTNING.

"wclcone. stranger Can you tal;o
pot luck with ~ Hit Jim. bring another
plato for tho gentleman. Just picket
your hoss, ar. aud make yourself at
home 1hisis Cap'n Wilson; his brother
Dan; my name Is Holt The boys gen.
orally calls INC 'Guvner.' cause the gov.
chor Of this state Is named Holt too
no relation 10 mo though. Elliott. Vic
tor Elliott, did you say the name was,
Glad TO sec you. This yenison Is good.
pitch in aud help yourself; wo'vc just
got through
Such was the greeting received one
autumnal evening bnck In the Seventies
by lone horsemau who rode up TO tho
camp Of an engineering party OF tho Rio
Graude railway Ia Colorado. As tho
stranger sat eating his supper, thorough
~ nj ease with tho men he had never
even heard Of an hour before. tho others
watched him cnriously, wondering who
he might be, and his Observation-Disclosures
II could be.
Fine looking follow hc was, too. about
thiriy.iiye years old, with well knit
figure. piercing black eyes, hair the
same color, curly as n childs, strong
white teeth that cleaned through his
musiaehc, and lazy, good natured,
rcnilcmanly air that made friends for
him 10 easily. His hands especially at
tracicd their attention. They were as
white, the nails ~ neatly trimmed, as n
woman's He alto on, unconscious OF
then gianoes. until his appetite was mp
pcased. then stretched himself fac.
downward on the ground watching the
hrc and talking with the Others.
said hes "Sec my mare over thcrel
bat tho u beauty She came from New
Mexico. was down thoro Mt round
up several years ago. Must hayo been
300 head Of horses At the corrals. AsI
stood idly watching the work saw
horse vault into tho air, clearing an
eight foot fence Al bound, and was OF
like tho wind. Far out on tho prairie
The yaquerol captured her and brought
her In. This Is tho mare. She was too
neat and pretty 10 be branded, and 1
bought her for eioo In gold. She ought
10 BE- tired. Tor I've ridden her hard to-
day"
As he finished speaking he gave n low,
peculiar whistle and tho mare whinniod
IN return, a perfect picture rs she stood
with name aud tail flying IN the broczes,
outlined against the foothills.
soon all the men were wrapped In
their blankets, feet to the fire, and fast
hslecp--all but one. That one vss Elliott.
The glowing cmbeu, now and again
uniting n orackle and spark NJ bit Of
resin caught Dire. pleased his fancy ~ he
lay watching thcin, his thoughts miles
away. lie seemed again playing poker
Va the gambling holl Ia Blunvillc with
stacks N chip1 IN front OF him. and their
muileal clink rang ia his ears.
what great luck ] di1 have In that
ia'k pot, standing all the raises ON a
plir Of Jacks, but when | drow In two
more In my three card draw against
those pat hands. felt easier. Guess /
cleared five thousand on tho afternoon
game. Lucky for me l cashod In and
went to supper. was only In a few
hundred Whom that row came mp"
lilo felt Of bis bolt. Yes, tho money
Wa sale, strapped around his waist un.
Ser his shirt.
u wonder n that fellows dead vet.
The contempiihle cheat. Thought no
eould deal SECOND card on us, ala hel
Well, Il didn't work. Wonder who fired
hat shot. When tho light went out
iolt pretty squeamish. lle spoke my
namci heard II plainly Just az | went
nut the door. but didn't stop; | didn't
have tinei too warm around those dig
pnss just then. Wonder " those bull
leis went through the roof II helped TO
Increase tie confusion, aud didn't want
any ahoriifs party IN that room, not any.
Awkward, my dropping that pistol.
Nish ! had II back again, for ryo car.
ted II 10 many years. Wonder II IN
lnd Mollio over At that railroad town.
eho was TO have reached there yester-
gay, and In late, but guess she'll wait.
How sleepy | anil Dear old Moll".-
And he slsp, the sleep that only outdoor
tAefcso can give,
Early dawn found tho party break.
lasted, and Elliott. bidding his hosts
Eoodby, started once more on the trail
10 that lonely mountain village where
Tho railroad should bring his loved ono
10 him.
Busy with their plans and the repair
o. their surveying instruments for tho
aays use, tho engineering party did not
notice the approach Of band Of men
whose sudden appearance startled them
m hour later. There were seven Of them,
armed 10 the teeth with rifles, rcyolvers
aud bowie knives and laden only with
ll.c camp equipago Of short journey.
Tho leader courteously inquired II they
had seen u tall, dark man dressed In a
corduroy suit. 1he description fitted
Elliott 30 exactly that the newcomers
Soon elected the desired information aud
started on up to- valley. simply vouoh.
ning the Information that the gentle
man had gone on ahead of them and
they wished to oyeriako him.
Rlding at a slow, easy lope away from
no camp where he had spent the night
and been 40 Hospitality entertained, Eli.
OF ielt the ezllilaration OF the fresh
mountain mir and quickened his horses
lace to u gallon. The mare caught tho
llt In Der teeth and away thoy wont,
faster aud faster Thus 1t was that tho
party riding over the samo track, hand.
capped by having 10 watch for the i'm.
PRINT OF the horses hoofs as they went
along, did not catch sight of Elliott until