The National tribune., 1892-01-07

/
without some kind Of preparation. lie did
not know her irmness and force Of character as
well as the reader.
Boggs came in sight Of the cabin from the
/ top OF the mesa just as night began 10 enyelop
the little valley in its shadow, although it was
but a short time after o'clock, for the lOJ
peaks Of the range which encompassed IL cuts
off the suns rays long before he has really set,
and darkness comes early during the Winter
months into the great canyon. His approach
was heralded, of course. some time before he
emerged from the sumac Copse by those ever
vigilaut sentnels, Buck and Tige whose deep
notes had commenced the moment his horse
entered the gorge, more than mile from them,
4 SO acute was their scent aud hearing.
At the first warning from the dogs, Mrs,
BOggs and Cariss hsstened TO the sumacs,
where they anxiously waited 10 minutes or
more before Boggs rode out OF the bushes that
/ obseured the trail. The instant he saw the
/ dim outline OF the two women in the glOaming
/ he blew a shrill blast Of his hunting whistle, a
signal which had been agreed upon between
/ them before he went away, should Dick be
| found alive
WHEN TIE DIscoRDANT SOUND
reached the poor girls ears, il seemed sweeter
! TO her than the carol of birds in Springtime,
aud she fell upon Mrs. B0ggs's neck in her joy,
1 for il relieved her Of a mighty burden Of sor-
row and soul-sufering. Only that morning the
two fur-laden Lurros BOggss party had passed
1 on the trail reached tho cabin their arrival
! filling her with new suspicious and nearly ex-
/ tnguishiug her already waning hope, an effect
\ diametrically opposite TO that predicted by the
searching party.
/ His horse cared for, Boggs entered the cabin,
/ and by the cheerful fire told the now somewhat
excited girl the strange story Of tho party's ad-
ventures and the way Dick was found lie, of
course, made the details rs little repulsive as
/ possible and rs encouraging as the facts would
warrant but beyond what be and his compan-
ions had witnessed they were as ignorant as
she; for Dick had been pcrsisteutly reticcnt;
he would not talk about the awful experience
he must have passed through. Boggs firmly
believed his silence was caused by chagrin /;
Dick, he supposed, dreaded TO admit that he
had been vanquished by a squaw; but Boggs
kept his thoughts to himself
Arrangements were then made to receive tho
wounded man, and an excellent supper was pro.
pared for all the others, now mOmentarily cX-
pected. il seemed an intermnable length Of
time 10 the anxious wife and more than three
hours elapsed after BOggs's arrival before Buck
and Iigc announced by their characteristic
bayinE the approach Of something. In few
moments after this demonstration Of warning
10y the dogs, the party was at the door. Dick
was carried in, placed on a pallet made Of
buffalo robes near the huge fire place, up whose
cavcmous throat the yellow flames now rOarcd,
filling the room with a golden sheen. Cariss
looked calmly on, her beautiful face suauscd
with uuuttcrabc joy, while rough bat loyal
hands performed this office; then when these
men In their honest hearted sense or secmliuc-s
went ont into Tho night, she gently stepped TO
where Dick was so quietly lying, and half sup
pressing cry OF rapture,
PILLowED HER HEAD or HIS BRAwNY
BREAST.
il wonld be PROCLAMATION TO- Asmodeus.l ike,
lift of The roof Of that humble cabin aud iu-
trude our presence on this reunion OF loving
hearts; rather Jet MS emulate those broad
gagged SONS OF the Border" aud remain with
them outside Of the room, obliyi0us Of the
sacred scene, only ever remembering. though
the refinement Of a conventional geuility is 10
al such children Of nature a sealed book, their
affection is as deep and enduring as that the
highest culture can iustill; the grizzly VIII die
for her cubs and the cowardly wolf fight for
her whelps, aud, as rude as their demonstration
OF love may appear il is no less pure and str0ns z
for the time being than that which abidcs in
the gcntlest human mothers breast
The next day, Dick having sufficiently re-
cuperated 10 no longer require other care than
that which Clariss could best0w. Boegs. his
ostimabie wife, aud the others who had accom-
panied them, repaired % their several homes,
carrying with them a sense Of having done
their duty and the incxtinguishable gratitude
Of Dick and bic now joyful young wife.
The evening after all those who had done so
much Good Samaritan work had departed.
Dick was strong enough 10 sit M. lie and
Clarigs. rs Of old, took their accustomed places
about the cheerful fIe; she doing some simple
sewing, while be, Ieticcnt as usual, dreamily
gazed into the glowing embers. The faithful
Back aud lige were comfortably curled up on
their pile Of rejected fur5 In one corner and the
now more than ever beloved INTEL gent deer
hounds la another. Were il not Tor Dicks
battered face aud Landagcd shoulder, one might
have supposed nothing had occurred 10 disturb
the monotouo1s routine which had character
lied their original happy life Of the irst years
passed there.
Strange yet familiar, pictures formed them.
! selves IN rapid succession 10 Dicks mental
/ vision as he earnestly contemplated the coal.
! on the great hearth before him; he saw again
/ the low w-brOwCd mountains Of his boyhool
! home; tie spring near Tom Polocks door
where he had lust sot eyes on ClaIiss," CUR.
! glcd musicallyas Of old in his ears; he roamed
once more the almost pameless forests Of
THE BLOODY GRoUND";
and TINS his bcwildered brain continued {,
weave ont Of the embcrs those long since Tor
\ gotten scenes Of bis carly days, until be could
f hardly contain himself The memories Of th,
/ past crowded SO thick upon him.
C.ariss fuuiyCly watched him ia his evident
4 abstraction, but vcuturud 10 word patiently
waiting for him TO speak, which size felt D,
must do presently, and she would then know
the cause OF bis discontinue 50 palpable 10 hci
i discerning nina.
/ Tho modification Ofhis recent adventure had
made him disguatcd with lie there aud b,
wanted 20 return 10 bis people, where be c0ul,
relcgaie the shame Of hs rotten luck, as hr
had been mentally tcrmiuE il, 10 oblivion. Bu
/ Ae knew that he must unfold 10 his trustiul
wife the question Of bis leaving which he nov
bad seriously determined upon, and how sh
would regard IL worried him.
Little gyH," he began, his pet term when
ever he cHicred upon the confidential will
CIariss. " Little Pyr, hcv bin thinkin' power
iuI seuce we uns hey sDt hyar ter mite en- hcr
seed things which hcz km kind - suddiut q
thor fire, en- they hey hamted mel"
" Dick j knOwd yer wuz a lookin' ez q
suthin' WIZ on yer mind yer wanted ter q
shut Of wen yer sOt an pccfod 80 stiddy intc
thcr Goals ~ yer ulster ter back ter uap's for
wc-uus kim Outen ter this hyar kiutry: wat
pothcrin o yer" replied Cariss. in response .
bis appeal, as She dropped her work aud gaze,
earnestly into the scared face Of her husband
which now lu the vanishing light Of the rapidl
dying irc looked strangely dark aud humili
atcd
Maal little Ryrl, ther fac ez haint q gor
ter leave this hyar cheer tell Yer know all eZ
WOrfitn o me! III I'd 'sIccted wat ia hc
Ter kim ter iu these hyaT Rocky Mouutugs. n
be dad burned cf Wc-uus he'd ever lcf ole kaiu
tuck but thar-thIugs m0Bght hcy bin Wuss
haut got no prudge aRin the place-yer on
aeiatahp little pyH, Ter thar haint no sec
houuuuS5 Ter tafmluis, no whar cz j he