St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-11-27

)nlv Just lifting from the mountains,
lncovering slopes and levels of velvety
!reen, torn by ragged assures and
scanned with jutting lodges. The smoke
rom his pipe eurIed upwards through
he houghs of the live oak beneath
which he sal :there was subtle bright
ness and lightneSS In the atmosphere
which gave promise of asunshimy after
loon. .
Grizzly Jim was large and gaunt.
Under his beetling eyebrows his eyes
seemed to smolder with a forbidden
ire. Whether he had won the grim
sobriquet by virtue of his proves in
some long forgotten encounter with the
four-footed King of the Sierras, or
whether it had been bestowed upon
him because of his uncouth appearance
and churlish manner. no one in the set
Element below could say. The little
cabin ongthe mountain side and its
lonely dweller antedated their earliest
memory.
There was blithe snatch of song in
The distance, echoed by the steep crags
around; clatter of hoofs along the
rocky trail; smart little N uStang
dashed across the clearing, and his rider
sprang to the ground, while Grizzly
jim dropped his pipe in sullen amaze
ment.
Good morning, sir" said his visitor,
with friendly smile.
The old miner stared at 4 slip of a
girl, with a short riding skirt drawn
over a cambria dress, the blouse waist
of which was revealed IN a bewidPrng
profusion of fresh trcks and frillS,
while a piquant little face looked up at
him unabashed, under a tangle Of soft
brown hail and a;bewitching sailor hat.
He unfolded HiiS long legs and rose
aWkwardly, lifting his torn felt hat
with savage courtesy.
You'll excuse me if | amt up to my
best society manners. I'm not used to
receiving calls from nobody, let alone
young ladies'. +"
"Mycall is not from choice, but from
necessity" returned the young lady
with dignity. Pm here on business.
I'm the census marshal for this dis
:rict."
"The dickens you are!" retorted the
miner, but.he mentioned a gentleman
Of less repute in polite society and whose
name is better known to Scripture than
% literature. And what do you reckon
you'll get out Of me?'
There was something in his speech,
corrupted as it was by the vernacular OF
the mountains, that suggested the
South. The girls quick car recognized
the familiar note. She was to some eX
tent fortified against his gruiilIess, for
she had heard of him as the terror OF
census eEumeratQrS, the despair of tax
assessors; the one man in all the mount
ain districts who desired no local i'm
prOvementS, no advance of civlllZotlon.
no contact with the world or his fellow
men, and who had for more than forty
years remained a mystery to all the
community.
You have already told ME where you
are FROM" she rej0ined pleasantly.
You are Southern man, but expect
you also 10 tell me your name and occu
patton, where you were born, and
whether you are married or single, and
all the other troublesome little details
that the natiOnal, government insists
upon learning from each loyal citizen"
She took a book from pocket in her
saddle flap and advanced upon him,
pencil i'll hand,whlle she was speaking,
out her heart qaaked at her own bold
ness.
Something in her bIithe young face
arrested the mans surIy refusal. He
lrled different tactics.
Take seat. You must be very
tired. It's a rough ride up the trail"
He offered her his only chair, seating
himself Oh stump. The girl accepted
the courtesy but started as her hand
zane in contact with breech-loading
rifle that leaned against the chair.
With a queer CLINT in his eye that was
not unlike fantastic glean Of humor.
Grizzly Jim took the Winchester and
,istentati0uSly withdrew the charges,
then pulled an ugly-lookmg knife from
MS belt and laid rifle and knife on the
rude table that stood between them, as
lie savage tremendously lays down his
arms before entering upon a parley
with his foe. But there was limit to
his hospitality, and he was not slow to
announce 1T.
cpl be hanged if I'll give away my
private affairs to every man, woman or
child that asks. What is 1t to you, any
way?"
Its exactly 25 cents.' returned the
girl, frankly. THAT is what they allow
in the thinly settled mountain district.
You wouldn't be worth so much if you
were down in the valley. Besides, you
see. | teach the school in the village,
and the state allowance-pretty much
my whole salary upon the
number Of children we can muster in
he district"
s"Thele's no children here, as you can
.ee,' returned her host with grim cheer
and the air of one who has found an
Easy solution for yeXed problem.
And as fer the two bitS"-he thrust
lis hands into his trousers pocket and
Jingled some coins there while lie eyed
her tentatively.
mo, think you'd better not" said
The girl simply. Il earn my wages by
faithful service to the government.
don't take brides for neglecting my
duty. Iye come up here to get this
blank filled out. and won't leave till |
nave your answers. No. hot even if you
reloaded the Winchester" And She
wound up with little hysterical laugh.
A sturdy sense of honor, long SUM
bering in disuse, awoke in the miners
breast as he saw the angry flash in the
Eyes Of the young visitor. But he would
make no concession.
Il won't 90 it," he said stubbornly.
Their eyes met; hers young, bright,
shining with righteous purpose; his
deep-set, lines Of age about them,
logged resistance in them. They met
and clasped, held each other long and
steadily The man was the first to
shrink. He threw up his hand with a
gesture of surrender.
Don't! You look-you look like one
lost forty years ago."
There was silence between them. He
swung himself about and pulled his hat
over his eyes, so that only fringe of
ron gray beard was visible above his
shoulders. The girl looked at him Curl
ously, and not without some feeling.
vague compassion stirred in her heart.
she was almost sorry that she mad UNI
posed t to SIP Ro qfey away Ss mount @n afi
trail before he had aroused from the
reverie. Yet a singular spell-was il
armraihV OF curiositY OF that StranRe