The National tribune., 1892-09-15

she could, she dragged him down the rocky
! trail. toward the spot where the horses were
| tethered. She WINGED when she heard his
boot heels scratch the ground, but she pulled
and tugged with all her might and, painting.
| she laid his form near Old Jim, who snOrted
and jumped and pricked up his ears. Then,
! with glance back ward from time to time, she
| went to her fathers little camp, took his ak,
! and cut two poles, with which she made
"dust- trailer" the poles being bound to Old
Jim's sides like shafts, with pieces of strap and
balc-rope. She lifted the body again, to put it
on the rude conveyance. The moon struck
/ it full this time and, as she rolled it over
gently upon the trailer, she big clot Of
blood Oh the back of the dark shirt, and by it
was clean-cut bullet-hoe. With shudder,
she let the body fall. Then she looked at her
hands. There was blood upon them aud upon
the sleeve of her dress.
Claim jumpers"
She set her teeth hard when she thrust forth
the words and clenched her hand till the nails
: dug into the palm.
They had killed him, then, while he was at
work. He had crawled as far as the rock and
had died. 1t was strike-a big one-and it
had cost him his life. But
She looked up the canyon with awful eyes,
and smote the air with the clenched hand.
Then she bent down, and, taking long
halter-strap, fastened the body securely to the
top of the trailer, and. mounting her fathers
horse she led Old Jim carefully down the
canon and cut upon the nightchiled plain.
The coyotes followed her, and almost rent her
heart by their howls, but she kept on, and be-
fore midnight the sad little procession reached
the cabin. The mother was still up and she
ran to the door when she heard the sound of
the hoofs.
"Is that you, 'Lish2" she called out did
ye bring Pap home? Is it dead sure striker"
'Lish slid from her horse and ran to the door,
Nav. Nav, Maw!" was her cry. Nav,
they've killed him! They've killed poor OF
Pap"
1t was a month after they had laid the old
man in the white earth, and the wind was
whispering through the sagebrush and scatter
ing its gray leaves on his grave
'Lish was up in the canyon, behind the very
rock where she had found her dead father.
The canyon draft was grateful to her after
the hard ride over the heated plain. She drank
was on the hole where her father had made the
one great strike of his life and had died for it.
Strange he never comes 'roun'-tbat
greasy faced lose Garcia. Twas him that did
it. P'raps he's waitin' fer US to move away.
He'll wait long time-till he's dead"
She let her glance all for an instant to the
something that cleaned along the top of the
rock. That something was the barrel of her
fathers rife The wind rustled snake-skin
on the rock at her side, and "swft" darted
into the shade and looked at her with un-
wiDking eyes.
Then a dark, squat figure stole ont of the
canyon depths and up to the mine. The girl
did not start. but smile passed her lips. The
figure moved about as silently as shadow. 1t
turned a swart face toward the spot where she
lay hid, but there was more of interest for it
in the hole in the canyon-side than for aught
else, and on this the eyes were bent.
By moving the muzzie of the rifle two
inches along the top of the rock, it covered the
flap Of the pocket in the left breast of the blue
flannel shirt.
Farther than thought for,'' the girl said
TO herself" nearly $50 yards The middle
sights the best"
She squinted through the pin-pont hole, and
lowering the muZze the slightest fraction of an
inch. she smiled az the small round dot of light
rested on the very center of the pocket flap.
At that instant dark shadow made an inky
patch On the scarp near her, and looking up
she saw big buzzard wheeling in the air. She
which fitted closely against her shoulder.
Her right hand went forward little Her
slender forefnger held straight, smoothed the
black trigger lightly, almost lovingly. The
man Strengthened up a little. The finger
crooked, there was sharp crack, and the man
fell upon his face.
Then she pressed home another cartridge
and clambered up tho rock, rife in hand. She
leaned over the body. 1t was motionless.
"You oughter "a been shot in the back,
too" she said, grimly; but Lish amt no
greaser."
She moved away, with light step. hugging
the rifle under her arm. And the buZZard cir
cled little lower.-The ArgoaGut