St. Paul daily globe., 1893-08-28
ON THE VERGE OF DEATH.

from the East to visit her father, and
the employees of the ranch, with three
exceptions, were on the tiptoe of expect
ancy.
Those three exceptions were old Bar
ton and his wife and James Lyall, or
''Deacon Jim," as he was more COM
monty called.
The morning of the day on which Miss
Rose was to arrive the cowboys, with
the exception of "Deacon jim" spent
two hours or more i'll making prepara-
tions for the event.
"Deacon jim" alone appeared in his
ordinary everyday clothing.
'Why don't you Fix up, Deacon" some
one asked. land 10 the houors of the
occasion?"
81 don't propose to make a fool of my
SELF" jim replied, by parading before
Miss Newell like circus clown. Pm
not so anxious to show off what little
clothing own. and l guess she's seen
better many time.
"Humphl Have YOU fellows got an
idea that Miss Newell is going to take
any notice of you? It's hardly likely
she's going 10 come out here and get
| daZZled by some common cow puncherS
with lot of gaudy trappings. l amt
| fool enough to make She c,acle Of-my-
self, and give MISS New, II chance to
| laugh at me, you bet!'
When the carriage bearing Miss Rose
arrived at the ranch. the cowboys. with
the exception OF the deacon, stood about
the door, each one with his beSt foot
f.rward," anxious to be seen by tie
| young lady, and hopeful OF making an
| impression Oh her heart.
| That night when Jftn came in from
| the plains. they gathered about him,
! intent on singing the praises OF Roses
| loyelineSs.
II Tell you. deacon" Anson said, "yon
just ought To see her. never saw a
woman SO beautiful IN all my hf5."
Il dun't DOUBT her beauty" the deacon
replied; but what gOOd would 1t have
done me TO have seen her?' Shes not
| going 10 care anything iur U.s."
LAY De you Know about tnat." said
| Anson, ''and may be you don't. If YOU
| had Seen her smile when she saw Us you
might think differently from what YOU
do How"
Yes; and she was looking right smart
at me when she Sinlrd!" cried Ab JOHN
son. ~ noticed that"
"iIumph!" i'll AnSOn. ''She was
looking as straight at me- as She could
| look"
''Sne wasn't!' exclaimed Alb, An
| grily.
Hold on, now." said Jim. ut isu't
worm while for You TO light over that.
| can easily believe tnat shed IA Smied
whichever one of you she was looking
at, when she saw the clothes you had
on. 1t was enough TO make her smile,
Pm sure"
Alb and Anson muttered something.
; Ia
| dropped.
From that time on they viewed each
other as rivals and were never Oh good
| terms again.
A month passed.
Miss Newell proved very sensible
young lady, and, although size had
| grown up under the influence of the
highest Refinement, she adapted her
self readily 10 ner new SurrOun nuings.
Sac treated her fathers employees
with the kIndeSt consideration. laughing
and chatting with them with perfect
freedom, little SuSp"ctIng what stress
they placed upon every wOru and every
ripple OF laughter that fell from her
lips.
Anson and Alb grew more sanguine
and hopeful us the uayS went by. and
each i'll Ills own hoart calnr 10 feei as
Surrd that he was winning his way into
Roses love.
Deacon jim had continued on from
the first i'll the even tenor ut his way.
He never thrust himself forward at
all-never nrade any effort tn gam adj
mission To Roses sucIety, but, if any
thing, rather seemed To avoid her.
A change hai come over the deacon,
too. Always serious, he mad become al
most melancholy.
iie liked 10 NOPE about alone or sIl
for hours gazing thoughuuily into
space.
lie was in love, though he tried hard
to conceal the fact from hilnSeif. and
for all the world would not nave ad
mltted it TO any one else.
One morning, when the men were pre-
parIng TO begin the WORK of the dav, {
dispdIe arose between Ans0n anu Ab
and aS it grew warmer and more bitter
Tie former SAID:
Nv he'll | become partner on the
ranch you'll 20, Alb Johnson, as sure as
snuotlng. won't have you here."
Nv hen you get 10 be partner!
sneered Alb. when | get TO be part
ner You'll 20. and don't you forget it,
ingly. "Why, Rose Newell wouldn'
have you, ii you were the last man OF
ea,th!"
My notion is you'll both see that yo,
are making tools of yourselves" ole
Barton observed. Miss Rose will never
have either of you. If l had TO name
anybody on this ranch that she wa.
most likely to marry, Pd say il was
Deacon JIm."
There was universal roar of laugh
ter at that last remark, and every ont
seemed to think it a good joke.
why" said Anson, 1.-The deacon
don't stand ghost of "a show. He aim
shined around her a bit, and they never
take any notice of each other, scarcely
You'le off. Barton-away off. Jim ain
III IL at ALL"
That uay Rose rode with her fathe
across the country, and late i'll the aft
ernoOn was returning alone to the
I ranch.
When within two miles of her desti
nation she was aroused from drOwS,
reverie by rushing. surging noise tina
came suddenly up from behind her likt
the OnSWeep Of great storm.
She listened an instant, glanced back
} and uttered a cry full of terror.
, A little distance away she saw grea
herd of cattle in full stampede, sweep
ing down upon her in one mighty, ire
| SlStlble mass.
On over the level prairie the hors
sped, and on, on in the rear came TIL,
, Surging sea of horns.
One mile was thus run and part Of an
other, and the girl, bending low owe;
the horses neck, urged the animal to
still greater speed, while hope of eS
cape came to her heart.
But al that instant the horse stumbled
and fell to its knees, and she was thrown
forward to the ground.
The horse recovered its footing ant
sped away.
She arose, looked about her in daz
of wonder, saw the herd almost ppol
her, and in hopeless despair attempte,
to run, but with a cry of pain she sanl
down helpless.
She had sustained sprain, and coul'
not support her weight.
She heard the cattle as they swept u
nearer and nearer over the hard, dr.
sod.
Another minute would bring then
upon her.