Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1893-03-03
TWO HEROES.
Miss Carnahan Had the Courage
to Choose the Right One.

The manager of the C" as he
rode up to the ranch, on his return
from town, looked about Is cross rs 4
thoroughly good-natued man can. /
was smoking my pipe On the veranda,
and could see. afar off, that Sutley's
wonted smile was missing.
Read that" he said, as he flung
himself from the saddle and turned the
bronco loose to run to the stables.
''Recbon we'll have to sleep on the
roof. or in a haystack. Mph- Seven
tenderfeetl Two weeks" And Sut
stamped into the house, swearing soft
", while / unfol9cd the telegram he
had as-s ne and learned that Maj.
Carnahan, president Of the Willow
Ridge Cattle Company, to which the
&C" ranch belonged, would arrive
three days later for n visit of two
weeks, and that he would be accompa-
MED by half-a-dozen other tender
feet"
They arrived in due time-or, rather,
undue time, for we had inaugurated
housc-cleaning and general fixing-up
campaign which was only about half
completed when they came. Besides
the major, there were Mrs and Miss
Carnahan; Mr.. Potter. who was tacitly
understood to be Miss Carnahan's sac
cepted;" Mr.. and Mrs. Wells, and Miss
Daisy Wells, a young lady of three, to
whom the whole outfit capitulated at
first sight.
Next day, Teddy" returned from
his hunting trip. Teddy" it may be
as we'll 10 state, was Edward Thayer,
A NJ, cousin to SutIey, and a young
man of charming personality and con-
siderable attainments. To him fell
the duty of acting as chief entertainer
OF the guests, and he filed this post to
the queens taste-or, at least, to Miss
Carnahans which was much more to
the point. The others of the party
were easily entertained, but not so
Miss Carnahan. She wanted to see
everything that was worth seeing, do
everything that was worth doing, and,
seemingly, tried to find out how many
harum-scarum escapades she could ac-
complish in the short space of time;
and, of course, this just suited Teddy,
who was always ripe for fun
So, while the others stayed, for the
most part, close to the ranch, those
two were galloping here, there and
everywhere, as happy as pair of city
school-children turned loose in the
country for short outing, and deter
mined to make the most of it.
Did you ever stop to think how we'll
acquainted two young people, left
pretty much to themselves, can become
in very few days, especially when
their tnstes lie much in the same direc-
tion? l have known people on board
ship. total strangers, become such good
friends in three or four days as to con-
fde their family secrets to each other
people, at that, who, under ordinary
circumstances, were perfect oysters Of
reticence; and plains acquaintance
ship usually is equally rapid in growth.
Sut and ] watched them ride away,
one morning-Miss Carnahan and Ted
dy-the former, in her tight-ftting
riding dress, her cheeks glowing, her
eyes sparkling, looking the picture of
health and girlish beauty; Teddy's six
feet of bronzed, robust manhood sitting
the saddle as if it had been his cradle,
his wide hat stuck carelessly on the
back of his handsome head, and his
picturesque dress showing off his
straight, strong figure to great advan
tage. They turned at the top of the
hill, and waved us laughing good-by.
by gadl Scribe, aren't they stun
ming team"
They were, indeed; and feared they
might come to think so themselves,
which would be hard for poor Potter
and maybe for certain young lady
back in the states, to whom Teddy
wrote regularly every Sunday
Poor Potter, it was plain to be seen,
was not enjoying himself hugely. He
heartily detested riding, and for guns
and fishing-tackle he had no use what
ever. 1t is quite likely that he did not
altogether approve of his capricious
sweetheart's daily expeditions with the
handsome and captivating master OF
arts, who, Sutley informed me, was
more than inclined to get into firta-
tions of the pseudo-desperate charac-
ter, if really, he was not somewhat
susceptible, which is quite possible.
However, the tenderfoot was plucky,
and gave no outward and visible sign
of whatever feeling he may have had
in the matter. / was dreadfully sorry
for the poor chap, for he was rafting
good fellow-one of the sort who make
lots of friends among men, but who
are altogether too good to succeed with
women to any remarkable extent
As the days went by, it became more
and more apparent that Teddy and the
fair visitor were nearing the danger
point in their swiftly-strengthening
friendship. ''Straws show" and SO
do the most insignificant actions-a
word, glance, or even less; and when,
at the end of two weeks, Miss Carna-
han pleaded for another ten days
stay, and the major and the rest, OF
course, assented, knew there were
breakers ahead for Potter.
One hot, quiet afternoon, just as
Teddy's and Miss Carnahan's horses
were brought around in front, where
we were all lounginG on the veranda,
Sut, who had been busy writing. came
out and joined US with: ''Where's my
best grip
Sure enough where was Miss Daisy;
Everybody asked everybody else, and
every body else disclaimed all knowl.
edge of that young persons where
ebouts; so, while the rest of US began
securing the house and stables for her,
Teddy and Miss Carnaban mounted and
rode away to see if she had not wan.
dered off on the prairie, or mp in the
hills
We could not find her, so all the
available horses were pressed into
service, and we all started out il
search of the little one. A sudden in
spiration directed me toward the
prairie-dog village, at the end Of G
coulee, half Z mile away, and hurried
toit.
As rode out Of the coulee, the sight
that met my eyes almost made my
heart stand still Fifty yards away,
standing between two mounds, was
little Daisy, and in circle, surround
ing her, were a score of rattlesnakes,
all coiled ready'to spring, but, for some
inscrutable reason, hesitating. Either
the child was not alarmed, or else she
was too frightened to cry
/ halted short. To keep on was to
invite the death OF the little one. What
could ! do? AS l sat, half-dazed, /
heard the sound of horses hoofs, and
presently Teddy and Miss Carnahan
rode up. Unable to speak, pointed to
the scene among the mounds. Miss
Carnahan nearly fell from her saddle,
and hpr avaS efarta1 TaJfvfc faca