Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-05-06

shaped by her surroundings that she forgot
the dignity due her position as representative
or the Daily Miner and gave an undeniable
scream, as gruff voice at her elbow grunted
In Navajo Spanish:
"Quanto dinaro?'
whom she had recently pictured with the
gods In their rites and revels about great
Olympus? Big and brawny and bronzed. with
hardly as much clothing as would suffice for q
bathing suit, plated with copper. overlaid with
silver, strung with the debris Of glass bead
factory, redolent with "red eve" and walking
arsenal, stood one Of the descendants of the
mighty Aztecs. children Of the sun, Pueblo
Indian! In his hand he held the pride of her
heart. her handsome silk umbrella. with its
handle Of virgin silver from the Alcontara
mines.
ugh! John heap no talk! Quanto dinaro2''
and he shook the umbrella under the frightened
girls nose.
Light dawned upon her bewildered brain;
the Indian wanted to buy her umbrella. II
don't want to sell it," she repliec quickly.
Here, give IL to me-"
He tried to elude her, but she was too rapid
for him, and as her hand closed on the heavy
handle she brought it down with a sounding
thwack on his turbaned head. He was sur
prised-and SO was she. He looked at her dis
painfully as she sank weak and trembling into
her seat. then gathering his gabardine about
him. turned to go. "Squaw John heap brave,
much damfool," he muttered as he strobe TO
the door. SO far Miss Roma had been the sole
occupant OF the car, but as the Indian made his
exit tie chopper came stumbling in. He took
In the situation at glance.
VALIANT DEFENDER.
'Now, miss whatever has this yere red son Of
Belial been dom of to you? Shall shoot i'm
up whole lot kind Of warnin' not to git too
familiar an gay along of females he amt bin
lnterdoosed to all right an proper" laying his
hands caressingly on the big Colts in his hip
pockets as he spoke
my patience, non' cried Miss Roma hurriedly
HE has done me no harm, and. anyway, I'm
able to take care of myself"
I'm a kiote If don't believe yer kim" re-
turned the tie chopper with a chuckle as he sub
sided and dropped into seat.
AT this point her privacy was further invaded
by dozen or more miners. tie choppers and
railroad hands. who are commonly designated
as chaws and terriers in that country. The
shabby car, not half comfortable as a tour
lists car. was divided into two commandments
one for smoking and the other half presumably
for ladies, but as the road was being construed ted
through wild and. save for scattering ranch
men and Indians, uninhabited country, women
travellers were few and far between. The men
who came in at CIRCUITS siding we're hilarIously
noisy. but they paid no attention to Miss Roma
after the first curious stare. in which they sat
isfied themselves of her social position. A true
woman is always perfectly safe in the company
OF this class OF men.
just after sunset Miss Roma ate her lunch,
and. overcome with WEAKNESS, laid her head on
her grip and was soon fast asleep She was
suddenly awakened some time after dark by a
deep-toned flow OF language usually expressed
in polite literature bv dashes innumerable She
glanced over the back of her seat, whence came
the Of lurid invective, then suddenly sat up
and clapped her hands on her ulster pockets
One of her guns was gone!
The chaw behind her had followed her exam
pie and gone to sleep. In her restless twisting
one of the pistols had slipped from her pocket
down through the back of the Slated seat and
made itself extensively familiar with the chaw 9
tenderest corn. In the semi-darkness he
reached for the peace disturber as it caroraed
from his foot to the floor. and was holding it up
toward the light trying to discover what family
of freaks it belonged to. the while he aired his
vocabulary Of lnveetive.
A SURPRISE PARTY.
"If you please. that ia mine" interiected
Miss Roma, convulsed with laughter and We,
half frightened.
The chaw peered at her wildly. yours he
snorted. What in blimbity blazes is the durn-
dinged thing? whar do you wear it?''
Miss Roma humbly replied that she carried il
in her pocket, and that she had pair of them
to protect herself. I'm sorry it hurt you, ~
she added.
~ shore thought it were toothpick or buzz
zom pin" said the Modified chaw. 1T air a
bloomin' fine thing fer pertectin' anybody, amt
it," and he held it up gingeriy between his
fingers. BY that time every man in the car
was interested. Seeing this the chaw dropped
the offending little % on the seat beside him
'Pards, if we're backs my play this yere
females perfected same ez il she'd climbed to
glory an pulled up the ladder. Yere's my
urua - Ia a mir Of oil
on the seat he had just vacated. "Now, you all
matches 'em straight through. no holdin' back,
an this female takes her pick of the lot, and
the Teller what gifts the honor Of presentin his
guns to her air paid whole lot"
Miss Roma had the good sense not to object.
She knew the temper of the men by whom she
was surrounded, and she knew also that they
we're attempting to do her honor. Without a
word each one of the occupants of the car
walked up and deposited gun on the seat, and
when this stand and deliver process was ovel
Miss Roma counted by the light Of the smoking
kerosene lamp seventeen guns. from S2s TO A s,
There were silver. nickel plated and rusty iron
and steel mountings, and one i'll silver and
mother-of-pearl. They represented bulldogs
long Toms. navys latest improved hair trigger
and double action and one pair of '49ers. Tho
motley collection. telling In mute eloquenct
tales of thrilling adventure, hairbreadth escape:
and brutal crimes, possessed a horrid fascina
ton for Miss Roma, and her dainty little %
looked like a trinket for watch chain beside
them.
Now miss, said the chaw. pointing with
sweeping gesture TO the engines of death.
II don't know which to choose" she said il
desperation, feeling very confident that thu
! murderous array would haunt her forever.
TAKING HER PICK.
They'll any one Of 'em fetch yer game frs
| pop if yer pint right" he said reassuringly
but reckon this here's about your size" ant
he picked up a superbly mounted mother-of
pearl bull dog, the silver chasing picked on
with gold.
TOO small to do much damage less yer ain
at vitals. but It'll drop yer man, kill or no kill
The beggar as owns this yere will come for
ward and present it proper"
The beggar proved to be slouching youn1
miner Who had ''struck it rich" and taken t.
apparaling himself in purple and fine linen lit
orally. In common parlance he couldn't tall
a little bit, but managed to humble that h
was overwhelmed with honorable pleasure T.
bestcy so small favor on pretty female.
and then with 'grotesque gravity he laid tn
mate to the costly weapon in Miss Roma's hand
| Now yer all SET" said the chaw, who ha;
elected himself master Of ceremonies. The
picking up the % he laid it in her lap.
| ''Take that fligree business an put it in We
pocket book ~har it won't get lost, an don
never insult nobody by pintin' it at EN-. or vel
might get hurt" Then without ceremony b.
hustled the aggregation Of chaws off into tn
| smOkinp commandments