St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-03-13
FOR HIM, FOR HER.

Barnes, the superintendent OF the
Aladdin group, was mad. This state OF
mind on the part of the ''old man" also
dated from the grand opening aforesaid.
These conditions resulted in Mr.. Ger
ry's retirement from his position as en-
| gineer, and left him free to exchange
his "tme." even unto the last cent, for
the doubtful oblivion producer dis
pensed at the Gold Bar and other insti-
buttons of its kind, Of which there were
several in camp.
The new engineer was rather out Of
the usual order. | have often wondered
| how 1t happened that Barnes took him
! on, for the old man always insisted that
a mine was no place for boys, much less
! an engine room.
And the newcomer was certainly not
| a man. He could not have been more
| than eighteen, to judge from appear
ances, and was small tor his age. But
| he could handle an engine with the best
| OF them.
Next morning, Rice. the assayer, who
| had been over near the ella for several
| days on business for the company, re-
turned. The new engineer and myself
were sitting at rather late breakfast
when the assayer entered the dining
room.
The latter came over and shook hands
with me, and | introduced the new ar
rival. Rice shook hands with him in
| his frank way, glanclng at the engineer
rather keeply. The latter seemed EN-
barrassed and acted strangely, l
thought, though paid no particular at
| tention to the fact at the time.
The new engineer soon became the
most popular man in camp. He was so
| pleasant and obliging, and withal so
| gentlemanly and nice in his ways thai
| everybody ''cOttoned" to him straight
off. And then we liked him because he
was "white"-that is about the most eX-
pressive adjective we could apply to
| him.
And "Milly," as we called him Chs
name was Milton Ledyard), seemed. in
return, to like all the boys, in his quiet,
undemOnstrative way, though 1T was
! quite plain that he took particular
| liking to Rice.
Everybody liked Rice. He was big
and handsome. and had a deep bass
voice and jOvial, hearty way about
| him. Moreover, he could shoot quicker
and StraIghter than any one else in
camp: could and did drink more IMAM
any other man in the whole district,
! without showing it, and was always
willing to help the weaker side in a
row, albeit even Milly was not more
gentle.
But there was something about Milly'S
! admiration for Rice that distinguished
it from the feelings the rest us Us enter
tanned for him.
"By Jove, old man, it just gives me
the fidgets," he said to me one day, as
we sat chatting in my office, ITO have
| the little cuSS tag me around so. l wish
he didn't like me so well-no, don't
| either, but-damn it all, it makes man
| feel like Swallowed criminal"
Then, for the first time since L had
| known him, | wondered if there could
have been anything in that old story
! that was circulated when he ran fer the
| county clerkship five years before.
At that time there was rumor
| started, no doubt by the opposition, to
| the effect that ne was fugitive from
| justice OH account OF young lady he
| had betrayed. But the yarn had gained
no credence and was speedily lost
| sight of,
Let's go over to the bale tonight"
suggested Rice at the breakfast table
one morning: "There'll be plenty beer
| and lots of ella monsters to dance with.
Come on, colonel; we're getting rusty
| and need little shaking up"
| want to go and shake foot, Milty?"
| he asked, noting the wlstful look in the
| lads eyes. "All right; let's make up
crowd and go. And put on your best
| bibs and fuckers, bOyS-twO of old Miles
| girls are just back from st. Louis, and
| we want to create an impression"
We met with the usual hearty well
come of the Southwest, and it was not
long before we were inside taking
hand in the fun. Milly and L tor
while sat and watched the others, and
got no end of enjoyment out OF 1T.
Pretty soon noticed tnat Rice was
paying considerable attention to one of
| the ella girls, pretty little thing,
whose father raised garden truck"
few miles up the river. He danced
half dozen times in succession with
| her and did not leave her an instant.
| This is never the proper thug. and is
not good policy where girls are scarce,
and knew it might make trouble, es-
| pecially as the girl was understood to
be as good as engaged to Harve Bragg,
who was one of the worst men in the
country when feeling disagreeable.
| Aud he seemed to be feeling disagree
able this evening. Every few minutes
he would return from the room where
the beer and whisky were on tap and
look scowlingly on at the scene in the
big living room, and l knew enough OF
him to believe that he was likely to
cause trouble presently.
1t came. The next dance was quad
rifle, and Rice and his partner were Just
taking their places in the first set when
Harve Bragg, his face like thunder
cloud,strode out Oil the floor and touched
the asSayer on the arm.
As Rice turned | saw by his eyes that
he, too, was affected by the liquor he
had drunk, and had doubtless been i'm
PEELED by its influence to act as he had.
"See we're, Mister Manr' Missed Bragg,
| threateningly, this we're foolin'S been
goin' on long 'nough. Let'loOse O. that
! heifer an give a white man a shOwW
RIce's eyes blaZed. He stepped back
a couple of PAGES. out OF hearing of the
woman. and answered with quiet earn
! eStneSs:
go to, sir! I'd haye you under
stand that no white-eyed COW puncher
can bullyrag me. Pun going to finish
this dance-and more, IL | choose. But
ii YOU have anything to say about it I'll
accommodate you after this quadrille in
any way you like"
Bragg's eyes Sparkled. "Guns?" he
asked. eagerly.
yes, anything. Go out and wait in
the road, by that white rock. Fll be
out there when finish here. When l
reach the cutoff down there, begin
-hooting."
All right" And Bragg, who was
considered tile best shot in the country,
went quietly away, satisfied.
The music struck up, and the dance
began as though nothing mad happened.
Indeed. while every one knew that there
mad been trouble, there was only one
e.son beside the principals VINO heard
Ine conversation. and vino knew that
TIC trouble was not yet overland, pres
emily, lie slipped from the room.
iiarve Bragg, pacing impatlently no
and down the road, waiting, with SIX
shooter in hand, heard some one coming
from back toward the mouse. He turne
at the white rock and halted, his hnger