The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1893-06-03
The men shufaed stolidly in and

lOo, Out ooAAA6 49, AAOS S-O
less staid Lucinda now and then
broke into an explosive fit of mirth
at remembrance of Reub's ludicrous
downfall.
But though Lon had outwardly
checked the anger which had so
startled his hearers his bosom was
rent with a storm SO fierce that, as
he ate, it threatened every moment
to choke him. He loved Elmira
Green with all the strength of his
being, and the mere thought of los
ing her awakened in him feelings
which he himself had not dreamed
of possessing. He had been blind, he
told himself. A wealth of incident,
unmarked at the time, flooded his
brain, and he saw nov that though
he had taken for granted Elmira's
reciprocation of his love there was in
reality no such feeling in her bosom.
Family through the distance there
came to him a whippoorwill's mourn
full call, and it's sadness seemed a fit
echo to the sorrow in his rudely
awakened heart.
Night was fast falling over the val
ley.
The opalescent cleaning mists ad-
vanced and fell back with the wind,
now swirling downward, nov rising
in eddying columns up the rugged
bluffs. Myriads of insects were
screeching, croaking, scraping, on ev-
cry bush and tree.
The mellow tones of a COW bell were
heard far up the mist dimmed noun
tain path, growing momentarily
more distinct. Presently a cow came
stumbling along the uneven way, fol
lowed by a rosy checked, handsome
girl. She vas humming a blithe lit
tie song, its timed to the
pokes which she was forced to give
with her stick to the lettering COW,
which paused every moment to take
a surreptitious nibble at some unus-
ually tempting bit of heritage.
Suddenly the song broke off. A
man had risen from the deep shadow
of a rock and confronted the singer.
A half uttered scream escaped her
lips. ALA, Lon Taylor" she gasped
in soft, c~ontralto tones. How ye
scairt mel l thought it war a ghost"
She was laughing now and looking at
him with swimming. long dashed
brown eyes.
"Ye amt afraid of ghosts, air We,
Elmiry2" he asked.
"At this time of day We can't tell
what yen see," she replied, nodding
her brown head sagely. Just look
at that" with a quick change of tone
as the COW, which, taking advantage
of this brief respite from the prod
dings of her enemy the stick, had
been blissfully grazing, SHE'D sudden.
ly and fled precipitately down the
path. II must be after her."
He laid a OBTAINING hand on her
arm. Let the COW critter be; she'll
find her way home. want to talk
with We, Elmiry," he said, meeting
her startled glance with beseeching
gaze. Lets go back the way ye
CdIllC IL pACftouAAO luCiO.
I'm afraid" she demurred, with q
little shudder. Its SO dark and
lonesome"
"There won't nothin hurt ye," he
responded. "Athout it's some of them
ghosts We know so much about
childingly. Come along"
She complied with a coquettish toss
of her head, and soon they wer,
trudging far up the mountain, en-
gagged in rustic badinage.
Up and on they went, and SO en-
crossed was she in what they wer,
saying that she scarcely noticed
whittier their steps we're tending.
Suddenly she paused with a fright
ened glance around. Lon Taylor,
she cried out shrilly, ''whar have "
took me to- We air ON Spirit rock |!
Fearful indeed was the spot sh'
found herself upon. From the mar
row ledge on which they stood tn
mountain descended in a sheer, un
broken fall. Far, far below, in tn
dim, peaceful valley, great crue
rocks cleaned whitley.
A sudden wind sprang up; so ferc
it seemed to the shrinking, terrific
girl that she fell on her knees, clutch
, ing frantically the cold, unyieldini
: rocks at her feet.
"Oh, take me back" she implore
) him at last when her first fright ha
, passed.
$ "Ye can't go back, Elmiry," he al
swered, and his voice was so change
that she looked at him in quic
t alarm. "Ye can't take a step fol
y ward nor back" His tones were flu
of resolve. There was nov no bt
seeching look in his eyes, for a fierc
1 glow was IN them. He stood regart
ing her, his arms folded ros hi
breast.
What do We means" she faltered
Il mean that we must have an III
aerstanding right here and now," b
k replied. Tell me, air We a-goin I
marry Luke Cheetums l amt love
ye for nothin, girl, and l give y
d right here to choose between US
Il We won't marry me, ye shan't hin
FOR m HTng ye dUwn n QUITS INST.
:, His voice was hoarse with feelin
when he said this, and his eyes neve
left the startled beauty of the girl
. face. '.Just saw veil a me sti