The state herald. (Holyoke, Logan County, Colo.) 1887-1921, 1893-06-02
A. GENUINE SURPRISE.

with tho first snow flakes OF tho
season eddying in tho slow. undecided
way that first snowaakes have,
through tho gray air, and the tall
hemlocks swaying this way and that
IN tho raw wind, 1t looked especially
droary.
Emily Elkton shuddcrcd as she
stood looking out Of one Of tho panes
Of glass clumsily inserted In tho long
frame work by way OF window.
''No, Miriam" sho said. "you can't
60"
but I've got to go!'' said Miriam
Nudge, alphabetically COMPRISING
her lips as she frightened the straps
OF the parcel shc was fastening one
nc!cAat time.
Sand leave mo here alone2"
Nobody won't hurt you, reckon, {"
said Miriam, strong featured woman
OF 40. with bristling upper lip like
mans.
III you CO." said Emily, "I'll go
tool"
mot much" composcdly spoke
Miriam; ''thnr amt room In Pete
Muller's blackboard for so much rs q
shoot OF paper arter me an him's in.
Besides. what'll your Uncle Absalom
say when he conos back and finds no.
body hcre2 FL the fire goes out,
evorything'll freezo stiff, and Yes,
Pete. I'm n-comin'; thar amt no need
to stand there a-bellerin' like Texas
steer! Goodbye. Emily! oh. for
got"-coming back and mechanically
lowering her voice. although there
was no one but the gray cut by the
stove to hear tho words. 1.-The
ticket money an two rolls o. gold
eagles as the paymaster's call for to-
ncrror In tho noon train Is in the red
chest under your uncle's bed.
reckoned 1t 'ud DO safer thar than in
the money drawer, Don't forget to
give 1t to him fust thing he gets
back"
"Forgct" echoed Emily, wringing
her hands in frantic desperation.
'Blt l wont be left in charge OF IT,.
III assume no such responsibility.
inslst upon your taking 1t with your
Tho rcmonstrancc, however, camo
too late. Miriam bawled out some
lndistinct reply and tho next sound
Miss Elkton heard was the creaking
OF the blackboard wagon US II turned
the sharp curve below the cleaning
line OF the railway switches.
She's gone" cried Emily. clasp-
Ing her hands like the tragic muse.
land left me alone with all that
money! And the NAVY camp only
three miles up the mountains. full OF
Italians and Chinese and the miners
at Lake Lodi and the whole neigh
borhood infested with dcsporadoesl
And Uncle Absalom not expected
home until o'clock In the morning.
and the bolt broken of the door, and
the keys n misfit. and nothing but u
hos,S mud staple between me and de-
stuctionl Oh. why didn't stay In
Rhode Island' What evil spiri, pos.
sessed me to come out here to Dako-
10. where ono might as we'll be buried
alive and done with it'"
Emily Elkton sat down and cried
heartily, rocking herself forward and
back and sopbing out aloud, like a
child whose slice OF bread and troaclc
had been taken away from IT, And
not un.il the candle Jared up. with
TN extra-sizcd "windlng'shcetu
wrapped around Its wick and tho cat
rubbed itself pcrsisten,ly against her
knee. did she arouse TO the ouadruplo
fnct Tint puss wanted her summer. Tho
fire was low. tho candle needed snuff
Ing and there was no sort OF use In
tears
Emily had como out West. partly
because there seemed nothing TO do
at home and partly because Uncle
Absalom had written that one OF his
nine nicces would come very handy
for n housexoepcr at swampy Cor
ners in the state OF Dakota, II sho
ronll be spared.