Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-10-20

washing out the gold. and I could see the
various claims with their heaps Of dirt on
either bank. but they seemed to be all de-
serted Spades and picks were lying here
and there. as IL cast aside In a hurry.
1t struck me as strange-this abandon
nent of work in the middle of the day
the more so as 1 could hear the hum OF
mems voices raised. thought, in angry
discussion. Looking again, i saw that
there was a crowd round the largest of the
cabins, about the center OF the row. above
which a flag fioated bearing the Device
Ben Baldwin's Saloon" 1t flashed upon
me in moment. The miners had heard of
the robbery of their gold dust
When reached the saloon found that l
was right. Three of the miners whom 1 had
seen at the wayside hotel" had just
rived with the news of the coach's forlorn
| return. Round the doorway of the saloon
an excited throng Of slouch-hatted, red
shirted miners were lamenting and vowing
vengeance. l elbowed my way into the
saloon, and, having been posted in the GUS
toms OF the west, pulled out my SO bill to
treat the crowd inside. This method of
self-introduction left me with only a dollar
or two in my pocket.
The excitement was increased when II be-
came known that / had been the solitary
passenger in the mail coach. Many were
the questions had to answer as to the APP
pearance of the masked robbers; but could
throw but little light on that. Almost any
OF the men before me would have resembled
them. given the addition Of a crepe mask.
1t was not for full half an hour that was
able to think of my own affairs. Then 1
asked the landlord If he knew where Luke
Saltmarshe was to be found.
Il guess he's totin' around somewheres
jawing about the road agents." he replied
ANY Of the boys seen Luke this morning."
he aided, turning to the throng before the
bar.
Luke started for Parsons City at sun
rise" said one Of the miners. Expect he'll
be back by suppertime."
1 explained to the landlord that I had
come from New York to see Saltmarshe on
a matter of business.
We'll" said Mr.. Baldwin, II reckon you'd
best get along to his shanty; it's fourth
from here as you go down stream; maybe
his sister will fix you up something to eat
while you wait"
Here was a revelation! Luke Saltmarshe
with a sister! 1 distinctly remember that
he had described himself In the letter to the
| lawyers as an only child. Was there some
thing wrong about my unknown cousin, al
ter all?
l thanked the landlord, and turned my
steps toward the cabin he had indicated.
1t was larger than most OF Its neighbors.
and there was an air of neatness about 1t
which would have suggested womans pres
ence. even if had not heard of 1t. A dusky
half-breed Indian boy Of about fifteen was
just entering the cabin with bucket OF
water / approached, and at the same
moment white arm appearing In the door
way relieved the boy of his load.
/ cannot describe Naomi as L saw her
then for the first time; only know that
looked upon the most beautiful woman my
eyes have ever seen. Tall and fair, and
with a stately dignity of her own, the pic
tureSque simplicity of her frontier dress IN
no way claShed amid those surroundings
with her natural grace. There was an AR
of refinement about Naomi which the rough
est setting could not negative. She invited
me in; and without going into the object of
my visit told her that had reason to be-
lieve i was a relative.
To my wonder, a look of harassed fear
came into her eyes. Tell me-" she said.
lis nv father, Leonard Saltmarshe. living?'
as it possible" exclaimed, that You do
not know? Your brother Luke knows 1t IL
in consequence of a letter from him that
am here. Leonard Saltmarshe died two
"Ah!' she said. as if to herself, shudder-
ing the while 1 thought; that explains II
then-that explains it. 1t is as 1 feared"
Then she went on: Mr.. Saltmarshe-or
may / call you cousin?-there Is story
which 1 must tell you before-before Luxe
returns I am Leonard Saitmarshe's only
child Luke is neither his son nor my
brother He is my dead mothers nephew.
But was brought up to believe myself MS
sister. and 1t is only the other uay ',iat
learned the truth. He has known 1t all
"Rnt how is it, I asked, that you are
out here in the wilds? DID not your lalher
and mother live together"
'.Only for two years after their marriage,
which took place in Chicago My mother
always said that his temper was so violent
that she could not stay with him. So she
ran away, taking me with her, and sup
ported herself as best she could by her
needle. Luke was her sisters child ana
mother took him when my aunt died lhen
my mother died when L was twelve years
old; but first she gave me a little box,
which l was not to open till was twenty:
| was twenty last May; and when L opened
the packet. / found letter from my
mother telling me that Luke was not my
brother. / had no one to protect me, and
she wanted me to think myself his sister
That was the reason she gave, and she add
ed, that when | was twenty, IT would De
right for me to know the truth"
so Luke has always known that you
were not his sister but you have only lately
discovered it, l said.
Yes" she wered; Il have not told
him yet that ] KNOW"
Am 1 right i'll supposing that you are
afraid of Lcke?' / asked.
She hesitated, and turned the question
aside. Seeing the absolute necessity of
gaining her confidence, l told her exactly
how matters lay, and asked her what had
best do under the altered circumstances.
We both agreed that the only safe course
would be to treat Luke as if he were a
genuine claimant for the present, and as if
l and Naomi were still in ignorance of the
Truth. | was poweress to aid Naomi, or
move myself, till had obtained remit
lance from my bankers in New York.
Even without his knowing that We are
aware of his designs, you will have to be
careful" said Naomi. Luke is dangerous
if thwarted, and this is a lawless place"
There was firm step outside, and a
young man strobe into the cabin. He was
of medium height, with sandy hair and
complexion. He had n furtive look, and
paused on the threshold to eye me askance.
Luke, here is cousin from England"
Naomi said; won't you bid him welcome?'
For a moment he hesitated, as if making
Up his mind Then he came forward and
gave me his hand. "Gad to see you," he
said. Guess you've come over after the
old mans dollars--that sop
YES said; but as / find another claim
with more right than mine, l shall go
hcme again quite contented.'
That's all right, them" said Luke; "stay
as long as You like, and make yourself com
Portable. Naomi will fix you up.
After this, he became more and more
hCspitable. He listened with air of in
terest to my story of the coach robbery and
offered to lend ME a few dollars till heard
from New York. But / said not a word to
enlighten him as to my knowledge Of his
having claimed Leonard Saltmarshe's
money for himself alone. without mention
ing Naomi. l wished to try and fathom
him without raising his suspicious. In the
course of that evenings friendly conversa-
ton Luke Informed us that he had been to
Parsons City that morning to buy horse.
The next few days passed quickly enough
Naomi and l became fast friends She told
me much of her early life. But Luke took