Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1894-07-11

WOlheeH. L hiu 10 IlUSIl. NJ LllltOA . NA1O
told us all She had ridden 200 miles
from the southwest and was making for
Fort Micah, 60 miles farther north.
For what? She had loved man against
the will of her people There had been
a feud, and Garrison-that was the
lovers name-was the last on his own.
side. There was trouble at O Hudson
a half breed Men say he was right to
shoot h@n, = woman's name must
be safe up he,e. Besides the half breed
drew first. Well, Garrison was tried
and must go to Jail for year. At the
end of that time he would be free The
girl, jamie, knew the day. Word had
come to her. She made everything
ready. She knew her brothers were
watching-her three brothers and two
other men who had tried to get her love.
She knew also that the five would car
ry on the feud against the one man. So
one night she took the best horse on the
ranch and started away toward Fort
Micah
''Alors, yea know how she got there,
dlCtl tNO ttttyS Idlu l1uluS3 ClIOoSoh w
kill a man, and over so yet to do. She
was sure her brothers were on her track.
But if she could get to Fort Micah and
be married to Garrison before they came
she wanted no more. There were only
two horses of use at Hilton's post then
all the rest were away CT not tit for
hard travel. There was my Tophet and
n 1oo,, o1,nct,,17f with 1O,cr mono limo
gait and not an ounce Of loose skin on
him. There was but one way-the girl
must get there Allons, what is the
good? What is life without these
things? The girl loves the man. She
must have him in spite of all. There
was only Hilton and his wife and me at
the post, and Hilton was lame from
fall, and one arm in sling. If the
brothers followed, well, Hilton could
not interfere, he was a company's man,
but for myself, as I said, I was hungry
for adventure l had an ache in my
blood for something. I was tingling to
my toes; my heart was humping in my
throat All the cords of my legs were
Strengthening, like Twas in the saddle. "
Pierre sat up. 1t seemed absurd for
him to speak rs one who could be hot
and shivering with excitement, for his
movements were always quiet and pre-
else as hammer. But i'll his eyes there
was furnace burning, and his small,
iron hand caught the air with a snap.
Macavoy had seen Pierre when dangers
crowded around them both, and he
knew that the little man was worth
three of himself, in spite Ct his own
great height. For the others, they did
not know, and if they had lived with
Pierre all their lives they would never
have understood him.
cav, Pierren' said Macavoy admir-
ingly. CAV, the ache in yer blood
that's it! Aw, yis, yis, an yer thighs
all bendin like wire, an the prairie be-
yant, an the lady there asleep wid the
hand fallin soft where the heart beats
up like the swell of tide! Aw, yis,
the like O that-swate, swate, an you
wild the ache i'll yer blood, All the long
chestnut PAWN the ground-aw, yisr'
Pierre nodded at Macavoy pleasantly,
for after his fashion he cared for the gi-
ant, and little man loves the admira-
tion of large man, as Pierre himself
had said more than once. He knew
mans vanity and his own weaknesses.
But he turned his looks on the trapper
now, for it was his way to conquer at
the points of great disadvantage, not by
many wonders showing but by a deep
persistence and a singular personal force.
''She slept for three hours. l got the
two horses saddled. Who could tell but
she might need help? I had nothing to
do / knew the shortest way to Fort
Micah, every foot and then it is good
to be ready for all things. I told Hill
TOMS wife what I had done. She was
glad. She made a gesture at me as to
brother and then began to put things
in bag for US to carry. She had set
tied all how it was to be. She had told
the girl. You see, man may be-what
is it they call me?-a plunderer, and
yet a woman will trust him, CONNIE
ca!'
cav, yis, aw, yis, Pierre, but she
knew yer hand an yer tongue niver
wint ag in q woman, Pierre. Nav, niv
er wan-aw, swate she was, wild a
heart-a heart, Hilton's wife! Aw,
yisH'
Pierre waved Macavoy into silence.
"The girl walked after three hours, with
start. Her hand caught at her heart
'Oh! she said, still staring at us. I
thought that they had comet A little
after she and Hilton's wife went into
another room. All at once there was a
sound of horses without and then q
knock at the door, and four men enter
ed. They were the girls hunters. 1t
was hard to tell what to do all in a
minute, but saw at once the best thing
was to act for all and to get all the men
inside the house. So whispered to Hill
ton and then pretended that l was a
great man in the company. l ordered
Hilton to have the horses cared for, and
not giving the men time to speak I
fetched out the old brandy, wondering
what could be done. There was no
sound from the other room, though /
thought heard a door open once. Hill
ton played the game well and showed
nothing when I ordered him about and
lied with me when I said 10 girl had
come, laughing when they told why
they were after her. More than one did
not believe at first; but, pshaw! what
have I been doing all my life to let such
fellows doubt me? So the end of it was
that l got them all inside the house.
There was one thing-their horses were
all fresh, as Hilton whispered to me.
They had only ridden them a. few miles.
They had stolen or bought them at a
ranch to the west of u.s. I could not
make up my mind What to do. But it
was clear I must keep them quiet till
something shaped.
'They were all drinking brandy when
H1lton's wife entered the room. Her
face was, mon Dieu, SO innocent, so
childlike! She stared at the men, and
then ! told them she was deaf and
dumb, and I told her why they had
come VOLTA, it was beautiful-like
nothing you ever saw! She shook her
head SO innocently and then told them
like child that they were wicked to
chase girl. I could have kissed her
feet. Tonnere, how she fooled them
She said would they not search the
ho,,caO C1,o = I'll l.,