The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-01-26

awful fond of me. II those cows had
jumped on me he'd have never got
over it,"
Neither would l." said her CON-
paniop.
You? Well, don't see that it would
mako much matter to you, anyhow.
You amt even friend of ours"
The young hunters dark fnce grew
so gloomy over this remark that Lucy
Ferrier laughed aloud.
"rherc, didn't mean that" she said;
"of course, you are friend now. You
must come and see us. Now | must
push along, or fether won't trust me
with his business any more Good-byr'
"Good-by," he answered. raising his
broad sombrero, and bending over heI
little hand. She wheeled her mustang
round, gave it cut with her riding.
whip, and darted away down the broad
road in rolling cloud of dust.
Young Jefferson Hope rode on with
his companions, gloomy and taciturn.
He and they had been among the Ne.
vlda mountains prospecting for silver,
and were returning to Salt Lake City
in the hope of raising capital enough
to work some lodes which they
had discovered. He had been as keen
as any OF them upon the business until
this sudden incident had drawn hia
thoughts into another channel. The
sight OF the fair young girl, AZ frank
and wholesome as the Sierra breezes,
had stirred his volcanic, untamed heart
to its very depths. When she had van
ished from his sight, he realized that a
crisis had come in his life, and that
neither silver speculations nor any
other questions could ever be of such
Importance to him as this new and all
absorbing one. The love which had
sprung up in his heart was not the sud
don, changeable fancy of boy, but
rather the wild, fierce passion of man
of strong will and imperious temper.
lie had been accustomed TO succeed in
all that he undertook. lie swore in
his heart he would not fail in this If
human effort and human perseverance
could render him successful.
He called on John Ferrier that night,
and many times again until his face
was familiar one at the farmhouse.
John, cooped up in the valley, and alb.
Sorbed in his work, had little chance of
learning the news Of the outside world
during the last twelve years. All this
jefferson Hope was able to tell him,
and in Il style which interested Lucy
as well as her father He had been a
pioneer in California, and could mar
rate many strange tale Of fortunes
made and fortunes lost in those wilG,
halcyon days. lie had been s"on@
too, aud trapper, u silver explorer
and a ranchman. Wherever stirring
adventures were to be had, Jefferson
Hope had been there in search of them.
He soon became a favorite with the
farmer, who spoke eloquently Of his
virtues. On such occasions Lucy was
silent, but her blushing cheek and her
bright, happy eyes showed only too
clearly that her young heart was nc
longer her own. Her honest father
may not have observed these symptoms,
but they were assuredly not thrown
away upon the man who had won her
affections.
1t was summer evening when he
came gaIoPing down the road and
pulled up at the gate. She was at the
doorway, and came down to meet him.
He threw the bride over the fence and
strobe up the pathway.
II am off, Lucy" he said, taking her
two hands in his and gazing tenderly
down into her face; II won't ask you
to come with me now, but win you be
ready to come when am here again."
And when will that be?' she asked
blushing and laughing.
"A couple of months at the outside.
will come and claim you then, nv