The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-06-03

Pierre now looked up at the three men,
rolling another cigarette as he did 50,
but he seemed TO bethinking OF distant
matter. Meeting the three pairs OF eyes
fixed on him, his own held them for
moment musingly: then he III his ciga-
rette. and. half inclining on the peneh
where he sat, he began to speak, Talk
ing into the fire. as 1t We're: 80.
pany's post there. 1t WAS the fah OF
Inc year, when you feel that there Is
nothing so good as life ana the ar
drinks like wine You think That sonnus
like woman or a priest MAS nrtnc. NO i .m
law and sad. in the fall am gay l am
for the big things to DO. Tnis ,, m noove
vas in the fan f Tber reat was .he thing
cards? Of course. But that's only Tor
times. not for all seasons. So, l was
like a wild dog on a chain. had eoou
horse. Tophet. black as a coal; az ia"
bones and joint, and a reach IKE a
moose. His legs worked like piston rods.
But. as / said did not know where 10
go or what TO do. So we USED 10 sit
p at the post loafing;. in the Daytime
watching the plains, all painting ioT iraN-
ellers. like young bride waiting her
husband for the first time"
Macayoy regarded Pierre with rich de-
light He bad an unctuous spirit ana
his heart was soft FOR women, 70 SUI
that he never had one on his conscience:
though he had brushed gay smiles on
The iips of many with his own. But
that was an amiable weakness III a stroi,s
man. Jaw. Pierre" he said eoaSlng.y,
'kape It down. aisy. aisy, me heart s
goin' like a trip hammer at thought av
H. Aw Wis. aw Wis. Pierre. =,
"WeIl. II was like that to me-all sun
and sweet sting In the air. Az nlgnt,
10 sit and tell tales and such Things
and perhaps a little brown brandy,
look az the stars, a half-hour with the
cattle-~the same old game: OF course
there was the wife OF -, linton see b ane dea,
and dumb We were good friends, Ida
and me. | had hand IN hsr os wed1 1,ttie
Holy. knew, her when sne wac rs Signs i,so
She was a good woman-she han never
guessed at evil. She was QUICK, 700,
ike flash. to read and understahu
without words. A face was pooA "
her.
"verv good one afternoon we were
al standing outside the post. when we
saw some one ride over the Long ~
vide. Ii was good for the eyes. can
were go sharp and clear-cut against the
sky that they looked very large and pecu-
uar-tnere VAS something In the air TO
on the ton OF the Divide. and 1t seemed
like messenger, out Of the Strange
Country at the farthest North, the place
OF legends. But. of course, 1t was only
hour she was with us.
Yes. 1t was girl dressed as man:
She did not try to hide 1t; She had
dressed so for ease. she would make
mans heart leap In his mouthut ne
was like Macavoy. or the pious Mowley
there"
p,crre's last three words had touch
of irony, for he knew that the. trapper
had a precious tongue for scripture
and bad name with women TO give II
pont. Mowley smiled sourly, but Mac
avoy laughed outright, and smacked his
iips on mis- pipe-stem, iuxurioasly nine.
--aw!' he said. Pierre swung round
on the bench. leaning upon the other Ell
bow. and cherishing his cigarette, pres
.'She had come far, and was tired to
death. so stiff that she could hardly get
from her horse: and the horse. too. was
ready 10 drop. Handsome enough she
looked for ali that, in mans clothes and
q peaked cap. with pistol In her belt.
She wasn't big built-just a feathery
kind of sapiing-but she was set fair ON
her legs like man, and hand that
was as good as | have seen. so strong
and fine and like SIX and iron with a
horse. Well what was the trouble? for
l saw that there was trouble. Her eyes
had hunted look and her nose breathed
like deers in the chase: All at once
when she saw Hilton's wife, cry came
from her. and she reached out her hands
What would women of that sort dof
each others arms. After that there was
nothing for us men but 10 wait All
women are the same and Hilton's wife
was like the rest. She must get the
secret first. then the men should know
We had 10 wait an hour. Then Hiitons
wife beckoned TO uh. We went inside
The girl was asleep. There was some
thing In the touch OF Hilton's wife like
sleep itself-lilke music. 1t was her voice
THAT touch. She could not speak with
her tongue. but her hands and face were
language and music. Bien, there was
the girl asleep. all clear OF dust ara
stain, and that fine hand. 1t lay loose
on her breast. so quiet--so quiet. Ennn
the real story. for how she Icy there
does not matter; but still II was good to
see: when we knew the story
The uapper was Laughing silently 70
himself, 10 hear Pierre In this romantic
mood. "A woman's hand-it was the game
Tor = boy, not an adventurer, for the
trapper,s only creed was that women
we're IKE deer-spoils for the hunter.