The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1894-08-16
CHAPTER II-(continued.,

streets rose the same hum of
human industry. Down the dusty high
roads defiled long streams of heavily
laden mules, all heading to the West,
for the gold fever had broken out in
California, and the overland route lay
through the City of the Elect There,
too. We're droves of sheep and bullocks
coming in from the outlying pasture
lands, and trains of tired immigrants,
men and horses equally weary of their
interminahle Journey, Through all this
motley assemblage, threading her way
with the skill of au accomplished rider,
there galloped Lucy Ferier, lien
face flushed with the exercise and
her long chestnut hair floating out
behind her. She had a commission from
her father in the city, and was dashing
in as she had done many time before,
with all the fearlessness of youth,
thinking only of her task and how
it was to be performed. The travel
stained Adventures gazed after her in
establishment, and even the Unconditional
Indians, journeying i'll with their pei
try, relaxed their accustomed stoicism
as they marvelled ut the beauty of the
pale-faced maiden.
She had reached the outskirts of the
by great drove of cattle, driven by
half dozen Withholding herdsmen
from the plains. In her Impotence she
endeayored to pass this obstacle by
pushing her horse into what appeared
to be Il gap. Scarcely had she got
fairly into it. however, before the
beasts closed in behind her, and she
found herself completely imbadded in
horned bullocks. Accustomed as she
was to deal with cattle, she was not
alarmed at her situation, but took adj
vantage of every opportunity to urge
her horse on in the hope of pushing
her way through the caValcade Tn
fortunately the horns of one of the
creatures, either by accident or design,
came in violent contact with the flank
of the mustang and excited it to mad
ness. In IN instant it reared up upon
its hind legs, with a snort of rage,
and prapced and tossed in a way that
would have unseated any but a most
skilful rider. Every plunge of the eX-
cited horse brought it against, the
horns again and goaded it to fresh
madness. 1t was all the girl could do
to keep herself in the saddle, yet n slip
hoofs of the unwieldy and terrified ami
mails. Unaccustomed to sudden emer-
gencies, her head began to swim, and
her grip upon the bride to relax.
! Clicked by the rising cloud of dust and
by the steam from the struggling crea-
lures, she might have abandoned her
efforts in despair, but for kindly voice
at her elbow which assured her of as
ciS A no n sin
envy brown hand caught the frightened
horse by the curb, and forcing a way
conditions in Hong Kong, according to
the outskirts.
You're not hurt, 1 hope, miss?" said
her preseryer, respectfully.
She looked up at his dark, fierce face,
and laughted saucily. I'm awful fright
ened," she said, naively; whoever
| would have thought that Poncho would
have been SO scared by a lot of cows?'
'Thank God you kept your seat" the
other said, earnestly. He wassa tall,
| strengthening young fellow, mounted
on powerful roam horse, and clad in
the rough dress of n hunter, with a long
rifle slung over his shoulders. II guess
you are the daughter of john Ferrier,' y
| he remarked II saw you ride down
from his house When you see him, ask
him if he remembers the Jefferson
Hopes of ST. Louis. If he's the same
Ferrier, my father and he We're pretty
| Thick
Hadn't you better come and ask
yourself?' she asked, demurely.
The young fellow seemed pleased at
| the suggestion, and his dark eyes spark
| led with pleasure. sI'll do so" he said;
r.,
months, and are not over and above in
visiting condition. He must take us
| as he finds us"
fsHe has good deal to thank you for,
and so have /" she answered.; hes
awful fond of me. If those cows had
jumped on me he'd never got over
| it."
Neither would l." said her COM
| panion.
| you! Well, I don't see that it would
| make much matter to you, anyhow:
| You amt even a friend of ours"
The young hunters face grew so
| gloomy over this remark that Lucy
Ferrier laughed aloud.
| There, didn't mean that" she said;
"of course, you are friend now. You
| must come and see us. Now / must
| push along, or father won't trust me
| with his business any more. Goodbye
| ''Good-by," he answered, raising his
broad sombrero and bending over the
| little hand. She wheeled her mustang
| round, gave it a cut with her riding
whip, and darted away down the
| broad Pead in rolling cloud of dust.
Young Jefferson Hope rode on with
| his companions, gloomy and taciturn.
/ He and they had been among the Ne
| yada 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 his
thoughts into another channel. The
sight of the fair young girl, as frank
and wholesome as the Sierra bfeeZes,
had stirred his volcanic, untamed
heart to its very depths When she
had vanished from his sight, he real
lied that crisis had come in his life,
and that neither silver speculations
4 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
sudden, manageable fancy of a boy,
but rather the wild, fierce passion of a
man of strong will and imperious tenn
per. He had been accustomed to sue
coed in all that he undertook. lie
swore in his heart that he would rot
fail in this if human effort and human
perseverance could render his suit
successful.
He called ON John Ferrier that night
and many times again until his face
was q familiaP 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
teN him, and in style which interest
ed Lucy as well as her father. HI
had been a pioneer La California, anG
could narrate many a strange tale Of
fortunes made and fortunes lost in
Il L. IL n u