Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-02-08

l tiiA1Ncn
 She had reached the outskirts of the city when she found the road bloe ked by a great drove of cattle, driven hy Q half dozen wild looking herdsInen from the ! plains. In her irp2tience sine endeav- i pred to pass this obstacle by pushing her horse into what appeared to be gap. ! Scarcely had she got fairly into it, how ever, before the beasts closed in behind her. and she found herself completely imbedded in the moving stream of fierce eyed. long horned bullocks. Accustomed as she was to deal with cattle, she was not alarmed at the situation, but took advantage of every opportunity to urge her horse on in the hope of pushing her way through the Cavalcade. Unfortu- 1 nately the horns of one of the creatures, either by accident or design, came in violent contact with the flank of tho | mustang aN0 excited it to madness. In an instant 1t reared up upon its hind legs, with q snort of rage and, pranced | and tossed in a WAY that would have un- seated any but most skillful rider. The situation was full of peril Every plunge of the ex>ited horse brought it against the horns again and goaded it to fresh madness. It was all that the girl could do to keep herself ill the sad de, yet slip would mean terrible death under the hu~f If the unwieldy nnd terrified aniA4a! Cnatt ustomed to sudden enCrgCnCl, =. Ter bead began 10 swim and her .nim upon the bridie to relax, Chokrd ry the rising cloud of dGst and ny iht' s;laln from the strug- gling creatures, sho might have aban- doncd her c::Oris in despair but for a kindly voice at her elbow which assured her Cf assistance. At the same moment a sinCwy IruWn hand caught the fright Cncd Eor:, l.y tho curb and, forcing q Way thrnuEh the drove, soon brought her to the ul:t>'.irts.
 You lr rlJ hurt, hope, miss?" said her prCscrNCr respectfully.
 Sine looked up at his dark, fierce face and laughed Slucily. I'm awful fright euvd, " she Said naiyely. Whoever would have thought that PoncAo would havo herH >l scared by a lot of cowsI'
 "Thynl: God yuu kept your seat, the other said earnestly. He was a tall, say age looking yourg fellow, mounted on a powerful roan horse and clad in tue rough dress of hunter. with a long rife slung over his shoulders. II guess you are the daughter of John Terrier, " he remarked. T saw you ride down from his house When you see him, ask him if he remembers tho Jefferson Hopes of St Louis. If hes the same Terrier, my father and he Were pretty thick. "
 Hadn't you better como and ask yOurself?' sine asked demurely
 Tho young fellow seemed pleased at the suggestion, and his dark eyes spar klod with pleasure. "I'll do so," he said. I've yo Nctn in the mountains for ] two months ;,rd arp not over and above i'll visiting condition. He must tako Us as he finds IL,
 He has d good deal to thank you for, | and SO have l." shc answered. Hes jumped on lie, !.c Il have mover got over it..
 Neither would I. said her compan- 1 ion.
 "Yoa? Well. don t sec that it would | make much matter to you anyhow. You ain't even friend Of ours '
 The young hunters dark face grew so gloomy over this remark that Lucy Terrier laughed aloud.
 "ThprrEI GlNn't mean that, ." she said "Of cU,rSI yoI are a friend now. You | must come and sec us. Now must push along, or father won't trust me with his bu~'E,~> pay more. Goodby.
 "GcrdIy, hr answered, raising his broad somhroro and bending over her littlo hand. She wheeled her mustang .;@l whip and dar;ed away down tho broad road ill a rolling cloud of dust, Young JlTocsan Hope rode on with his companions, gloomy and tariturn. l He md they had been among the Nevada l mouatains prospecting for silver and were returning to Salt Lako City in the l hope of raising capital enough to work i some lodeS which they had discovered. l He had Teen &S keen as any of them up. on the business until this sudden incl dent had drawn his thoughts into an other channel. The sight of the fair 1 young girl as frank and wholesome as 1 the Sierra hrcczcS, had stirred his vol 1 CaniC, untamCd heart tn its very depths 1 When she had vanished from his sight, l he realized that d crisis had come ill his life. and that neither silver spcculations nor any other questions could ever l,n Cf | such importance to him Gs this new and | all absorbing eye The lovc which had sprung up ill ms heart Was not the sud- den, changc:.Llo fancy of boy, but rather the wild. fierce passion of man of strong will and imperiouS temper. He had been accustomed to succeed i'll all that he und, rtoCk. He swore in his heart he would not fail ill this if human effort and human perseverance could render him successful
 He called on John Terrier that night and many times again until his faco was
 familiar ono at the farmhouse. John, cooped m in tho valley and absorbed
 ill his work. had littlc chance of learn
 ing the news of the outside world dur ing the last l2 years. All this Jefferson
 Hopo was ablo to tell him and in style
 which interested Lucy as we'll us her
 father. He had been a pioneer in Cali
 fornia and could narrate many q strange
 tale of fortunes made and fortunes lost
 in those wild, halcyon days. He had
 been scout, too, and trapper, sil-
 yer explorer and ranchman. Wherever stirring adventures were to be had lief.
 ferson Hope had been there in search of
 them. He soon became favorite with
 the old farmer, who spoke eloquently of
 his virtues On such occasions Lucy was
 silent, but her blushing cheek and her
 bright, happy eyes showed only toe
 clearly that her young heart was no lon.
 ger 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 i It was a summer evening when he
 came galloping down the road and pulled
 up at the gate. She was at the door.
 way and came down to meet him He
 threw the bridle over the fence and
 strode up the pathway.