The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-07-14

he stranger. Go to your room, sir, and
leave me to talk to those wretches. II you
don't git on the spot, I'll call my father,
and he'll fill you full of buckshot eli | say
so, an We know it, too"
Amid all the excitement of the moment
Ashton could not but admire the grace and
dash OF the forest beauty. The woodsmen
shrank before her, without word, and
Cousins, with murderous glance at his
intended victim, slouched out into the
storm.
You have done me q great service,
Miranda" said Ashton, gratefully, taking
the hand OF his protectress. "Those men at
tackled me without any provocatlon, and II
you had not come to my assistance 1t
would have gone hard with me"
"Pshaw! that's nothing" replied the
belle, blushing at his ardor. but, gra-
| cious sake, what must you think of me in
this dress" and she drew her long hair
modestly over her bosom. "Get to your
bed now; they II not bother you any. Good
night, goodnight" and she slipped away
| like vision.
For some hours Ashton lay awake think
| ing of his singular adventure. He felt
| that he was not quite done with the bust
ness yet, and when he examined his valise
and found that he had left his revolver at
the inn in Monticello, where he had taken
| II out to clean it, his uneasiness was in
| recollection was Miranda denouncing his
| foes.
| He was awakened by light tap at the
door. He sprang out of the rude cot, and
saw it was not yet daylight.
who's there? ?" he asked.
"Hush, tbs !. Miranda was the whis-
pered reply. DRESS yourself quickly, ana
come along with me-
! Apprehending at once that she had dis
covered plot against him, Ashton slipped
on his clothes, seized his valise and
| opened the door.
''Take my hand" murmured the girl.
| Don't make noise. You are IN terrible
| danger"
She crept down the stairway passed the
main door, and led him to the exit from
| the kitchen. A deerhound whimpered as
she entered; but she spoke to him sooth-
| ingly, and he made no further noise.
Past the house they went, and down to
the banks of the river, but still silently.
There was a canoe moored at q sort of
landing.
''Get in, whispered Miranda, steadying
her light craft. He obeyed, and she fol-
lowed and padded into the current. Then
steering the boat, they swept down the
! river.
"Now will tell you all, she said. otis
good the storm is over. We shall have
plenty of moonlight. Well. when you
went upstairs Icrept around the house and
followed those men. They were wild, and
cursing and bowling SO that they did not
notice me at all, though | stood close to
them. They are going to waylay the
| stage mile from here, get you and give
| you an awful beating, if not kill you out
right. But knew trick better than that
and here we are booming along comforta-
bly,, and when put you ashore they can
never touch you"
Ashton was deeply moved at the heroism
and daring of the girl and assured her that
he could never repay and never forget her
devotion.
''Never mind that" said Miranda care
lessly. MANY fellows like you don't
come this way. There is something about
you like. wish you could be here al
ways"
II wish 1 could,p replied Ashton fer
vently, and at the moment he really felt it,
On under the broad branches of the trees
they glided for several hours, and when
the dawn dispelled the gloom of the forest
Ashton saw a small settlement on the right
bank of the river.
You can hire horse there and then
It's only short ride to Olympia" said his
fair preserver as she ran the canoe on
pebbly shore.
There were tears of genuine regret in
Ashton's eyes as he clasped the hands of
the girl. She raised her honest face to his
and he kissed her lips"
God bless you and good-by," he said.
rive may meet again"
She waved her hand to him as she pad
died back against the current. 1t was
picture that long remained in his memory