The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1895-03-13

That beggar who walks with her rosy baby
Clasped tight in arnis that IRE worn and
| lean
She coyets my comfort and wealth, it may be.
Yet am paupor, and she Is a queen.
Ruth Hall in Good Housekeeping.
THE QUICKSAND.
Stoner had been Texan ranger and
could hold his own extremely well in
that rough frontier country. He had
carried of pretty Spanish wife from
the chihuahua region years before, had
brought her To the rocky Californian
coast and had purchased a settler claim
and an old adobe house built by a Span
ish hidalgo half century ago.
Here he farmed, raised cattle on the
unused government lands and kept
sort of rude hotel, for several mountain
trails joined at that point the broad
| highway which led from the county
seat, 20 miles south, TO the northern
| settlements in the pineries. He had five
/ daughters, too, the youngest, Theresa,
known rs Tessa, girl Of IL. That add
/ ed to the attraction, and almost every
night the dark eyed, half Spanish girls
sang and danced, AMI old Sfoner man
aged to hear all the news that was
aioat, and somehow most of the loose
coin of the region ultimately found its
way into his pockets. He was a deep
one, that same Ephraim Stoner, quiet,
sly and patient, secret in his methods
and deadly in his blow.
Stoner's wife and his four elder
daughters were uneducated and in
complete subjection to his will, but
Iessa had more brains and energy than
all the others put together and quite as
much beauty, so that the old Texan
ranger took certain pride Ill her and
had even allowed her to attend dis
taRt school for two years.
This midnight, when, as / have said,
the story begins, a person Of prying
disposition might have discovered sew
eTal interesting performances in progress
around the Stonor adobe. On the north
side of tho house, quite i'll the shadow,
Tessa was leaning from her window,
convcrsing in low tones with a blond,
fair haired and sturdy young man on
horseback.
''Tom, you DO rot know my father.
He is not the careless, warm hearted
man you suppose. l must admire his
ability, but that is all. warn you.
Tom, there never was more dangerous
man. lie may be where he hears every
word you say, but if he is he will not
speak TO you or to me about it, bat if
he knew that you cared for me he would
be your enemy lie has other plans for
me. He wants mo to marry fer money. y
Tom Warren had once been the school
teacher In the mountain district, miles
away, where TeSsa had been one of his
pupils Thrown upon his own resources
from his childhood, he had developed a
strong, earnest character and was al
ready so popular in the county that he
had Just been elected sheriff, although
the youngest man ON the ticket
While Tessa and her lover were talk |
ing a scene OF a FAR different nature was
being enacted on the south side of the |
old adobe, which overlooked a deep IA
vine and Il camp of five or six men in |
q field below. For several years these |
men had spent their summers there, os-
tensibly hunting, fishing and exploring 1
the country with their dogs and guns 1
Every one knew them, and most persons |
liked them. Tessa did not
Stoner, though it was midnight, sat /
in the moonlight on an old rawhide
chair, outside the door, smoking lis
pipe and moditating-a tough, sinewy,
grizzled night owl of man.
''That internal knuckle head at the
camp ought to have reported before
now," he thought to himself as ho
smoked.
y man came out of the brush and
spoke deferentially:
'Capt'n, good eveninr'
you're late"
'Dick was shot
"Well:"
"Just as the driver throwed of the
box. Shot by passenger in tho neck
and shoulder. -
''He mustn't stay here to get Us into
trouble Take a boat and carry him to
the point and leave him in the cave
there -
Eyes, capt'n.'' -
"How much was aboard!''
about 81, 600 for the Josephine min
ers.
''Send it over the cliff before morn
ing, and I'll divide it up soon, but you
be extra careful That new sheriff Is a
smart one p"
"All right, capt'n,' and the man
went back to the camp.
a moment later, Just as Stoner was
going back into the house, there was
the slow thud Of horses hoofs, and
Tom Warren, the young sheriff, rode
down the trail, around the corner Of the
old adobe building into the main coun-
ty road that lay TO the west. He had at
last yielded to TeSsa's entreaties 10 ''g0,
go, this minute, Tom"
Impossible as Stoner was, he felt a
little startled by the sight.
Where in the devil did you come
from, sheriff? Anything up in this part
of the country
''Oh, 10. not particle. I've been
visiting my old school in tho mountains
and took the short trail home, down
Cayucus."
This was plausible enough, for there
was blind trail that entered the can
yon just east of the angle of the house
Stoner felt little relieved :
Won't you put up and stay with Us
all night:''
''No, Mr.. Stoner, l must 90 down to !
Kestral to see friends there It's only an |
hours tide. "
THAT settles it," thought Stoner. !
Plenty of stout fellows 10 use as sher- :
ifs deputies there. He has probably
stumbled on traces and is going for
help" He sat and smoked aid slipped
his hand back under his coat. Easy to
shoot the fellow" he said to himself.
well, goodby, Stoner. - said Warren
Il suppose the beach road is
Is good as ever?''
Perfectly safe. only when you cross
roro creek keep on the sand bar. It's as
hard as iron / crossed there today"
THANK you. Adiosr'
Simple, smiling speech. these words
1f Stoner's, and vet they were intended