The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1896-01-31
BY HENRY HERMAN.

g
0QQQs 3 . . 9
~ cHAPTnR IC Csntinuea)
a stude1.. of female nature would
have had his doubts about Miss In.
<yS sincerity In her last assertion.
Woman 10 alike All over the world.
and the daughter Of the Rockies had
most OF the attributes Of her city sis
Ter. To desire an object, and to per
Ntst In asserting to herself and to 9TH
-ers that she does not care for It q bit.
q one Of the Trailer sex'o privileges
and idiosyncrasies.
Lucy sat on that log, fitfnlly dashing
sway now and then at her Knitting;
at other times staring In front Of her,
willie her work lay untouched in her
tAp, and the hours passed by and the
1hAdows heightened without Lucy per-
eelvtng the change.
The girl was accustomed to be left
alone there for days, and nights, too,
DER that matter. Bands Of Indians
could not approach the spot without
eimely notice reaching her, and against
solitary maraudcrs. a couple Of double
6arreled rides and half q dozen pis-
nols. that always hung ready loaded on
the cabin wall, afforded her sufficient
protection. Not q soul could get near
the place without arousing the vigil
lance and the noisy warning Of the
watch dOgs-hnge mongrel English
a1astffs-that guarded the cabin, and
whose fierce barking .re-echoed among
tlae mountains for miles when Lucy
cook them for q run up the hillside
The swift dusk was already set In
On the mountains when the girl shook
he1sef together, and, fetching q wood
en- platter from the storehouse, climbed.
among the wild raspberry bushes that
covered the mountain side at the back
-oe tie cabin, and collected plentiful
supply Of the delicious fruit. Then
che entered the hut and set the big,
1ough table ready with a joint of roast
venlson, which she supplemented with.
.corn cake and big-horn fat. II
Anon, the distant thump-thump,
thump- thump Of horses feet on rough,
rocky ground vibrated on the noun
tain air. 1t drew nearer. aud came.
Eaatter-c chatter up the hill. The girl
prepared the three great spouting.
branches Of the huge and pondcrous
Mexican metal lamp with natural wool
wtcks and rough oil, and placed 1t In
die center Of the big table.
It grows dark very suddenly In those
-DountAin solitudes, where the sun dips
down behind the giant crags, lining
their sides with purple and gold, which
C leaves to mingle on the horizon arch
With the softer hues of topaz and sap
nhlre, and to fade away, blue and cold,
q the far East. ~
It was nearly night when the clatter
q the horses hoofs ceased directly In
'front.' Of the cabin, and ringing
Wagh" echoed on the hillside.
Lncy replied with a "Wagh,"
which had q feminine and cheerful
vfgor Of its own, and a moment after
ward q tall, wiry man pushed aside
die bearskin hanging which covered
31he door, and, with hearty "Waal.
what cheer, Lucy?" caught the young
eady round the waist and kissed her
a the eorehead.
Thar" The exclaimed, when the girl
GIDeagaged herself, II reckon 1t amt
every man that's got daughter like
.ay Lney to keep house for him while
et1S pralrie-loafing. Heyar, Dave" he
-lhouted, "our meats cut thick and no
snakes"
George Maclane was man whom
me would have thought a dangerous
customer. Long, gaunt and thin, al
: though his shoulders stood out broad
ard square. He had pair Of pierre
s.enx. little grayish- brown eyes the cold
2xiitter Of which contrasted curiously
With his joviaiity at that moment. His
i liuo were thin and nearly hoodless,
seile square jaws betokened dogged de-
discrimination. His upper lip was clean
valayen, but his long hair and tuft OF
Gard Ind changed from its former
fndistinct sandy color to an equally
andfstinct mixture of gray and fawn.
one freckled cheek was disfigured by
deep Gear, where knife had cut
I 1xpnghr the flesh and had left O
nA which had never quite healed
sdf man had read that face for
- 3chamcteristics, he would have
G0lhd cruelty and greed written plain
~ there, and he would have wondered
@ &qW such man came to be the father
~ 30 lovely girl as Lucy. There
-seere stories abroad Of George Mac
laae'S beautiful vile, now long since
dad. about whom even Lucy had but
<he faintest recollections, and whose
name was never mentioned by or in
{ae presence Of Freckled George with
0ut the mountaineer barring his head.
thus, I once saw tiger cub lick the
Haee Of q dog that had grown up with
I e. There Is no man so vicious that
L tslefe 40 not some corner left pure and
z deAled in his heart.
me bearskip was raised once again,
~ Il younger man entered. He was
y 49, r1v An tail aa George Maclane. and.
alfbouRh his cast Of features betrayed
= family likeness to the elder man,
elaFe was less Of the cruelty about the
1lpa and less OF the obstinate square.
800 about his jaws. He was dark of
Kin, vhich matched curiously with
h 1i,e reddish brown OF his hair and