Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1897-10-28

So far as the eye might sec was 10
sign of habicatioIc2 nothing that bore
the touch of human HANDS besides the
small segment OF grass-growu road
cu-ving around at enc side of the tiny
lake. II seemed fair dream-wOrld OF
gray and silver, where nature mourned
alone, refusing to be comforted.
But, though in the vested independ-
ence of American girlhood she might be
cblivious to the claims of an irate IA
ther, she could not long remain deaf to
such warnings as the winds were now
shriebing through the trees. She was
not yet ready to admit that she had
been unwise to inger so long; but as
she turned her horse back to the road
she was forced to reflect that, with
more than three miles lying between
her and the shelter of the Grubstake
shaft-house. she was bound to have
hard ride to escape wetting. A skilled
and fearless rider, however, it was but
q new pleasure to give the horse his
head, settling herself in the saddle for
a break-neck race with the storm; but
just at the foot of the first hill she sud-
denly drew rein, while her gaze wan
dered uncertainty up the unkempt.
ming OIL aC tno
left. the Old Silver trail.
Ten years before, just at the last of
the Silver City excitement, her father
had brought her mother and herself to
stay for month or so at Windy Gulch,
and then, with a child's fondness for
gadding, she had learned the topogra-
ply of all the region round. She remem-
bered perfectly The line of the old road.
which now passed directly by the Mas
cot mine and within stones throw of
the Grubstake-her glance as it wan
dered up the newer way, which now too
had grown old, clearly recalling the
point of intersection. BY taking this
short cut she could save mile or more,
while with such gain in time she ought
besides to be able somewhat to mollify
her fathers wrath by presenting. her
self in dry clothing. So far as she knew
the way beyond the Mascot mine was
now never used, and, with its originally
fimsy construction and the awful
grades which had brought it into dis
favor the chances were that it would be
in the worst possible condition for safe
travel; but Miss Meredith was not ac-
vustomed to question her ability to go
wherever horse might carry her, while
ijhe why little broncho she rode was
blessed with a cat-like capacity for
climbing at any angle and over any sort
OF ground which seems the essential
prerogative OF the mountain-bred pony.
Before size had given as much time to
the argument as it has taken to tell it,
she had turned the horse and was flying
along the old road.
There was a pleasure in recognizing
familiar features of the landscape as
she swiftly passed them by. This mar
row intervale, hedged in by almost par
allel lines of foothills, she remembered
so well. although in the old springtime
the ground had been almost carpeted
with great purple anemoneS. while now
It was masses of yellow bloom which
the wind was bending down to earth !:
but the grove of qua>ing asps into
which she presently rode looked new
and strange; obviously they had sprung
up since her time. And they had
grown up in such amazing number:
there were myriads of them. all in 4
frou-frou f1utter, their delicate wrap
pings turned silvery side out, as though
in futile effort tc cover their white
limbs from the storm rude touch. The
girl felt suddenly lost as the way closed
in among them; and she would have
fastened to get out into the open once
more, but their branches so swept
across the way that she had continual
~ to take care best she were caIgni
with singing blows from them. Plain
" nature had been left to work he1
own will with the old trail. There Were
marks of wheels-wood-team the girl
inferred, from the deep ruts worn here
and there; but when the way twisted
down to the bottom of deep coulee and
up a wilderness Of rocks and pine trees
on the other side, it seemed marvel
that any wagon could follow.
On and on she went, scarce needing
| the landscape now. except to watch fol
the longed-for juncture of the tw1
roads. The roar of thunder had begun
resounding through the mountains, as
though voicing the wrath of Jove, whilz
| with the sound a nervous terror insidi
ously grew upon the girl. Utterly fear
less in most situations, full of {
| thoughtless daring due in a measure tt
! an inability properly to measure dan
ger, and yet she always quailed before
a thunderstorm; and never had the
| dread sounds seemed so awful in he1
ears as now in the weird loneliness d
| the place into which she had thought
lessly ventured. She seemed an insig
| nificant atom cast adrift in worit
| given over to destruction. Mercurial il
her temperament. a despairing convic
ton suddenly fastened upon her tina
she had somehow missed the way sh'
sought. To go back and take the regular
road involved ride before which, witt
| her nervous disrelish of the now almos
incessant thunder, her soul turne'
sick; though to go on appeared such
| questionable adventure that sh
stopped short on the brow of short
1 L. Il, 4