Mower County transcript., 1897-06-09

Mascot (Neil's mine(, lays his plans to
tions follow.
CHAPTER II-Dorothy Meredith. the
colonel's daughter. gets caught in thun-
derstorm in the mountains; loses her way;
nSESe rder @eS by Harv
Neil, who offers to conduct her to an old
shaft-house until storm subsidies.
On and on she went, scarce needing
the landscape now, except to watch for
the longedfor juncture of the two
roads. The roar of thunder had begun
resounding through the mountains, as
though voicing the wrath of Jove, while
with the sound a nervous terror insidi.
ously grew upon the girl. Utterly fear
less in most situations, full of a |
thoughtless daring due in a measure to
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 her
ears as now in the weird loneliness Of
the place into which she had thought.
lessly ventured. She seemed an insig-
nifcant atom cast adrift in world
given over to destruction. Mercurial in
her temperament, despairing convic-
tion suddenly fastened upon her that
she had somehow missed the way she
sought. To go back and take the regular
road involved a ride before which, with
her nervous disrelish of the now almost
incessant thunder, her soul turned
sick; though to go on appeared such a
questionable adventure that she
~ ~
steep hill, considering the other side in
misery of uncertainty. But even as
she looked fate came to her relief re-
vealing the figure of a man on horse
back passing between the trees, just
over the brow of the next hill. he was
riding from her; and on the instant she
was urging her horse down the precipi-
tous coulee, determined to overtake
him and ask direction as to her way.
But at the bottom of the deep cut ran
small stream across which was thrown
rude bridge of poles; and as the horse,
in the impetus of the mad dash down
the steep embankment, plunged heav-
lily upon this fimsy structure, length
of rotten wood snapped like a pipe
stem, one of the animals fore-legs 60
ing down with such force as must in
evitably have thrown the rider had she
not been swift to see the danger and
jump to save herself. AS it was, in
the sudden, unconsidered movement,
her skirt caught on the saddle-horn and
she half fell, her weight coming upon
her outstretched hands in such fashion
as severely wrenched one wrist. Hur-
riedly struggling to her feet. it was
with a mixture of discontinue AMI re-
lief that She perceived the stranger rid
ing toward her as fast as horse might
carry him. It was annoying to be dis.
covered in such undignifed pose, even
by such simple ranchman as she i'm.
egined the rider to be: but there was
scarcely time for the captious thought
n the imperative need of help.
Miss Meredith-are you hurt?" he
breathlessly exclaimed, as he threw
himself from the saddle beside her, sc
much of genuine concern in voice and
manner that the girl felt unconscious
ly strengthened and comforted. It die
not until afterward occur to her a!
strange that he should call her by name
So far as she noticed it at all, it had
only soothing sound of friendliness.
mo; but the horse-oh, it is terT
BILE! His leg will be broken" she crie6
helplessly clasping her hands as sh
fully in the ugly trap.
The stranger turned quickly, wrench
ing aside one end of the shattered pole
"No; he is all right he reassuringl
declared, when a hasty examinatio
had revealed but slight abrasion O
the adventured leg. "But you, Mis-
Meredith, are you really unharmed?
was such a nasty fall--on this gridiro
of BRIDGE"
"But I did not fall; jumped" sh
quickly retorted, with the sensitive
ness of skilled rider to such charge {
clumsiness. She gasped a little fe
breath, turning about to place her bac
to the storm as she added: II was lool
ing for the trail which leads across b
the Mascot mine. Perhaps you can te
me where it turns off,"
"Oh, certainly. I came that way m.
self only few minutes ago. It's abol
mile back"
"A mile back! missed it, then," ST
disappointedly exclaimed, her teet
closing suddenly ON her under lip
she glanced down at her left wrist, h
cheeks turning rather white. II ha'
so much farther to CO."
"But you are hurt, Miss Meredith; -;
am sure you are," he solicitously r
turned. "What can I do for you?
it your wrist?"
II believe did twist it little,' 81
murmured, obviously regarding Il
long wrinkled glove which covered Il
now intense aching. 1T is nothing,
course, but"
'You are faint!" he cried, casti1
loose the bridle-rein he had been ho]
ing, and making as though he thoug
he should offer the support of his ar1
"Can you walk to this log beyond Il
bridge?-Yes; that is right; sit the
while I get you some water" !