The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1897-04-21
ly undesirable characters came |

| Cno Vicinity. some men put up Snan-
ty just off my land and stocked it with
mountain dew. Numerous rough look
ing characters came there for the osten-
sible purpose of hunting and fishing,
pitching their tents in our vicinity. I
heard stories of gambling, and the men
were not as regular at their work as
they were before these Interruptions.
Rosser, the foreman, wanted to adopt
heroic measures for getting rid of these
pests, but saw no way but to wait for
some breach of the law and then secure
the Intervention of the authorities.
"Our pay day came every two weeks,
and I brought the money from the near
est bank, in town some distance away,
having two good men go with me as
guard. On one. occasion Nettie, the
foreman's daughter, met us ten miles
from the settlement, guiding us in
circuitous route, for she had learned
through wild young girl at the drink
ing den that there was plot to waylay
and rob us. Nettie had promptly pushed
her way through the dangers Of the
mountain paths to warn us, fearing that
| delay in securing some other messenger
might be fatal to us and at the same
time endanger her informant On the
way in [ learned more Of the girl and
her life than had ever known. and she
aroused that interest which is so likely
to eventuate in love-
"It was month later before we were
freed from a snow blockade, and the next
time | went to tie bank it was for dou-
Bile the usual amount took more men,
and we return ii W ithout accident. Even
this did Let give me the pleasure afford
ed by tie joyous welcome of the girl
who had so evidently been in dread
while | was gone
cit was Just coming dark when I
tossed the canvas lag containing the
money to the foreman, for he was the
custodian aud would pay eff at the noon
hour next CIV. lLever felt afraid when
he was Oh g'1uld That night the storm
was On us again, and with veiw to
making some arrangements for the bet
ter protection OF the mines I sent for
him. | never thought of the money till
he appeared at my door, shortly before
II o'clock, covered with dripping snow.
Then he assured me that the treasure
was safe with Nettie, as no one would
think of injuring her.
"We had been talking nearly an hour
when there was the sound Of muff1ed
cry and body falling against the door.
Rosser reached it with spring and
threw it open, to find a woman stretched
across the step. Quickly he lifted her in
his strong arms and laid her gently On
the rough couch had pulled before the
blazing logs 1t was Nettie, unconscious
and apparently more dead than alive.
Her long, waving hair was loose, di-
sheveled by the wind and wet with snow
that melted to glittering drops in the
warm glow Of the room. Her upturned
face, with it's perfectly chiseled features,
had the unattainable beauty of the art
lists dream. Through all that terrible
storm she had made her way for half
mile without wrap or even the slip
pers in which she sat while awaiting
her fathers return, for they had been
lost in the first few steps. AS [ grasped
her pretty hands to chafe them they
tightly clutched the canvas bag to her
bosom, and only when the half crazed
Rosser forced some brandy down her
throat did she relinquish her hold.
"Trying to rise, she said rapidly:
Hurry, father, hurry. 1t was Black
Joe. He's locked in the strong closet. l
brought the money You said you knew