The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1897-04-28
A Mountain Rose.


had learned through n wild young girl
Mt the drinking den TINT there was
plot to wuylay aud rob us. Nettie
had promptly pushed her way through
the dangers of the mountain paths to
warn us, fearing that delay in secur-
ing some other messenger might be
fatal to MS and Mt the same time en-
danger her informant. On the way in
/ learned more OF the girl and her life
than ! Ind ever known and she aroused
that interest which is so likely to
even;uate in love.
at was month later before we
were freed from n snow blockade and
the next time / went to the bank it
was for double the usual amount. 1
took more men aud We returned with
out accident. Even this did not give
me the pleasure afforded by the joy
Gus welcome of the girl who had SO
evidently been in dread while L was
gone.
at was just coming dark when /
tossed the canvas bug containing the
money to the foreman, for he was the
custodian aud would pay off at the
noon hour the next day. / never felt
afraid when he was on guard. That
night the storm was upon us again,
and with II view to making some mr.
ransements for the better protection
of the mines, sent for him. / never
thought OF the money till he appeared
Mt my door shortly before IL o'clock
covered with dripping snow. Then he
assured me that the treasure was snfe
with Nettie as no one would think of
injuring her.
"We had been talking nearly an
hour when there was the sonnd of II
muflled cry and body falling against
the door. Rosser reached it with n
spring and threw it open to find n
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. II was Nettie. unconscious and
apparently more dend than alive. Her
long, waving hair was loose, dshev-
eled by the wind and wet with snow
that melted to gittering drops in the
warm glow of the room. Her up
turned face with its perfectly chiseled
features had the unattainable beauty
of the artists dream. Through all
that terrible storm she mad made her
way for half n mile without a wrap or
even the slippers in which she sat
while awaiting her fathers return, for
they had been lost in the first few
steps. As l grasped the pretty hands
to chafe them they tightly clutched the
canvas bag to her bosom aud 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 would protect it. There it is.
How Black Joe did curse and swear to
kill ns both. But l captured him.
|
and her unnatural laugh told how in
tense had beeu the strain upon her
nerves.
"We found the villain vainly trying
to batter his way out, and in due time
long sentence put him out of the
way. He had stolen in upon Nettie
shortly after her father left. No
threats could induce her to betray the
hiding place of the money till she
suddenly devised scheme to keep
both it and the robber. Appearing to
yield, she told Joe to look behind the
chest in the closet which Rosser had
built OF strong oak plauks as place
of safety for his few valuables. He
= made her hold candle while he
searched. As he leaned over the chest,
Nettie summoned Nil her strength aud
courage, threw the door shut, clapped
the hasp over the staple and closed
the hook that was attached. This she
strengthened with an iron poker. and
then, seizing the bag from under the
hearthstone, hurried from her prison.
} er and his blood-curding threats.
II loved her aud told her so. But
she was us courageous morally as
, physically. She was not fitted for my
station in life. Wait two years aud
! see il / still wanted her. Her father