Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1897-12-16

sat On his horse near the station n1a
form; and the landlord of the Arca,ia
Saloon was understood to have. in
rare interval of sobriety, expressed
the opinion that such an exhihitio,
was good for the interests of the ra-
gion. Why said he, thar ain,t M
two ways about it. When them tb,r
tenoerIeet an fancy tourists sees an
outfit like thet, they'll kind O. think
ranchln' is boss business. an it'll
put EN- to comm out here an buyin'
Iand, an, startin' boom in ranches
an helpin' trade. Yer see they,E
THINK all ranchmen is like him. an
they'll git mighty badly left; but thet
amt your funeral nor mine. Saw.
young teller, what'l yer take?
Nothln'? Wa'al, suit yerself.,'
Three miles above the ranch where
Jack lived was another, of rather bet
ter character as regarded it's buildings
which stood close to the bed of the
creek. 1t belonged to a man named
simpson. Most people liked him: few
knew him we'll. There was a vague
impression abroad that Simpson had a
history, and that his ownership of
western ranch was but an episode in
life far different from that which most
OF his neighbors had been born to: but
there was that about him which re-
PEELED lnquisitiveness. His cattle were
numerous and in good condition; he
was active and efficient in the round
up, but his patronage of the Arcade
saloon was of the scantiest, and he
was somewhat eccentric in the making
up OF what in another and more formal
state OF society would have been a
vlsiting-list. Those, however, who
had enjoyed the Inequalities of SimD-
sons ranch had much to say of wife
who often wore "store clothes,' and
OF daughter of about nineteen, as
pretty girl, it was reported, as had
ever been seen from Denver down to
Cucharas, and as bright as the sun
light on the plains. Not many had
seen her; few still knew her; yet her
fame had gone abroad. She was gra-
ciOusly idealized; she was held to be-
long, in sense, to the region; and
there was not cowboy on the range
who would not have broken a lance
| Cor, what was far more practical,
emptied his gum as her champion.
Among the visitors at Simpsons
Ranch we may be sure that Jack Rey-
| holds was numbered. His first visit
! was made at notable time in it's
history. Two days before (stopping to
return horse which he had found
straying) he had made the acquain-
lance of the family. Simpson him
self had suddenly gone away. He had
| been in Pueblo, and the postmaster
stated at the Arcade that he had re-
ceived large and thick letter, but he
was little misty as to the postmark.
That night Simpson departed. Some
people thought he rode little to the
northward, and took train at small
station. A theory that he secreted
himself in freight car also found
supporters. But one individual, and
| he was half inebriated, had suggested
suicide, and he had been promptly
elected from the saloon by the force
of public opinion.
Months and months had passed, and
Simpson had not appeared. Wonder
grew as to his whereabouts; much
curiosity was engendered as to the
condition and feelings of his family,
and no little effort was made to graft
fly this curiosity. Whatever the wife
and daughter, thus seemingly deserted,
may have felt, however, they gave no
sign to visitors No one was there
half so often as Jack Reynolds, and
there was a general, if unspoken, SEN
timent abroad that this was as 1t
should; also that it would be alike i'm
proper and futile to seek for any IN
formation about Simpson from him.
No better test, indeed, could there be
of the esteem in which he was held
than this rare self-abnegation
Again several months passed, and
still there appeared no Simpson. His
neighbors were more puzzled, more
! curious more hopelessly in the dark,
than ever and they began to feel az
orieyed. Broncho Sam had been vO1c-
ing this sentiment, in conversation
with his assistant, when he made the
declaration with which this STORY
opens, and which was preceded Dy an
other.
.I lest tell yer" said he, "that when
a man lights out and leaves seen a
eood-anpearin' wife an sech poorly
little gal ez is up to Simpsons, an
don't send 'em no WORD, Us
playin' it pretty low on 'em, onless
he's got a blamed good reason for
dom So
That he would discuss this point
with Jack was highly improbable.
They talked of cattle and the season 5
PROSPECTS. and there was no word OF
simnson during the plain supper or
The placid pipe-smoking which 1oi-
1owad when they turned in,'' the
sky was overcast, and during the nlgi,'
there came a gale of wind Wnlcn a. al
most shook the house. 1t was III tne
- .a1.r rnnrning that a VlOIenl