The Colfax chronicle., 1897-06-19
TROUBLE AT SAINTS REST.
BY PAUL sHoUP.


big pine in front of the stage Office, wer
listening with languti though critics
interest to Long Jake's story. Old ma
Summers walked slowly over to th
stage road and gazed down into the va
ley.
Here she comesl" he shouted. stand
Ing in the middle of the road, with hi
right hand over his eyes. The listener
sprang to their feet and FASTENED to th
roadside.
A swirl OF dust appeared around th
bend, and out of it came the noise O
the rattling of wheels and the beatin,
oil hoofs. Then stage appeared, ant
minute later the driver made his usua
theatrical stop before the Office.
The guard, jumping lightly to th,
ground, held open the stage door. Mrs
higgins, fat, fair, and certainly more
than forty. awkwardly descended tt
the ground, and then appeared Miss
higgins. Miss higgins was young and
Miss higgins was pretty. Charming
Riances from her melting blue eyes ac
companied her musical voice, while her
red cheeks and hair of gold made the
surrender OF the hearts of the men OF
Saints Rest unconditional.
The last roll of blankets had found
It's owner, the horses had been led away,
and the sleeping stage coach stood to
one side. The major was enthusiastic
pnd the group before him was atten-
tive; AT last the eye of the world
Is becoming focused upon the great nat
ural resources of Saints Rest. II IS
quite evident, sub, even to superficial
observer, that Mrs. higgins and her
lovely daughter have been iured hither
by the unparalleled attractions of
Saints Rest to spend their days in
rapturous contemplation of the beau
ties of nature"
"Yer mistaken, major" said old man
Summers, who had been diligently
scraping his pipe. Mrs. higgins ez
goin' to open boardin' house."
"Who said so?" demanded the major.
blankly.
That sage-brush pirate who pilots
the stage. Mrs. higgins told him."
On the evening following the day
of Miss higgins descent upon the
peaceful camp of Saints Rest, every
miner in the Lost Horse gulch, from
the crest of the ridge to the bed of the
wash, found that he had pressing busi-
ness on the main street of the camp. !
Among those who took their in.
genious ways up and down the un-
even paths was Jim Bowloe. Nature
bad not been niggartlly with her ma
Ierials In his building. and Jim was
Iuiiy aware that his appearance justi-
led the turning of heads in admiring
ylances. When he stumbled on the
best claim in the gulch. he accepted the
act nonchalantly, realizing that it was
'ut the due of man of his superior
lifts, and when black-eyed 'Cencion
oined her mother, who ran the Bonita
estaurant, the camp murmuringly rec
gnized his right to be first in love as
yell as in business. But now, with the
pell OF Miss higgins over them all.
i'm was panied and surprised to note
hat about every other able-bodied man
the gulch was obtrusively present.
Jim Bowloc had a bunk-house part
er, Bob Henderson, who, being in
taturc and ambition rather insig-
ificant in comparison with his /,
artner, was usually referred to
"Bowloe's partner" He, too, was
18th the crowd, wearing look of con-
cious innocence, and Jim wasn't ex-
city pleased to observe that his hair.
hich had not heretofore had an en-
'unter with brush since he left the
tates, was now comhed as nearly /
'raight as nature would permit.
Great changes in the social life of
iints' Rest followed the arrival of
ISIS higgins. Every day there was I
lat noticeable air of dressed-up stiff I
ess which had before appeared at first t
ass funerals only. Certain promi- I
mt citizens declined to get hilarious x
icept after nightfall, tribute to the il
huence of Miss higgins, which at first t
'cited some uneasiness among the dis Il
nsers OF various elixirs, but when n
" ~@'A tAAoe ACi presence Old not
event the scrupulous ones from re- a
aiming under the rule of Bacchus the
lowing day, they accepted the re- n
rm with great good nature. il
The partners, who lived in a cabin IL
the hillside, did not become guests Ct
the new boarding house, partly be- m
ase OF pride, party because of an in SC
'position on the part of either to
oaeh the subject, and largely because ca
the very great distance of the Mig al
Is establishment from their claims. OF
I neither was long in obtaining an in la
to the daughter OF the house. al
Since the Junior Summers was a fid- w
r whose fame stopped not short of fe
days travel from the camp. there kr
really no good reason for not hay he
a Thanksgiving ball. A commit or
secured for a ballroom the large no
q annex of the Saints Retreat. n re- tn
with somewhat misleading name. of
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