The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-09-19

stream whose lazy muddy length gave
SO little promise of the turbulent river
which in few months would rush
madly by. They drew rein, and the
father and Nanny began to prepare the
camp for the nights rest
It was a week later A group of men
had gathered in front of the Overland
hotel. through the panes of whose small
old fashioned windows cleaned the
light shed by a swinging kerosene lamp.
In a corner partitoned off as an Office
sat the proprietor and manager. His
feet rested upon the counter in 'front.'
while he sat tilted back in his chair
reading the three days old newspaper
which the mail train had just brought
in from San Francisco. Constantly the
heavily shod feet shuffled back and
forth over the wooden floor. A drizzling
rain was falling outside and as the
wind blew uD from the west, drifting
the rain under the covered front of
the hotel" the men lounged through
the door
Here and there were groups playing
at the card tables. Around the hot,
air tight stove was ranged a group of
men; smoke and the fumes of whisky
mingled with the steam which arose
from their wet clothes. Rough men
they were and used to a rough life.
Outside the streets we're deserted and
silent, while the saloons did a thriv-
ing business. Occasionally the swing
ing doors would be pushed open by
some man who was soon lost in the
gloom of night.
It was o'clock "by railroad time
as they say up there in the mountains,
and Alec Williams had already gone
the rounds of the half dozen saloons.
He had just come down from his claim
in the mountains and the social spirit
was strong within him. No man in
the region was a greater favorite than
he, and the barkeeper was soon busy
.settin' EN- up.
smoked and drank, and the money
clnl1ed as it changed hands across
the tables and the talk and laughter
became longer and louder. Standing
! near the bar was Alec Williams, his
face flushed and his eyes bright, the
center of a group Of men. Suddenly
he turned to the man in the Office.
Il say, Cap, yer amt seen nothin'
of wagon party that was headin' this
way, have yer2'
The man addressed came over and
joined the group.
Yes, I have, now yer speak of it. I
was drivin' down the valley the first
of the week and seen a camp down on
the island; didn't see much sign of
stirrin' round as though the hull ca
Doodle rested on her Shoulders
That's her. then" returned Alec
Tell yer what; [ never was took UP
with body more in my life than was
with that gal; spunkiest crfrter ever
see. Struck their camp about ten days
ago on my way ter Mountain home. We
bunked tergether fer the night; mans
consumptive, [ reckon an the woman's
| q sort O. f1abbergasted critter. Come
from out Nebraska. way, the woman
said, an I'd a guessed it if she hadn't
q said it. Ricketiest old consarn, that
wagon is, ever L see; but yer'd think
it was a Pullman sleeper ter see that
gal step 'roun. Bound fer Los Ang'lu s-
if yer'll believe it. / kind o limited
round that it might be hard fer EN-
ter make it, but the look that gal gave
me was enough ter make yer keep yer
mouth shut fer week. Well, they got
off the next mornin' as inherent as
babes in the woods, an I've felt like
a meachin' idiot ever since ter think
I sit by an let EN- go; and if-by jim
go
The group of men about him, who
had been listening somewhat indiffer-
entity looked up and followed his gaze
to the door. 1t had been pushed partly
open. and there. just within the light.
a mans old overcoat over her Shout
ders and a, little snoulder-shawl pinned
tightly over her head, was Nanny She
stood still a moment and her eye
caught Alec's. There was perfect ST
lence in the room and every eye was on
the girl. Again Alec calculated, 'By
jingo,'' The girl took a step forward
and a flush came to her face.
mister Williams?" she said.
Like fash off came Alec's old
beaten hat; he took step
forward.
Whats the matter, little gal?" he
began, but the proprietor touched his
arm and said
See here, Alec, yer better take the
sal in my room back there; any one
car see she's in some kind O. trouble,
and this amt no place fer her ter talk
i'm
The girl gave him a grateful look.
and followed Alec through the door of
a back room.
Presently the accustomed hum of
talk and play began, but the men wore
look of suppressed curiosity. and the
conversation and game lacked the in
terest of the earlier evening. Finally
they drifted up to the bar and by COM
mon consent the teN- turned to the
event of the evenins
Say Cap" callet ut olDe broad
shouldered, keen-eyed young fellow,
who might have posed as a, college ath-
lete under other circumstances, whats
become Of Williams and the kid? Amt
adopted her already. has he?" AS he
spoke the door banged to, and Alec
Williams, with his collar well turned
up and his hat pulled down over his
eyes that were blazing with the zest of
a strong purpose, strobe into the room,
followed by a smaller older man, who
looked somewhat out of place among
the men who parted and formed a
group round them as they came up to
the bar
Someone on the outside of the crowd
called out: Just give it to us straight,
Williams. What's the row."
Alec looked round.
II amt much on the talk when it
comes to a case O. this kind, and that's
the reason 1 brought the doc along to
give it ter yer. Just stand back now
and give him a show" s-.
The doctor stood up before the men.
Boys" he began, "a couple of hours
ago, Alec here, came to my office. You
all saw the girl he brought with dim,
and I wish you all might have seen the
camp down there by the river to which
she took US. There's many man here
who's faced danger and proved his
bravery, but there isn't a drawer heart
here than the girl carries around When
we reached the camp we found the
father and mother both sick. The man
has consumption and has it bad, while
the woman is worn out, heartsick and
discouraged. They have another little
child, a, girl, and she is suffering for
shelter and good food. After 1 had at
tended to the man and we had fixed
them up as comfortably as we could for
the night, I questioned the girl. They
we f9r17ia from Nal1ra ska and ro hound