The Holly chieftain., 1898-11-18

MS that "outfit" at The Big Horn?
Knowing what he knef, Darcie thought
of the mine as Cries palace Of the
wild and woolly west, Nth Abby Steers
for the enchnntress, hd his lily as the
Lady Una, beset by british types of
humanity in shapest tunblushing de-
formity. But he had enty Of imagina-
ton, and he was liviI the life of soil
tude and repression wtch breeds exag-
gcrated fancies. Mfeover, in his
thoughts the charm q the girl, like a
strong light. blackerf the adjacent
shadows.
The moon, which hid fitfully lighted
their way down the tril on the night of
the storm, was too ol sand be!ated to
assist at this meeting Under the
tamaracks the darkn$s was impene-
trable. The lone ce9r whispered to
itself, and seemed to 1use. and listen
for responses from tAtranks OF stand.
ing timber that mounel the gulch, file
above file, with w4g. Of night sky
opening a way to the Erith.
The car that was totary the dinner
guests back to Wallace stood on the
track, the engine sthning. Dnrc'e
took his station und& he cedar, and
waited in silence. Tn lternate whis-
pering and hushing ol he forest con.
tinued; often the sount sas that Of feet
carefully lifted, and cautiously set
down in the rustling tierbrush. Mo.
mently his errand thS, seemed more
and more preposterolsand foo,ishly
unreal; he could havt aughed aloud
had the place and thdhur been mer-
rier.
When he considered hit at least half
an hour must have pas3.t and NO sound
that he could distincHyinterpret was
heard, he took out his Sach and struck
match to look at tfettme. AS the
spark famed up, vollty,f pistol-shots
pattered about him and Mcked at the
tree above his head. fb flashes came
from the edge OF the tmaracks that
darkly environed th9 nall cleared
space where he stood do very side, but
that next the gulch; Snthat side was
the trail.
He jumped behind til cedar, and
emptied his pistol in sth direction OF
the flashes. At the san, Instant three
or four shots in rfpis succession
cracked from across tie rail, and with
characteristic yell bnt bound Mike
was at his side, holditg ,orth with his
gun from his own sid%ofthe tree. The
men could hear each &ha's breathing,
but neither spoke till tanie said:
Load for me. MikeIn right fiipper
is hit"
THE beggars is Id jSii," said Mike.
"Are ye hit bad? 2"
Mikes counter-am3uA had discon-
certed the executivetopmittee, their
shots fell OF. and th{ we're dispensing
at trot through woods, when.
with n rush of ligh tkirts across the
dark evergreens. Fdh came flying.
wild with the fear thashe had come too
late.
Where are you"she cried. "Oh,
answer, somebody! re you killed?"
Though she addresd "somebody" it
was Mike who answTd promptly:
"Kape quit, darlis he's here, and
he's hurted."
Dnrcie was at her si.sspeechless, but
nightly glad; he d not feel his
wound.
''That wretched WIZ cried Faith.
'.He wouldn't come q p to save you
till made him, and q he tried to
lose me in the woods. eard the shots
and thought I shous lei"
1.-THE message was 4 your message.
then?" VI
That message fro, pei II that
what you think Of me
"What matter? Th1 1eetin' : over,
and the man We wan4 IN IL the doc.
ther," said Mike. IN ON ahead,
miss dear. and lend ~ light sv your
white frock trough III ees. Are you
hurt bad7" he inquire ain Of Darcie,
with as much gentlen1 he could put
into his voice. ''Can \ nks Il, or will
I pack ye on me back /?
go on; I can make bald Darcie.
EMO; III not 70 ON cover he n.
trate-so We goes In e Drdher. Oar
Gle. did ye hear me B That's the
rals ould Tippsrary " knew they'd
be lookin' for the q door ~ the
woods when they h's, hst, and Fev
It to EN- good"
r7o. ~ cpa p1