Middletown transcript., 1898-06-04
roonr,irht. 1saa. hn Rret Harte.l !

hidden in the obscurity of night. In the
vanished landscape the gorge alone
stood out, set in a chaos Of cloud and
storm through which the moonbeams
struggled Intellectually.
It was this unexpected sight which
burst upon the occupants of large COW
cred "station wagon" who had chanced
upon the lower end of the gorge. Com
ing from still lower altitude, they had
known nothing of the storm which had
momentarily ceased, but had left rec
ord of intensity in nearly two feet OF
snow. For some moments the horses
floundered and struggled on in what the
travellers believed to be some old for
gotten drift or avalanche, until the ex-
tent and freshness of the fall became ap-
parent. To add to their difficulties the
storm recommended, and not compre-
hending its real character and limit
they did not dare to attempt to return
the way they came. To go on, however,
was impossible. In this quandary they
looked about them in vain for some 9th
er exit from the gorge. The sides of that
gigantic white furrow terminated in
darkness. Hemmed in from the world
in all directions, it might have been
their tomb.
But although they could see nothing
beyond their prison walls they them
selves were perfectly visible from the
heights above them, and Jack Tenbrook,
quartz miner, who was sinking tun-
mel in the rocky ledge Of shelf above the
gorge, stepping out from his cabin at
10 o'clock to take look at the weather
before turning in, could observe dis
tinctly the outline of the black wagon,
the foundering horses and the crouch
ing figures by their side, scarcely larger
than pygmies on the white surface of
snow thousand feet below him. Jack
had courage and strength and the good
humor that accompanies them, but he
contented himself for a few moments
with lazily observing the travellers dis
comfture. He had taken in the situation
with glance. He would have helped
brother miner or mountaineer, although
he knew that it could only have been
drink or bravado that brought him into
the gorge in a snowstorm; but it was
very evident that these were "green-
horns" or eastern tourists, and it
served their stupidity and arrogance
having once helped an eastern visitor
catch the mustang that had "bucked"
him, had been called "my man" and
presented with $5. He recalled how he
had once spread the humble resources
of his cabin before some straying men,
bers Of the San Francisco party who
were opening" the new railroad and
heard the audible wonder of lady that
a civilized being could live SO "coarse-
ly." With these recolleetions in his
mind he managed to survey the distant
struggling horses with fine sense of
humor, not unmixed with self righteous
ness. There was no real danger in the
situation. 1t meant at the worst delay
and camping in the snow till morn
ing, when he would go down to their
assistance. They had spacious travel
ing .equipage and were, no doubt, we'll
supplied with furs. robes and provisions
for several hours journey. His own
pork barrel was quite empty and his
blankets worn. He half smiled, extend
ed his long arms in decided yawn and
turned back into his cabin. to go to bed.
Then he cast final glance around the
interior. Everything was all right His
loaded rifle stood against the wall. He
had just raked ashes over the embers of
his fire to keep it intact till morning.
Only one thing slightly troubled him
"a grizzly bear, wo-thirds grown, but
only half tanned, which had been given
to him by young lady. named Miggles,
when that charming and historic girl
had decided to oaccompany her paralytic
lover to the San Francisco hospital, was
missing that evening. It had been it's
regular habit to come to the door every
night for some sweet biscuit or sugar
before going to its lair in the under
brush behind the cabin. Everybody
knew it along the length and breadth
of Hemlock ridge, as well as the fact of
its being legacy Of the fair exile. No
rifle had ever yet been raised against
his lazy bulk or the stupid, small eyed
head and ruff Of circling hairs made
more erect by it's we'll worn leather col
lar. Consoling himself with the thought
that the storm had probably delayed its
return, Jack took off his coat and threw
it on his bunk But from thinking of
the storm his thoughts naturally return
ed again to the impeded travellers below
him, and he half mechanically stepped
out again in his shirt sleeves for final
look at them.
But here something occurred that
changed his resolution entirely. He had
previously noticed only the three fore
shortened, crawling figures around the
now stationary wagon bulk. They were
now apparently making arrangements
to camp for the night. But another fig
ure had been added to the group, and
as it stood peEched upon wagon seat
laid on the snow Jack could see its out
line was not bifurcated like the others.
But even that general suggestion was
not needed. The little head, the sym-
metrical curves visible even at that dis
tance were quite enough to indicate
that it was woman. The easy smile
faded from Jacks face and was succeed.
ed by look Of concern and then of res
ignation. He had no choice now; he
must go. There was woman there,
and that settled it. Yet he had arrived
at this conclusion from no sense Of gal
lantry, nor. indeed, Of chiyalrous trans
port, but as a matter Of simple duty to
the ser. He was giving up his sleep,
was going down thousand feet Of steep
trail to offer his services during the
rest Of the night as simply as an east
ern man would have offered his seas in
an omnibus to woman.
Having resumed his coat, with bot
tie Of whisky thrust into bis nocket. be