The Ravalli Republican., 1898-03-16
BILLS 7, LID ROSE"

rainbow hues behind the tail, gray
peaked mountain tops, whose SOM
Der jaggedness here and there CLINT
cd brightly where the golden shafts
OF diaphanuus sunbeam kissed them.
The lurid glow Of the light Of the
setting sun filled the atmosphere
with a weird, fiery haze, the gray
ish yellow sand of the earth gleam-
ed more golden, and the dark olive
OF the umbrageous trees shone Of
brighter green A group Of men
are clustered lounsing]y about the
door Of Gruif Rock tavern.
1T amt nuthin to none of Us, -
one Of the miners is saying, eek
ceptin that what hurts Bill hurts
us.
IF Master David means wrong by
the girl, another says, and his fists
clinch incidentally.
"Hol' on. Buck, y some one inter
rupts him. "If in all the white
faced aristocracy there one gentle
man, it's Master David. -
Gosh, I wonder if Bill knows?'
"Shut up, comrades! Here heis "
A form, uncommonly tall, stall
wart as an oak, straight as q pine,
advances toward the group. He
strides to q vacant chair III silence.
There's nothing prepossossinsly
handsome about this gruff western
Ell excepting the Sentleness that
turks about his mouth Bill had
perceived the seemingly mutual par
tiality Of his little Rose and The pale
faced stranger, yet why had every
one perceived it?
When young Lodding, q stalwalt
STRIPPING, had come to Pawnee Bill
to tell, in his honest, faltering e]o-
quence, the story of his love for lit
tie Rose, Bill shook the boys hand
with kind hearte>lness
Lod, - Bill said, "A love my little
gal better nor anything else on
earth, but you re worthy Of her, lad
Go ask the chit, and my heart and
SoStS w Will y wa.
Lodding never broache1} the sub
ject to Bill afterward, but his eyes
lowered and his lips twitchel pain
fully whenever the great blue eyes
of Bill met his Rose nevcr men
toned Lod's namo now, while there
was a time when she would run to
Bill with merry laugh to exhibit
tho rare mountain stone or q brace
OF game that Iod had given her
That was before there had been a
question of love; but now--well,
now it was different.
Among the miners all conversa-
Ilonal desire seems TO have fled,
and each, engaged with his own
thoughts, seems not to be conscious |
of the long silence. Some distance
eastward, silhouetted against the
transparent blue of the evening sky,
two forms are visible meandering
slowly along the rocky powders
and low lying cliffs-the figure Of
a girl, from the wide rim of whose
hat floats a tangle OF sunny curls, a
smile lighting the co1neliness Of her
youthful countenance as sho places
one slender hand in that of her com
Fanlon, who offers his assistance
from where he stands on 4 jutting
rock a little beneath her.
His lips part in genial smile, as
though he had said something anus
ing or pleasant, and the girl IS smil-
ing face breaks into ripples of
laughing smiles. Pawnee Bill has
turned and gazes at the tableau in
silence. He utters no word. Rising
silently, he moves slowly from the
still companionship of his comrades.
AS he moves from his comrades
they look at him in silence. What
harm could come to Puwnee Bills
Rosc? What would that aristocrat
be IN PaWnee Bills hands? A help
less atom, 4 reed-why, nothing at
all.
DO let US stop here. I'm tired,
Master David.
Rose, why do you persist in call
ing me Master David! Do you not
like David just as Wcll?'
Yes, but-you see-every body
here calls you Master David, and
why should be different from any
body else?''
You cannot help being that,
Rose; at least not to me. Now.
to please me, let me hear you say
David
She looked at him, half timidly at
first; then, fixing her glance firmly
On his, she says clearly and sweet
", David -
"Bravely done But l have not
yet finished. Could you not say
dear David?' -
The long lashes are lowered now,
and her face is crimson flushed.
"Couldn you, Rose:' he pleaded
She strives tomeet his gaze as be
fore, but her eyelids seem to drooD
1nvoluntari]y, and her lips falter
perceptibly as she says III Da-
vld. - She is too confused to notice (
that both her hands are held in his