Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-05-13
CHAPTER l.


"Wilmotl I say, Wilmot! Let's stop
where we are and wait till it's light.
McAlvord' S bound to hunt us up in the
morning.
"Comc ahead. smell smoke. There
must be some sort of humanity not far
Off "
"Wcll, in heavens name. don't ex.
plorc There never was blaCker night.
And now that we've escaped ornament
ing the Oregon desert with our bones
don't let S run the risk of tumbling off
the mountain into a canyon"
Come little farther up. 1 hear a
child'S voice, and moment ago surely
saw light -
They pushed on up the steep trail,
when suddenly a child appeared before
them encircled with Il wavering light.
They were neither superstitious nOf
particularly revercnt young men, but
they drew rein i'll mOmentary awe.
However they soon discovered that the
door of a rude hut, which seemed to
cross their bride path, had been opened
by very human little hand. a youth
came and stood beside the child, and
young girl looked over its head, while
an old woman came slowly forward
from a seat by the great blazing fire.
They made inquiry for the settle
ment on McAlvord's ranch and found
that it was miles away. Then the old
woman asked them to put up their
beasts and stop for the night, and they
were glad to accept.
In another minute the youth was
leading the way, with a rickety Ian
tern, to a shed for the horses, and short
1y after the travellers We're within the
hut before n great cracking fire of fir
logs.
"Yo' mus be hungry, said the old
woman. Laurel, git summat fur EN-. -
They were hungry. There was no de-
nying the fact, They were sorry to
make trouble, but they would be CRATE.
full for a bit of food.
q" 'Tain't no trouble, " said the grand
mother i'll slow western speech, with
slow emphasis of every word. Then she
drew fir wood table from against the
wall and began to make ready for the
meal.
Laurel hung kettle over the fire,
and when the water boiled she took
great stick in one hand and stirred it
slowly while sitting through the fingers
of the other something that shone in
the freight like dusky gold The mix
ture sputtered and steamed and sent
forth most savory odOr. The girl set
the kettle beside the fire and hung an
other in its place After few moments
1a int 1nt
Two or three swift errands back and
forth for the 1.-the young figure, and
the food was upon the table and the
chairs were in place.
Then she turned and with shy cor
diality said; won't yo' set by? 1t be
all ready
She had not spoken before, but there
was charm in her gentle voice which,
by some divine magic, made the I'M
couth words sound like a new, sweet
tongue.
Craymer, now that the danger of be-
ing lost was passed, inclined to look
upon the scene as a farce enacted for
their entertainment He looked quizzi-
cally at WilmOt, who arose and thanked
her courteously.
She laid her hand on the better chair.
"This un is fur yo'," she said softly,
and Wilmot accepted it simply.
Craymers nature was not large
enough to understand the attitude Of
his companion. This was scene of
such bare poverty that he could see in
Wilmot's manner nothing more than a
continuation of the farce. So he waited
in mock gravity, with neither open
smile nor open sheer upon his lips.
The girl looked up i'll surprise. Then
she made a little motion toward the
other chair THAT thar is yourn, she
said.
Craymer sat down after an elaborate
bow, which brought an angry flash