, 1898-11-11
A DESERT ROMANCE.

Christopher Morgan sat upon a box
in the shade Of some large bowlders and
within whip reach of the circular path
about the a~rastra, and at each rotation
of the mule stimulated him by a touch
Of the whiplash.
1t was II drowsy occupation. The
monotonous creaking of the wooden
shaft. the grating of the crush stones
and the sound Of the dull, thick wash of
the tailings thus kept in muddy commo
ton acted as a sedative OF Morgan,
who had already almost dropped asleep.
He was about falling into a still deeper
doze when he was made alert in a mo-
ment at the sound Of voices from "a lit
tie mesa above the camp.
Presently, riding down the steep and
almost obliterated trail, cane first a
lank, elderly mar in faded o~veralls and
a flannel shirt, and after him a girl
dressed in coarse blue denim and IA sun
bonnet Of the same material, riding
astride on a mans saddle.
She had IA light, girlish flare, md
her face was to Morgan a revelation of
loveliness, and his estimate of her at
fractions was not altogether without
some Foundation. Her mouth was per-
haps a little too large and her nose a
trifle too ''tip tilted" for an exacting
taste, but her gray eyes were full of
life and sympathetic intelligence, her
hair golden, her teeth as white and
regular as a young animals, and her
complexion fresh and blooming.
The elderly mar hailed Morgan in a
loud voice, which woke the echoes all
about: GOOD mornin. companero! How
goes it?'
Morgan acknowledged the vociferous
greeting, and went to meet his visitors
as they rode up toward the arastra. "My
names Bascom," said the man, land
this here's my daughter Boly, short for
Bolivyer. A man passin along the road
night before last said as how you'd
bought in this here Belshazzar prop
erty, and Boly and me lowed it'd he
the square thing to come over and get
acquainted.
Meantime his guests had ~dismounted
and, holding their ponies by their
brides, sat down on a broad fiat rock
near the arastra, while Morgan resumed
his seat on the box facing them.
'sYou done well when you bought
this here property" continued Bascom.
GIVE known the ledge this ten years,
and if you go slow you'll come out
ahead of the game. Them there ~fellers,
the creditors, shut down on and busted
MP all natural enough, as l seen they
would whon l first set eyes on 'em.
Bull Horns all right"
Miss Boly said nothing, but fixed her
cray eyes on Morgan and sat silently
regarding him in n frank and interested
way which somewhat embarrassed him..
Mr.. Bascom was not only curious as
to the past. present and future of his
host, but was loudly Overlooking with
information - to himself. my place
is Just over t'other side Of this here
ridge in the other canyon" he explain
ed. ~ took up land there ten years
ago, never thinkin I'd stay there this
time, and I wouldn't if it hadn't been
for q thievin pardner of mine.
"How's that?"
"Why, this away. I'd made a stake
before ever i q come III ueIe, Iaiiuih oiAho
for Bolivyun insurgents, and this pard-
ner, this ERE trifiin Teller Meeks, was
in with me. We had sl5, 900 profits be-
tween us, mostly in big yellow twen-
ties, and be comes up to my place here
sayin as he'd help develop the claims
back over the ridge OIL which We had
located together. We vas goin to pat
that coin all in to developin, but Il
mornin l wakes up to find him clean
gone, along with his share of the money
and mine too. / tracked him out OH to
the desert down Mud Springs way, and
then lost his trail altogether. and l
never seen hide nor hair OF him or
heard where be went to. Since Their
Tvs had to rustic for a Iivin. Boly, here,
she helps out herdin a few COWS I've
got on tho bunch grass fats on t'other
sids the ridge"
When his guests had %reinounted an
alowIy climbcd the trail again. Aorfs
watched them till they were ont Of 81