The Washington weekly post., 1899-10-03


ciaied- There was no morbid dsiicacy Of
feeling in the gulches.
Where shall we send him." was the
query.
Jim Struggles was buried in thought
for a moment. Then an unhslIowed in
spiration seemed 10 come over him, and
re laughed uproari0usly, ribbing his
hands between his knees in the excess OF
hls delight.
Well, what Is it?' asked the eager au-
dience.
''see here boys. There's Miss Sinclair
You was saying as Abe's gone on her
She don't fancy him much. you think.
suppose We write him a note-send II 10
him tonight, you know"
Well. what them said Mccoy
Well, pretend the note is from her, dye
see? Put her name at the bottom. Let
on as she wants him TO come an meet
her In the garden at z. He's bound 10 go.
He'll think she wants 70 20 of with him.
TN be the biggest thing played This
year"
There was a roar Of laughter. The
idea conjured UP of honest Bones moon
ing about IN the garden. and of old
Joshua coming out to demonstrate with
a doubIe-barreled shotgun, was irresisti-
bly, comic. The Plan was approved of
unanimously.
Here's pencil and here's paper" said
the humorist. Who's goin' 10 write the
letter.
Write it yourself. JIM" said Shamus.
Well, what shall ] say?''
SAY what you think right"
Il don't know how she'd put it," said
Jim, scratching his head in great per-
plexity. However. Bones will never
know the diffe -ence. How will this do:
Dear old man. Come to the garden at y
tonight else I'll never speak to you
again. eh?'
mo. that's not the style" said the
young miner. Mind, she's a lass of eddi-
cation. Shed put it kinder flowery and
soft"
Well write it yourself" said Jim,
sulkily, handing him over the pencil
This is the sort of thing" said the
miner, moistening the point Of it in his
mouth. When the moon is in the
sky"
There it is. That's bully" from the
company.
d" And the stars a-shinin' bright, meet,
o meet me, Adolphus, by the garden gate
at twelve"
His name amt Adolphus," observed a
critic.
That's how the poetry comes in," said
the miner. It's kinder fanciful, dye see.
Sounds darned sight better than Abe.
Trust him for guessing who she means.
I'll sign ii Carrie. There
This epistle was gravely passed round
the room from hand TO hand, and reveren-
TALLY gazed upon as being a remarkable
production of the human brain. 1t was
then folded up and committed to the care
of small boy, who was sOlemnly charged
under dire threats to deliver it at the
shanty, and TO make off before any awk-
ward questions were asked him. It was
only after he had disappeared in the dark
ness that some slight compunction visited
one or two of the company.
"Ain't it playing it rather low on the
girl?' said Shamus.
And rough on old Bones?" suggested
another.
However, these objections were over
ruled by the majority, and disappeared
entirely upon the appearance of a second
iorum Of whisky. The matter had almost
been forgotten by the time that Abe had
received his note, and was spelling it out
with palpitating heart under the light of
his solitary candle.
That night has long been remembered in
Harvey's Sluice. A fitful breeze was
sweeping down from the distant noun
tains, moaning and signing among the de-
serted claims. Dark clouds were hurrying
across the moon, one moment throwing a
shadow over the landscape and the next
allowing the silvery radiance to shine /
down, cold and clear, upon the little val |
ley, and battle IN weird and mysterious |
light the great stretch of husband on
either side of 1t. A great loneliness !
seemed to rest on the face of nature. Men
afterward on the strange eerie
atmosphere which hung over the little |
town
II was in the darkness that Abe burton /
sailed out from his little shanty. His
partner, Boss Morgan, was still absent in |
The bush. so that beyond the ever-watchful |
Biinky there was no living being TO OBJ |
serve his movements. A feeling of mild |
surprise flled his simple soul that his I
aLgeIs delicate fingers could have formed |
Lhose great struggling hieroglyphics; how |
ever, there was the name at the foot. and |
that was enough for him. She wanted |
hlm' no matter for what, and with a /
heart as pure and as heroic as any knight |
Grant. this rough miner went forth at the |
of his love-
. lie groped his way up the steep wind |
ing track which led TO AzaIea Villa. There |
was a little elump OF small trees and /
shrubs about 30 yards from the entrance /
Of the garden. Abe stopped for a mo- |
ment when he had reached them in order
to collect himself. 1t was hardly 12 vet.
so that ne had few minutes to snare.
lie stood under their dark canopy peer
Ing al the white house vaguely outlined
IN front Of him. A plain enough dwell /
ng-place TO any prosaic mortal, but eirt |
with reverence and awe in the eyes of
the lover
The miner paused under the shade of
The trees and then moved on to the gar
len gate There was no one there. He
was evidently rather early The moon
vas shining brightly now, and the coun-
-ry round was as clear as day. Abe looked
past the little villa at the road which
ran like white winding streak over
he brow OF the hill. A watcher behind
could have seen his square athletic fig
IRE standing out sharp and clear. Then
ne gave start as If he had been shot,
and staggered up against the little gate
beside him.
He had seen something which caused
lis sun-burned face 10 become a shade |
1aler as he thought of the girl so near
lin. Just at the bend of the road. not
30 yards away. he saw a dark moving
mass coming round the curve, and lost i'm (
he shadow Of the hill II was but for
I oment; yet in that moment the quick
perception of the practiced woodman had
'ealized the whole situation. II was a
oand Of horsemen bound for the villa.
IND what horsemen would ride so by
hight save the terror Of the woodlands
he dreaded rangers OF the bush?
II is true that on ordinary occasions
Abe was as sluggish in his intellect as he
vas heavy in his movements In the hour
II danger, however, he was az remark
bile for cool deliberatiOn as for prounpt
md decisive action. AS he advanced mn
he garden he rapidly reckoned up the
'hances against him. There were half
dozen Of the assailants at the most
Moderate computation. all desperate and
ParleSS men The oupCrfor y-ao ,-ha+h1s