The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1899-01-24
A DESERT ROMANCE.

Christopher Morgan sat upon box
in the shade of some large bowlders and
within whip reach of the circular path
about the arastra, and at each rotation
of the mule stimulated him by touch
of the whiplash.
1t was a 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 on Morgan,
who had already almost dropped asleep.
He was about falling into still deeper
doze when he was made alert in mo-
ment at the sound of voices from lit
tie mesa above the camp.
Presently, riding down the steep and
almost obliterated trail, came first a
lank, elderly man in faded oyeralls ard
a flannel shirt, and after him a girl
dressed in coarse blue denim and sun
bonnet of the same material, riding
astride on mans saddle.
She had a light, girlish figure, and
her face was to Morgan revelation of
loveIiness, and his estimate of her at
fractions was not altogether without
some foundation. her mouth was per-
haps little too large and her nose a
trif1e 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 man 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 Boy and me lowed it'd be
the square thing to come over and gel
acquainted.
Meantime his guests had dismoUnted
and, holding their ponies by theil
brides, sat down on broad fiat rock
near the arastra, while Morgan resumed
his seat on the box facing them.
"You done we'll 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
up all natural enough, as 1 seen they
would when l first set eyes on 'em
Bull Horn S all right.
Miss Boly said nothing, but fixed he
gray eyes on Morgan and sat silentl.
regarding him in frank and interested
way which somewhat EN- barrassed him
Mr.. Bascom was not only curious a
to the past. present and future of hi
most, but was loudly overfowing will
| information as 20 himself. "My plac
is just over t'other side of this her
ridge in the other canyon" he explain
ed. 81 took up land there ten year
ago, never thinkin I'd stay there thi
time, and wouldn't if it hadn't beel
for thievin pardner of mine"
| CLOVIS that?''
"Why, this away. I'd made stak
before ever I'd come in here, landin arm
for Bolivyun insurgents, and this pard
ner, this 'ere trifiin feller Meeks, wa
in with me. We had $15, 900 profits be
tween us, mostly in big yellow twen
ties, and he comes up to my place her
sayin as he'd help develop the claim
back over the ridge on which we ha
located together. We was goin to pu
that coin all in to developin, but on
mornin ! wakes up to find him clea
gone, along with his share of the none
and mine too / tracked him out ON
the desert down Mud Springs way, an
then lost his trail altogether, and
never seen hide nor hair of him c
heard where he went to- Since the
I've had toiustle for a livin. Boly, here
she helps out herdin few COWS I'v
got on the bunch grass flats on t'othe
side the RIDGE
When his guests had remounted an
slowly clim bed the trail again, Morga
watched them till they were out of sigh