The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-07-09

| ACeilu NtlCtSs anu the IlSufeE- OF IWs
men appeared on the trail.
They were talking earnestly, anC
walking as if familiar with the spot
yet gazing around them as if at some
novelty of the aspect.
And look there" said one, "thert
has been some serious disturbance OF
that outcrop''-pointing in the direction
of the spring-'the lower part ha:
| distinctly subsidized" He spoke with 8
certain authority, and dominance OF
position, and was evidently the super
Tor as he was the elder of the two, al
though both We're roughly dressed
'Yes-it does kinder look as if it had
lost its holt-like the ledge yonder"
And you see 1 am right-the move
ment was from east to west contin-
ued the elder man.
The girl could not comprehend what
! they said, and even thought them a
little silly. But she advanced toward
them, at which they stopped short
staring at her. With feminine instinct
| she addressed the more important one
e amt passed no wagon nor team
goin' on. hev YEP"
What sort of wagon?" said the
man.
''Em'grant waggen-two yaller HOSES
| Old man-my dad-drivin'" She add
ed the latter kinship as a protecting
influence against strangers, in spite -
her previous independence.
The men glanced at each other.
How long ago."
The girl suddenly remembered that
she had slept two hours.
Sens noon," she said, hesitatingly.
Since the earthQuake?"
''Wot's that?''
The man came impatientlv toward
her.
How did Won come hereon
Got out the waggen to walk. 1
reckon dad missed the trail and hez got
| off somewhere where 1 can't find him.
What trail was he on-where was he
going?"
San Hozay (San JOSEF, reckon. He
was goin' up the grade-side o. the hill
He must hev turned off where there's
big rock hangin' over
Did you Sc him turn off?''
No
The second man, who was in hearing
distance, had turned away, and was
ostentatiously examining the sky and
the treetopS; the man who had spoken
to her Joined him, and they said some
thing in a low voice. Then they turned
again and came slowly toward her
She, from some obscure sense of imi-
tation, stared at the treetops and the
sky as the second man had done. But
the first man now laid his hand kindly
on her shoulder and said, sit down.
Then they told her there had been an
earthquake so strong that it had
thrown down a part of the hillside. in
Guiding the wagon trail. That a wagon
team and driver such as she had de-
scribed had been carried down with it,
crushed to fragments and buried I'M
der hundred feet of rock in the gulch
below. a party had gone down to ex-
anime, but it would be weeks perhaps
before they found it, and she must be
prepared for the worst. She looked at
them vaguely and with fearless eyes
Then We reckon dads dead?"
I'VE fear it."
Then wot's goin' to become O. me?"
she said, simply.
They glanced again at each other.
Have you no friends in California? ?"
said the elder man.
Mary one"
What was your father going to do?"
Dunno. reckon he didn't either"
You stay here for the present" said
the elder man meditatively. Can you
milk"
The girl nodded And I suppose you
know something about looking after
stOck?" he continued.
The girl remembered that her father
thought she didn't, but this was no
time for criticism, and she again
nodded.
Come with me- said the older man.
rising. Il suppose" he added, CHANGING
at her ragged frock. everything you
have is in the wagon?" She nodded.
adding with the same cold naivete, 1t
amt much
They walked on, the girl following:
at times straying furtively on either
side. as if meditating an escape in the
woodS-which, indeed, had once or
twice been vaguely in her thoughts
but chiefly to avoid further questioning,
and not to hear what the men said to
each other. For they were evidently
speaking of her, and she could not help
hearing the younger repeat her words
"Wot's goin' TO become o. me-" with
considerable amusement. and the addi-
ton: Shell take care of herself YOU
bet. / call that remark o hers the
richest thing out"
And 1 call the state of things that
provoked it monstrous!" said the elder
man grimly. You. don't know the
lives of these people,
Presently they came to an open clear
ing in the forest, vet so incomplete
that many of the felled trees partly
Topped of their bOughs, still lay where
they had fallen. There was a cabin
or dwelling of unplaned, implanted
boards. very simple in structure, yet
made in a workmanlike fashion quite
unlike the usual log cabin she had seen.
This made her think that the elder man
was a ''towny' and not a frontiersman
like the other.
AS they approached the cabin the
elder man stopped, and, turning to her,
said:
DO you know Indians?"
The girl stared and then recovered
herself with a quick laugh. "G'langI-
there amt any Injins here,'
Not the kind you mean. These are
very peaceful. There's a squaw here
whom you will" He stopped and hest
tated as he looked critically at. the girl
and then corrected himself. who will
help you?"
He pushed open the cabin door and
showed an interior, equally simple, but
well Joined and fitted-a marvel of
neatness and finish to the frontier girls
eyes. There were shelves and cupboards
and other conveniences, yet with no os-
tentation of refinement TO brighten her
rustic sensibilities.
Then he pushed open another door
leading into a shed, and called ''Waya."
A stout. understood Indian woman
fitted with a coarse cotton gown. but |
cleaner and more presentable than the |
girls one frock, appeare1 in the door !
way. This is Waya, who attends to |
the cooking and cleaning" he said. |
andy the way, what it your name ?" !
Libby Jones'
He took a small memorandum book
and a stub of pencil from his pocket. |
Elizabeth Jones" he said, writing it |
down. The girl interposed a long red |
hand.
NO" she interrupted sharply, mot
but Libby; short for Lib
erty.''
Il .iberty?"