Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1899-02-18
IN RED LETTERS.
BY ANDREW STEVENS.

was rough man. but he lived out
| 10 the far West, where little account
was made of roughness.
When | first saw him, he had been
trading horses with two1ndians.
He had piled them with SO much
whiskey that their brains were all
muddled, and they did not know
what they were about. The result
was, that they took home a lean,
raw-boned, old mare, while Grang-
er was the possessor Of strong,
spirited steed.
But when the fumes oil the whis-
key had passed away, back came
the Indians, mad as hornets.
"We want horse back"
"Do, eh? Well, your horse is
mine now said Granger, roughly.
Don't you know that you traded
him off to me, you fool, yon?"
"White man cheat! He gave poor
Indian too much ire-water," persist
ed Tiger Tall, tall, stalwart fellow
with an ugly face.
"Ugh! That's sor' added his com
panion, Short Jim.
Granger laughed in an aggravat-
ing manner.
swell, the trade is made, and that
is the end of it. So, be off my prem
Uses, you red rascalsl' driving them
unceremoniously out Of the little in.
closure surrounding his cabin.
Now, by-the-way, Granger'e home
was the prettiest little place in the
whole settlement L. was only a
rough-log affair, but his daughter
Nellie had planted vines around it
until the whole building was cover.
ed with the green, heart-shaped
leaves of the morning glory, while
here and there peeped out the pink.
purple and white trumpets of the
flowers.
And Nellie herself was certainly
an ornament, slight, slim, little
BODY. with sweet face tinted like a
wild rose, eyes as soft and brown,
and bright as birds, and hair that
seemed woven oat OF sunshine.
She was every inch lady, too.
Gentle and refined as she was, she
was not used to our rough ways,
only having the previous year come
from an Eastern city, where she had
lived with an aunt. After the lat
ter's death, Granger had sent for his
daughter, and from the very first
treated her with the deepest affec-
ton.
Only one wish of hers did be re-
fuse to grant--he would not let her
marry Allsn Reed.
Seven or eight years before he
had some trouble with young Reed 8
father. The dispute was over a gold
vein up in the gulch. Reed claim.
ed it, and, what is more, got it; but
Granger vowed eternal enmity. Had
it not been for this, he would have
favored the match, because finer
young fellow than Allen was not to
be found; strictly honorable in every
way, and most genial in DISPOSE
ton.
One cool evening in autumn
young Reed stopped before my
cabin door.
"How do you do, Stevens? No,
thank you. l can t come in. l only
stopped to fix my stirrup-it was
loose, and I've a long ride before
me-"
"Wbither bound?' I asked.
He gave a nervous little laugh.
"Oh, I'm going to beard the lion
in his denl That is to say, I'm 60
ing to see Nell's father! I've long
wanted an out-and-out talk with
him, but she has opposed it-fear-
ing, l suppose, that we would have
row! The old fellow is bit hasty
you know, and as for myself-well'
dare say that my temper isn't the
mildest. But Nell has gone down
10 the valley to stay few days with
Linda Gray, who is sick, and SO you
see, I'm going to take my chance
now. II words can avail anything,
Giles Granger shall give his consent
TO our marriagel Good. BY, Stevens;
pray for my successl'
THAT / wil.p' / replied heartily,
as be rode away.
The next morning, when ! went
down to my Office, found an ugly
rumor floating about. The rumor
soon became settled fact
Giles Granger had been found
murdered in his cabin, and Allen
Reed was arrested and 10 jail for
the crime.
1t was well known that Reed had
been there the previous evening, and
that one or Two travellers, passing by
/ st q late hour, had beard the sound
of angry alteration, and had recog-
! pizad nua IF Tho xrriaar M that ~