El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-01-23

his decidedly unconventional garb-
! Hold on cried the capitalist as
/ they walked toward the superintend-
ent's cottage. "Are you Bobsy?"
That's what the Chinese cook calls
me-" laughed the young man, land I
, believe the rest of the camp has adopt
| ed the title. We all have our nick
names out here, you know. But this is
the superintendent cottage. Miss
Grace will take my room, and you, sir,
will take Mr.. IngersolPs. The Chinese
servants will serve your meals here"
"And will you not join us?' asked
Grace in her sweetest manner.
81 should be pleased to-" he answer
| ed simply and turned away to talk
| with her father.
Robert came to supper and the only
| changes he had made in his toilet were
| the removal of his SLOUGH hat and the
addition Of rough sack coat. But he
was nowise embarrassed. He certainly
| talked well, and Grace saw that her
father was greatly taken with him.
Robert went away early, knowing
| they were tired and presumably sleepy.
AS the sound of his footsteps died on
the gravel walk the capitalist turned to
his daughter.
"Seems a little different, doesn't hep
he asked.
Different from what, daddy?'
'Why, from the whole tiresome lot Of
conventional young men,"
He does,'' said Grace lightly
There was pause.
Aren't you just a little sorry now
you refused him?' chuckled the old
man.
This isn't the man / refused said
Grace softly.
The ten days of their stay passed
rapidly. Thanks to the preparations
made by Robert for their coming the
roughness of camp life was greatly
softened. He had worked like a Tro-
jan to make them comfortable. He had
actually brought water in sluice pipes
from spring in the mountain side and
fitted up a rude but very Serviceable
bathtub in the cottage for the use of
Grace. In fact, she heard of his en-
ergy and industry on every hand. And
she noticed, too, that her father leaned
upon him more and more.
Once she took her parent to task a
little for absorbing so much of Rob
ert's leisure time.
1.-The boy is full of business" said
her father shortly. Hes carrying a
big load here, and there's no shifting
it till Ingerson comes back. I've been
doing what 1 can to tighten it a lit
tie"
Whenever she saw Robert he was in
his rough and ready mining garb-stal
wart, sunburnt, sinewy. He never al
luded to his clothes, and Grace came to
believe that he never thought of them
He was always at ease in her pres
ence, and yet, strange to say, paid her
no compliments, a fact which seemed |
all the more remarkable when she |
glanced in her little mirror and saw
the pleasing effects of the pure noun
tain air and the simple, wholesome |
diet.
She couldn't understand it.
Had he-had he ceased to care for |
her? and she whispered this contin-
gency with a sinking heart. Had she, |
like the ignorant Ethiop, thrown away
her pearl? Had this splendid, uncon-
ventional fellow quite outworn her
earlier Vaccinations? 1t sadly looked
like it.
Then came the day of their depar-
ture, and still Robert hadn't spoken.
But along in the early morning he said
to her:
''Shall we take a farewell look to-
gether at the happy valley?"
So they walked up the hillside path
a short distance to a wooded plateau
that overlooked the valley and its
foaming stream for many miles. Rob
ert had made a little seat just within
the thicket, and they sat down. For a
moment both were silent. Then Rob
ert spoke.
"WeT.'' he quietly said, 'have you
Grace looked up with a start. There
was a masterful air, about him that
fairly paralyzed her tongue. She could
only stare and wonder.
"Time is slipping by said Robert as
ne consulted his watch. Il must seize
the first opportunity to speak to your
father"
Grace tried to say the cutting things
hat surged in her mind. But when
she caught Roberts eye looking down
1pon her with a tenderness of express
sion that altogether belied the bust
,esslike form of his speech she gave a
title gasp and incontinently surren-
Tered.
Fifteen minutes later Robert and the
capitalist clasped hands warmly
"AI1 right. eh?" queried the latter,
With a broad smile.
Yes, SIR replied Robert, sit worked
ust as you wrote me it would. But it
las been a hard part to play"
But you played to win. 1t was the
Id clothes and the brusque manner
nd above all, the environment that
erved to clinch her affection, for Pm
ure my little girl has loved you for a
ong time, my boy