The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1901-03-09

tnG wolves, and she would be sure to
be seen and rescued by the first train
that came along after daybreak
She approached the track over per-
fectly dry ground. To reach the tele-
graph poles, she sprang nimbly into
the ditch; and as she did so, she saw
stream of water coming rapidly toward
her-it was the front of the flood. The
ditch on the opposite side of the track,
which also she must cross to reach the
line Of poles, she found already full
flooded. She decided to run up the
track, between the walls of water. This
would put a ten-fOot stream between
her and her pursuers, and change her
course enough, she hoped, to throw
them off the scent. In this design she
was partly successful, for the bay Of
the wolves showed that they were go
ing to the track as she had gone, in
stead Of cutting straight across toward
her. Thus she gained considerable
time. She reached the little aroya
spanned by the dry bridge; it was like
mill-pond, and the track was afloat.
She ran across the bridge; she scarcely
slackened speed, although the ties
holding them to the rails.
She hoped for moment that the
wolves would not venture to follow her
over such a way; but their hideous
voices were still in her ear and came
nearer and nearer. Then there came
to her, family, another, strange me-
tallc sound. What was it? Where
was it? She ran on tiptOe a few PAGES
in order to hear it better; it was in the
ralls-the vibration Of a train in motion
Then there came into view a light-a
headlight; but it was SO far away, so
very far, and that awful baying so
close! The MARY Ann" however, was
!leeter Of foot than the wolves; the
light grew big and bright and the
sound Of working machinery came to
the girl on the breeze.
Would they stop for her? Could she
make them see her? Then she thought
Of the bridge. 1t was death for them
as we'll as for her-they must see her.
She resolved to stay on the track until
they Whstled her off: but now the light
seemed to come so slow. a splash at
her side caused her to turn her head;
and there, a, dozen feet away, were her
pursuers, their tongues out, their eyes
shining like balls of fire. They were
just entering the water TO come across
70 her. They fascinated her by their
very fiierceness. Forgetting where she
vas for the instant, she stared dumbly
at them until called to life and action
by scream from the locomotives
whistle. Then she sprang from the
track just in the nick of time. She
actually laughed as she saw two gray
lsh-White Wolf-tails bob here and there
among the sage brush, as the wolves
took flight at the sight of the engine
This was the story she told us as she
dried her garments before the furnace
door, and I confess to holding this cool,
self-reliant girl in high admiration
she never once though of fainting, but
along toward morning she did say that
she was scared then. at thinking of it.
Early in the morning, a party of
herders, with Josephine's father ahead,
rode into sight. They were hunting for
her. Josephine got upon the tender to
attract their attention, and soon she
was in her fathers arms. Her fright
ened pony had gone home as fast as his
legs would carry him, and a relief party
swan their horses at the ford and rode
forward at once.
The old Don was profuse in his
thanks, and would not leave US until
Billy and I had agreed to visit his
ranch and enjoy hunt with him, and
actually set a date when we should
meet him at the big corral T wanted
rest anyway, and it was perfectly
plain that Billy was beyond his depth
in love with the girl at first sight; so
we were not hard to persuade when she
added her voice to her fathers.
Early in September Billy and I drop
ped off No. with our guns and "plund-
err as baggage is called there, and a.
couple of the old Don's men met us
with saddle and pack animals. I never
spent pleasanter two weeks in my
life. The quiet, almost gloomy, old
Don and became fast friends and the
hunting was good. The Don was a
Spaniard, but Josephine's mother had
been a Mexican woman, and one noted
for her beauty. She had been dead
some years at the time of our visit.
Billy devoted most of his time to the
girl. They were a fine looking young
COUPLE, he being strong and broad
shouldred, with laughing blue eyes and
light curly hair she slender and perfect
in outline, with a typical Southern
complexion, black eyes-and such eyes
they Were-and hair and eyebrows
like the ravens wing.
A few days before Billy and I were
booked to resume our duties on the
deck Of the MARY Ann" Miss jose
phine took my arm and walked me
down the yard and pumped me quietly
about MIR. Howell" as she called Bill
ly. She went into details little, and I
answer all questions as best I could
All / said was in the young mans fav-
! or-it could not, in truth, be otherwise
Josephine seemed satisfied and pleased.
When we got back to headquarters,
was given the care of a cold-water
Hinkley, with a row of vanished cars
behind her, and Billy fell heir to the
rudder of the MARY Ann We still
roomed together. Billy put in most Of
his lay-over time writing letters to
somebody, and every Thursday, as reg
ular as a clock, one came for him, with
a consors mark on it. Often after
| reading the letter Billy would say: