The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-03-31

Monte Jim stalked gloomily along the
trail. 1t wound on and above the canyon.
Through the pines and cedars he canght
glimpses of the valley below through which
the swollen river rushed madly along.
I S~omething-what was it"-stirred in the
I soul of this man. with the face as impassive
as the mountains about him. He rec illed
many scenes OF his strange ard varied life.
| The roaring of the river down there below
the pines brought back the sound Of &c
| stream that ran under the windows Of a
i farmhouse away in the Mowhawk Valley IN
J York STATE. The agate eyes cleaning Colby
| under the Tapping brim of his hat narrowed
with "reminiscences. Once he stopped. took
! off his hat and looked up to the gray sky.
| 1t could not be that Monte Jim thought of
: a PRAYER taught him long ago bv his Goao
! mother: Who shall say what emotions
! lurked behind that masklilie countenance?
| After he had walked a mile or so Monte
! Jim had recovered his equaninity am
! sauntered back to the camp as co'dlT I'm
/ perturbable aud insolently defiant as ever.
AS he came down the trail he suddenly
paused. His ear had caught n strange
noise. He listened. 1t was the sound of
weeping.
Monte lin hesitated a moment. then.
turning quickly TO the left of the path.
entered the forest. y few steps brought
him In sight Of a figure seated on n fallen
log. 4 woman, wrapped in a shabby old
gray cloak. rimm ed with tawdry fur. was
sobbing bitterly. her face In her hands.
Monte Jim Went forward and touched her
on the shoulder. She started up and faced
|, him. 1t was Jess Bowen. the dancehouse
girl. Her face was discolored from Weep
ing. and there was a deep purple brutse
/. on her cheek. Her thin. wretchedly blon-
dined hair was tangled and unkempt. Her
hands were red from the cold. She was
| anything but prepossessing. and yet there
| was a forlorn pathos about the shrinking
| figure and bruised. tea r-stained face that
provoked SYMPATHY.
oh. it's you. is it, Jim?" she said. 81
thought for a second it was Pete"
Did he give You that check?' asked
Monte Jim.
The girl nodded. and then sinking down
on the log. burst again into bitter sobs. 20.
Jim" she cried. II wish 1 were dead: If 1
had the courage I'd jump off into the
river"
Monte Jim made no answer. He stood
regarding Jess attentively.
I'm sick of it all she moaned, sick of
my horrible sell. my noTIlple me. ", Jill,
1 don't know what it is. but something
maybe it's the spring and the soft air
something has stirred the decent part Of
me. I've been thinking. too, of old days
my old home-my mother"-her head sank
upon her knees and she groaned aloud.
Something touched her lightly on the head
what was it?. A kindly hand? There was
a whisper-or was she dreaming?-'Poor
girl!'' it said.
She looked up. She was alone. Monte
Jim had vanished as suddenly and COM
pletely as if the earth had opened and
swallowed him.
Sandy Pete was storming and cursing
about the dancehouse door, when a shadow
fell between him and the cold spring sun.
Get out of my way. damn ye!" he snarled.
The next instant he was lying fiat on his
back and a shining Derfinger was thrust in
his face. He screamed with terror. Is
BE thankful l don't kill you. you curt
said Monte Jim, quietly. IF you ever touch
that girl, Jess. again, I will. Remember
that!' Then he quietly pooketed his pistol
and ~strolleC away toward Toby's.
There Was great excitement in that re-
SORT. Nick had just como in from Durango.
He had seen Montandon there. who had
sent word that he would be at the camp in
a day or so. He got his wife and boy
and a tall, handsome young lady-a num-
Der one-with him, and they're a-goin' to
open up Jerry Vancouver's house up on the
hill and stop here most all M an
nounced Nick.