Morris tribune., 1901-04-20
OLD STONER'S GIRL
How She Became a
Happy Woman.
Wy HOWARD. sHERIN.
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TIE story properly begins at mid.
nicht on the San Luis Obispo coast,
Cali ornia, 20 years ago, when the Sep
temher moonlight shone down upon
Stoner's cattle ranch, near the Pacific
ocean. in the rugged Santa Lucia
mountains.
Stoner had been a Texas ranger and
could hold his own extremeaS' well IN
that rough frontier Solnn.ts.. lie
had carried off a pretty Span. h wife
from the Chihuahua region years be-
fore. had brought her to the rocky
California coast and had purchased
a settlers claim and an old adobe
hoiiS,a built by Spanish hidalgo half
a ce,4tury ago. 4
I!ere he, farmed, raised cattle on the
unused government lands and kept a
trails joined at that point the broad
highway which led from the county
seat. 20 miles south, to the northern
settlements in the pineries. He had
five daughters, too, the youngest, Their
esq. known as Tessa, a girl of II. That
added to the attraction, and almost
everf night the dark eyed half Span
ish- girls sang and danced, and old
StC.er managed to hear all the news
that, was afoat, and somehow most of
the loose coin of the region ultimately
found it's way into his pockets, He
was a deep one, that same Ephraim
StC.er, quiet. sly and patient, secret
in IS methods and deadlyein his blow.
s. uler's wife and his four eldest
dai.%hters were uneducated and in
complete subsection to his will. But
TeSsa had more brains and energy than
all ne rest put together and quite as
much beauty, and so the. old Texan
re ger took certain pride in her and
had even allowed her to attend dis
trict school for two years.
This midnight when, as | have said,
the story begins a person of a prying
disposition might have discovered sew
eral interesting performances in prog
ress around the Stoner abode. On the
north side of the house Tessa was lean
ing from her window conversing in low
tones with blond. fair haired and
sturdy young man on horseback.
Tom, do you know my father? He
is not the careless, warm hearted man
you may suppose. I must admire his
ability, but that is all. | warn you.
Tom. there never was a more danger
Gus man. He may be where he hears
every word you say, though if he is he
will not speak to You or me about it.
But if he knew you cared for me be
would be your enemy. He has other
plans for me- He wants me to marry
for money"
Tom Warren had once been the
schoolteacher in the mountain district.
miles away, where Tessa had been one
of his pupils. Thrown upon his own
resources from his childhood. be had
developed strong. earnest character
and was already so popular in the
county that he had just been elected !
sheriff, though the youngest man on
the ticket.
While Tessa and her lover were talk
ing scene of different nature was
being enacted on the south side Of the
old adobe, which overlooked deep ra-
vine and a camp Of five or six men in
field. below. For several years these
men had spent their summers there.
sDstensibly hunting, fishing and explor-
ing the country with their dogs and
guns. Every one knew them, and most
persons liked them. Tessa did not
Stoner, though it was midnight, sat
IN the moonlight on an old rawhide
chair outside the door smoking his pipe
and meditating-a tough. sinewy, griz-
Eled night owl Of man.
''That internal knucklehead at the
camp ought to have reported before
now" he thought to himself as. he
smoked.
A man came out of the brush and
spoke deferentially.
"Cap'n, good evening"
You're late.'
"Dick was shot"
"Well?
"Just as the driver throwed off the
box Shot by a passenger in the neck
and shoulder"
lie mustn't stay here to get us into.
trouble. Take a boat and carry him tn
the point and leave him in the cave
there"
Yes, cap'n.'
How much aboard?"
about $1,000 for the Josephine min.
ers'
Send itsoyer. the cliff before morn
ing. and I'll divide it. up soon. But
you be extra careful-that new sheriff
is a smart one"
"Ail right.cap'n. And the man went
back,.to camp.
A moment later, just as Stoner was
going into the house. there was.
low thud of horses boots, and Tom /
Warren, the young sheriff, rode down
the trail around the corner of the
old adobe building into the country
road that led to the west. He had at