The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1901-04-25
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: OLD STONER'S GIRL[
X How She Became a
5 Happy Woman. {
8 BY HOWARD. SHERTN. :
BY HOWARD. SHERIN.
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The story properly begins at mid
night on the San Luis Obispo coast
California. 20 years ago. when the Sep
TENDER 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 extremely we'll in
that rough frontier community. He
had carried off n pretty Spanish 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
house built by a Spanish hidalgo half
a century ago.
Here he farmed, raised cattle on the
unused government lands and kept a
sort Of hotel. for several mountain
trails joined ut 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
/ 1
added to the attraction, and almost
every night the dark eyed half Span
lsh girls sang and danced, and old
Stoner managed to hear all the news
that was afoat and somehow most of
the loose coin of the region ultimately
found its way into his pockets He
was n deep one that same Ephraim
Stoner, quiet sly and patient secret
in his methods and deadly in his blow.
Stoners wife and his four eldest
daughters were uneducated and in
complete subsection to his will. But
Tessa had more brains and energy than
ell the rest put together and quite as
much beauty, and SO the old Texan
ranger took a certain pride in her and
had even allowed her to attend a dis
trict school for two years.
This midnight when, as l 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.
TON, do you know my father? He
is not the careless. warm hearted man
you may suppose. | must admire his
ability, but that is all. warn you.
Tom, there never was 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 he
would be your enemy. He has other
plans for me. He wants me to marry
for money"
Tom Warren had once been the
schoolteaeher in the mountain district.
miles away, where Tessa had been one
of his pupils. Thrown upon his own
resources from his childhood, he had
developed a 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 q different nature was
being enacted ON the south side of the
old adobe. which overlooked deep ra-
vine and camp of five or six men in n
field below. For several years these
men had spent their summers there,
ostensibly 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-
zled 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 boat and carry him to
the point and leave him in the cave
there"
Yes, cap'n."
GLOW much aboard?"
about $1,000 for the Josephine min
ers."
Send it over the cliff before morn
ing, and I'll divide it up soon. But
you be extra careful-that new sheriff
is a smart one"
"All right, cap'n. and the man went
back to camp.
A moment later, just as Stoner was
going into the house, there was a
low thud of horses hoofs, and Tom
Warren, the young sheriff, rode down
the trail around the corner of the