Daily camera., 1901-10-07
n MAID or THE
<MoUNTAINC<
b. Edear w.ltsa Cse,sy.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
tCs0Qy>GAA ~. ~ AneAAU UoU11Dsaesl

| the darkness intsnsiAsd BY the noun
tain mists. A lonely cabin nsstlsd
amid the rocks on Pine mountain and
watched with it, one window an
other cabin ON Snake mountain,
across the ravine, aud from this win
dow = light shons, like . star on the
mountain. Below. In the valley.
squattsd the little village Of Cralg's
Hollow. A horssman rode up and
drew rein before the eabo.
"HalloAi" be shouted
The door was opened and the Hight
within revealed the torn OF . young
man in the doorway 4 ptstol shot
from the horseman was echoed BY .
voliey Of rihss from behind the sur
rounding rocks.
| The man In the doorway fell upon
his face with . groAn, and the light
within was imme ciatsly sxtingutshsd.
Leaning on the weather beaten fence
that surrounded the cabin on Snake
mountain Blanche Burton stood. Bsu-
NO. her dog. lay slsspang st her
1set She Aad . good view Of Pine
mountain, and she could 80 the occa-
sional Assh Of \ ride loAg before abe
could hear the report.
| And after awhile the shooting esassd
and ali became quiet and dark. but ssili
che stood by tie fence. the dog at her
feet and the night hrsess tossing her
raven hair.
Out Of The darkness Aaally came ths
slatter Of horses hoofs. and her three
brothers rode into the yard. The
eldest. noticing her white fses. lsapsd
| from his horse and threw Ais srms
| around her.
I'VE air all safe ~ sound. sis." As
said. ~thoush can't say - much for
them Ransoma. Sam. Ike fool
opened the door. and -"
The girl recoiled.
"Did you kill himr'' sha demanded.
almost 6ercely. Joe. did you kin
| him?"
"why. sis." replied her brother.
"what air the matter1"
"Oh. nothing" she replied. calmly;
y thought. maybe. you were hurt"
Near to the midnisAt hour. while her
brothers slept with their rides within
easy reach. Blanche Burton opened the
door Of the cabin and stepped out into
! the darkness. No lights were visible
on either mountain. aad RoAe In Crsig's
Hollow. Aboye. solitary star shons
through . rift In the clouds. Save foy
the lonely CRY Of an owl. 20 tound
broke the solemn stiiiAess OF the night.
| She VAS alone on the mountain.
Slowly and WITH painful earefuiness
the girl picked her wsy through the
dooryard, fearful lest some swapping
twig should awaken the slumberers
within and bring upon her indistinct
form in the darkness, the contents Of
deadly rife,
She bFeAtAea more freely when shs
Had passed the gate and was safely In
the road. and drawing her shawl tight
ly about her abe walked rapidly down
the mountain side and across the ra-
vine. Here she siackened her pace and
finally stopped. How loud her heart
BEAT and how warm her cheeks were!
She sat down on small bpwldeP 70
rest. but only fps moment and then
she was On her way again up Pine
mountain toward Tie Ransom cabin.
Noiselessly. carefully. that not .
| whisper should give notice Of her ap-
proach. abe crept onward. trembling.
feverish. anxioua frequently she
paused to listen for any sound emanst-
Ing from the cabin. but nothing
reached her ears. save Tie loud beating
Of her own heart.
When 1t last shs reached the little
yard that surrounded the cabin, abe
sank upon the ground and crepton her
hands and knees to the window. She
thought she heard . noise within. she
heard it again-the low moan Of man.
Thank Godl" sAs whispered 70 her
self. sThank God. he IL not dead"
And she fattened her nose against the
pane In vain sndesvor TO pierce the
darkness,
Suddenly . light Aashed: soms one
/, had struck match. In the faint, flick
ering light she made out the form Of
man stretched upon the koor, with
some one bending over him. His face
, was turned directly toward her. It was
Sam Ransom, but how pale he looked,
and what agony was painted upoe Ais
featuresl A
"Oh. Joe. brother Josi" sAs said 70
eerself, HwAat have you donef"
TIE eyes Of the man holding the
match fell upon her face. pressed
against tho window. Jnstaatly the
match was extinguishsd. and Blanche,
realizing her peril. dropped dat upon
the ground, and second later charge
Of buckshot shattered the pane. A.
piece Of the broken glass. falling upon
her forehead. cut . dssp gash, 1fon
Rhich the blood flowed freely.
1Ag unaer me friendly shelte1
Of climatis vine. sAs stopped tAs Aov1
Of blood with its leaves. Fofshousa
abe crouched there, under The tAreAt~
ening clouds, whacA ever and $500 seat
a epltsful sAowss 10 ~ eoStAs
eSouched there. listening - - cry
| Of the owl and ths low xleeaiAg of ~
wounded man.
Thrice, q she thought how nusA
was nssds< woman's tender touoA -
| ease kis fsvsriah brow, did she start M
~ II 70 90 70 him. but saeA tims ~
shook her hssd end I'D; Not ~;
not yst."
When ths first lght. sAiaing from Z
window n CraiIs Hollews wasnsd As1
Of the approach o1 dawn, sAs sTsRe
stsalthily away. srswling upca HI
hands and knsss until shs Feeabed ~
yood. And tAat moenine JeA eodaG
out 70 lssA his horses, 4ound her stand
Ing at the gats, gasiAg aanousa{
ssross the rsvins towards ~ 1Aneool
0ebin ON Pins nountAtA. a4d-weef
iAs. Hs put III assRa sso11A hss tsa'
|, dsray.T
sWAat ais ~ nestss. elsr - aa1d
sAir you Askrs
-Yes." 80 -, = - - = ~
II wcel1.w
what y \ 20 naaa ~ taAi., y
il sasked. anxioos1y. s