The Savannah morning news., 1903-06-14

a claim, where she could enjoy the
effort. There she looked charming, and
bothered the workers a little. All
workers like to be bothered a little. 1t
| is a wise woman who does not bother
them too much. The attention is fat
| tering as long as it is not annoying.
| When the men were below the surface
of the ground, she shouted down the
shaft and insisted on a ride in the
| bucket Or she rambled long delicious
! hours with Peter of Kid, from whom
she learned the philosophy of hind
| sights and the pregnant possibilities of
| holes under tree roots. These two ador-
| ed her beyond all measure. The home
| ly. -whiskered animal was all
ways at her heels; the Kid was ever
ready to waste precious cartridges on
| her behalf.
| They did much elaborate stalking
| after grouse, rabbits and squirrels.
| Most of these approaches failed, for
the reason that they were too elaborate
and too eager. Wild creatures seem to
| be sensitive to telepathic influences.
A stolid Indian, whose fatalism does
not permit him to become much ex-
| cited, can often walk directly up to
| flock of ducks, when a white man with
a breech-loading gun and desire for
a bag. could not sneak within fifty
rods. Instance also the well known
and uncanny knowledge of the common
| crow as to your possession of firearms.
! His proneness to distant flight when
| you are armed, and his sublime indif-
| ference to your approach when you are
not, may arise not from a recognition
of the instrument, but from a reading
of the desire for his slaughter.
Be this as 1t may, the bagging of
n 10
all three into wild excitement. Usual
ly, grand rush was made in the di-
rection of the fallen, Peter arrived
first. and danced. tip-toed, bristle-
backed. Molly and the Kid were not
far behind. Then came shouts OF proud
joy and feminine shrieks at the gore.
The story was detailed again and
again of just how the shot was made.
Peter agonized that he could not talk.
Finally the grouse or squirrel was
borne proudly down to ferce-mus-
tached Black Jack, the cook, who ex-
postulated and grumbled.
GO way, you two!" he growled.
Get out; don't want you around! Co
in T. bake! Vamoosel Amt hired {
skin no squirrels or pluck no birds.
Cyan't be bothered. Co way, you
two" Black Jack always talked like
this-in short, disconnected sentences
Then the girl would beg prettily,
while the Kid, fully aware in whom
dwelt the most effective persuasion,
stood by, and Peter snuffed around in
the forbidden kitchen. And finally
Black Jack would yield, with vast
SHOW of bad grace.
F4All right, all right" he would cry,
shaking his great head. Just this
once. Never again, mind you, never
again. Cyan't be bothered. Wouldn't
do it now. only just t get rid of that
dawg. That's it. Cyan't have no
dawg around. Cyan't nohow."
He took the partridge or squirrel,
still grumbling
"Oh, thank you, dear good Mr.. Black
jack" cried Molly. "And you'll save
me the wings and tail or the skin,
won't your"
At this point Black Jack always ex-
ploded violently and bundled them out.
taking a neatly avoided kick at Peter.
Then he would watch them quite out
of sight, after which he would ex-
pend the utmost care in the concoc-
ton of wonderful stews or potpies.
These clear sunshiny, healthy days
tanned Mollys skin to golden brown,
frightened her eye and her smile, and
filled her strong young body with
Astounding health and vitality. Even
her evenings did not in any way cloud
her spirits. They were of bad influence,
but why should she know that? She
was a delicious little animal keen,
shrewd, of good impulses, though her
moral nature was quite unframed. She
possessed MISUNDERSTANDING instincts
which seemed arbitrarily to place
limit beyond which she did not dream
of going; but that, she thought, was
because she did not care to 60. The
question of right or wrong, consciously
chosen. never entered her calculations.
Her only standard was her desire
and, perhaps a little, what Graham
would think of her--but she did not
bother her head one way or the other
She was happy, and was doing nothing
she regretted That was enough.
And yet the evenings were not good
mot good at all. They were bound
to exercise a certain deleterious influ-
ence.
BY habit. Molly spent her time after
dark on a corner Of the bar at the Lit
tie Nugget saloon. There she received
attention. The peculiarly of her posi-
tion lay In the fact that her good COM
radeEhip had dssipated constraint The
men talked and drank and gambled
about as usual. II must be repeated
that the girl was in no sense a ro-
mantle Idol Of the camp" The min
ers would have been well enough
pleased II she had drunk her whisky
with them as freely as they aid with
each other. A. she did not, they mere
~ put the fact down 20 personal ldl0-
syncraey, like Dave Williams horror
~ cooked rabbit. Rough men DO not
demand the finer virtues and she Was
treated 20 the reverse side Of this Idea.
She saw what men call ne. She learn
"a the game ~ faro and how meu act
who have won or lOEt % a.. She
gained q knowledge Of the strength "