Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1903-07-14

self, she belonged to the east, at which
point in her meditationS Jim Maddox
would perhaps arrive aud set her heart
to hammering at his friendly audaci-
| ties.
| It was at picnic up Apex canyon
| that the young mine os.Ier declared
| himself. After luncheon lie had taken
her farther up the gulch TO see a curl
Gus rock formation. and there. seated
ON a big rock in the shallow mountain
stream, with the steep bluffs rising on
each side Of them. he had asked her to
marry him.
I'm not worthy of you BY thou
sand miles. I'm only a rough. self
made man with a sort OF pick me up
education. / don't suppose Id know a
Gainsborough from Natter If saw
them walking down the street together.
reckon know the points OF cayuse
and ! can tell pay ore when see it,
but that happens 10 be my business.
So far as | can make it out, there's
Just one point in my favor-there
couldn't any man love you more than
I do, dear. I'll have to rest my case on
that. I'd make you happy If 1t were in
me-
Miss Huntly leaned forward and put
her chin in her hand. Her gray eyes
were troubled and her forehead fur
rowed. She looked quite cool. though
her heart thumped madly.
I'm ashamed of myself. l always
thought that girl ought to know her
own heart l have no patience with
myself" she said
do you mean
II mean that don't know, Mr.. Mad
dox. l like you more than any man
I ever met and in different way, but
I'm not sure that
From farther up the canyon there
came mighty roar. Maddox grew
white beneath the tan. He gave the
girl his hand and lifted her to her feet.
'.Come, run for your life," he COM
manded hoarsely, and she, looking In
his face, wondered at the sudden
change
They reached the bank and raced for
the sides of the gorge that shut them
In. Up the precipltous cliffs they clam
bered, his arm round her waist cling
ing to scrub brush or flaming golden
rod, rs chance happened. In another
instant the great wall of water leaped
into sight round the bend In the gorge
and tore hungrily at them. Maddox
felt the almost irresistible suction, but
hung desperately to slender quaking
aspen with one hand while the other,
still encircling the girl, clutched at
point of rock. The water caught fierce
ly at them, tore their footing from I'M
der them. beat against them with
force hardly to be denied But Mad
dox knew the struggle was for the life
he most valued on earth, for IL the cur
rent once swept them away they would
surely be beaten to pieces ON the rocks
Il can't hold on longer" she told
him.
"You must" he babe her sternly.
"Just another minute, girl"
How long that minute was he never
knew. but at last the water from the
cloudburst had spent Its force and fall
en- away from them. Together they
worked slowly up the cliff to great
abutting rock. and on this the girl sat,
almost fainting with fatigue and ex-
citement. There was still great fear
In her face. She held her hands out
to Maddox
Don't let me go. l am afraid" she
said. Then again, shiyering. Il am
afraid, jim"
His eyes shone. ITS all right now
Helen. The danger is past I'll stand
by you, little woman"
He put his arm around her and kissed
her hair. She, still trembling, snug
gled closer In his arms.