The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-06-21

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on the word hunting" Were going
over the ridge now. Want to come
along and help carry the game
Harry looked speculatively at the
Kid, who was standing first on one
bare foot, then on the other. Nav.
guess not" he replied. The Kid bright
ened at once. I'm going over to the
Gold King for a while. You'd better
come along with me-"
Haven't had any breakfast" object
ed Molly
"Oh, that's nothing. Neither have I.
| I'm just out to look around. Come
| ahead"
Molly did not care a snap of her fin
gers about the Gold King claim, except
that it belonged to Cheyenne Harry;
and. owing to the rarity of that indi-
viduals visits to his property, she had
never seen it. Besides this, she had
been a good deal the last few days with
| Graham. That young man had been
interesting her greatly with most con-
densed and popularized accounts Of
| the nebular theory which seemed TO
Molly very picturesque and intellect
| ual. She was much taken with the
idea of thus improving herself, and
she gave herself great credit for the
effort, but it was so far above he
usual plane of her intellectual work
ings that she had to stand on tiptoe
to reach it, The evening before, she
had gone to bed keyed up to wonderful
resolves. To-day the pendulum had be-
gun ever so slowly to swing back. All
| the influences of outdoor life had
| drawn her to the earth; the clear fresh
ness of the early morning, the rank
smell of the wild beast, the inciplent
hero worship III her admiration of the
ell,
of bears, the actual physical contact
with the slapping clinging brush
| through which she had passed. She
breathed deep of the crisp air She
| broadened her chest, and stretched her
muscles, and drank the soft caressing
sun warmth. She felt she would like
to get down near the grass, to breathe
! its earthly smell, to kiss 1t. 1t was
the gladness of just living.
And to her in a subtle manner Chey
| enne Harry symbolized these things
just as Graham symbolized that elusive
| intangible humiliating power of the in
tellect. He was strong and bold and
breezy of manner. and elemental of
thought, and primitive in this passions
| and the manner of their expression.
He appealed to that spirit in her which
craved the brusque conqueror.
| So for the moment the idea of q
| scramble with him over these rough
dixie -strewn ridges seemed to her the
one idea in perfect tune with the wild
Western quality of the newborn day
| And, therefore, to the CONSERVATION of
the waiting Kid, she replied:
why, yes. l think it would be good
fun, though 1 don't believe there is
any Gold King claim. 1 believe it's
just an excuse for your loafng around,
for you certainly never spent much
time on it,
ITS the finest thing ever" Harry
assured her with a laugh. "I'll show
you"
The Kid stood stock still in conster-
nation.
oh" cried he, when he could get
his voice. and how about our hunt?'
You come along with US" invited
Cheyenne Harry, good-naturedly. It's
good hunting all the way
But the Kid knew better. This heed
less climbing and loud talking would be
quite different from the careful atten-
ton necessary for the destruction of
the willy Chicken" or experienced
squirrel. He looked very sad
Yes, come on" urged Molly; well
get something over in 'Teepee'."
The Kid shook his head. unable to
trust himself to speak Cheyenne Har-
ry turned away a little impatiently
I'm sorry" continued Molly. with
hesitation. Il think you'd like it. But
we've had quite hunt already, haven't
we? And we can go another time
She joined Cheyenne Harry. Peter
stood looking first at the Kid, then at
the two retreatng forms He was
plainly undecided. Molly's gingham
dress fiuttered for the last time before
she turned the corner of a bowlder. Pc
ter suddenly made up his worried mind.
The Kid was left alone.
He sat down on a rock. and rested
oh IL, hi C ~
across the valley to the peak of Tom
Custer. A tiny white cloud was sail
ing down the wind. He watched it
until. swirling it dissolved into the
currents of air. Far back in the forest
of pines a little breeze rustled, faint
as a whisper; then it crept nearer, ever
waxing in strength, until, with muir
muir as of a throng of people, it passed
overhead, and vanished with a last sigh
in the distance The Kid listened at
tentively to the birth and death of the
voice. A squirrel directly above him
broke into a rafting torrent of chat
tering rage. The Kid sat his chin in
his hands. looking out over the valley
with unseeing eyes. his little rifle rest
ing idly against his knee. The mo-
ments passed by one after the other,
distinct. like the ticks of great clock
A soft muzzle nosed its way gently
between his wrists. He looked down.
| ESleI nOIu6lNs BIdy-WIllSheIeQ
with the pathetic eyes. looked up into
his own. The Kid flung both arms
about the dogs coarse furred neck. and
burst into a passion of tears.
From the top of the ridge. where she
had paused a moment TO take breath
Molly saw the whole of this little scene.
She suddenly felt very irritated.
That Kid was certainly the most un-
reasonable OF childrenl Why. she spent
three quarters OF her time doing moth
ing but amuse him. She had got Gr
cheerfully at an unearthly hour. walk
ed several miles without breakfast. fol-
lowed him accomplishing through a
lop of damp grass and underbrush, and
now. because she wouldn't spend the
rest Of the day with him. he sulked
Forsoofh. IVES she TO give up all hei
friends her amusements. for the sake
81 that boy Molly was most impa,
tient-with the KID and she became 80
prsoCeu p'ed iu ptunR herself that shs
hardly nnfwcfed Cheyenne Harry res
E7 ord was very poor compan.
Jon gao deceived hers lf perfectly
go D che hst krr-uui of her conscious.
fHr frHfefbine fhe did not ret3g.
I|t.-t frr hipE pucem oifablf. It Na'
FI IH. nfe. "a lelflursf. slight
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