The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-07-31

r succession of tiny terraces Of rock. !
Z was swollen with rain, but the down
pour had not been recent, for the frs
muddy flush had run off, and the tor
!, rent was clearly, darkly brown.
, AS neared the shepherds cottag
the ascent became easier, and wild
patches of smooth grass land began t.
spread out on both sides of the stream
Opposite the house, but on the farthe
bank, saw a child playing, a boy 0
perhaps or Z years old. He saw 1n
at the same moment and, at sight Of ;
stranger, bolted for the house like
; rabbit for its burrow.
The only bridge was a slender trunl
thrown across the stream, and half wa.
he slipped and fell Springing down
l ran to the bank, following a wei
marked track which was just cross
Ing, and which led as | expected, to 6
ford. Here the stream ran across {
level belt Of living rock, without bub-
bic or swirl.
i 1t was my first experience of such q
brook, and | never dreamed of the ter
rible force hid in that 12-inch race OF
| flying water The child was now with
in half a dozen yards Of where
stood, and l leaped into the middle OF
the stream. OF the next few minutes
1 have the most confused idea.
| know that my feet failed to touch the
4
under me, and down 1 Went, whirlinG
and floundering, to a pool below to
| find myself and the child floating in Il
! backWater, and q mountain ash sweep
| ing my face.
| AS I was now in some three feet of
! fairly quiet water and had in some
wonderful fashion shot through the
| whirling eddies between the rocks
| without a single blow, I swung the lit
| tie boy on the bank and climbed after
| him. AS I blinked the water out Of
my eyes, saw a swiftly running figure
| bearing down on us, a woman IN short
ragged petticoats, and, by the way she
Rugged and kissed the child, who had
escaped as luckily as myself, judged
her to be the mother.
She poured forth to me q flood Of
language of which l understood no sin
gle word, to her great surprise, as she:
showed plainly when she discovered
that I was English When she saw
me wringtng the water from my
clothes, she pointed to the house and
pulled my coat.
We We're reduced to signs, as have
read of merchant Adventures among
savages, but plain and common wants
are easily understood, and I stepped
away brislkly toward the fire to which
she invited me.
Whtesock was standing just where
had left her and saw her safe under
cover of a shed before 1 entered the
house.
The latter was the rudest and sim
plest construction, built of rough, un-
shapen stones, their chinks plastered
with mud. and rooted with thatch of
PUSHES. But inside, at one end Of the
house, was q. great turf fire glowing
redly on the hearth the smoke escaping
through hole above.
The shepherds wife drew stool to
the fire, and fairly thrust me down
upon 1t, talking all the While with ner-.
Vous energy, and patting me every
now and then, and pressing my arm
as If she could not make enough of me.
There seemed no sign of any one about
the house but herself and the child who
had placed himself on the other side
Of the fire, and within a moment the
steam began to rise from both Of us
in clouds.
The woman, busting about with
great activity, placed a small table at
my side, loaded it with what she had
barley loaf, cheese, pitcher of
milk, and a wooden dish containing a
food which l had never seen before.
but have since found 1t to be very
nourishing preparation Of oatmeal,
called in their tongue, uwd.
With many words, of which I knew
not one. but also with many striking
and expressive gestures which, being
the language of nature and the heart,
i understood very we'll, she begged Of
me to accept the best that she could
offer
I made shift to thank her in the
same manner, and fell to without de-
lay. for the mountain air sharpens ap-
petite. With much natural delicacy
she busted herself about other matters
while ate, yet CHANGING from time to
time to see If she could mark any want
which she had the means of supplying.
When had finished my meal, 1 was
still loath to start, for was by no
means dry, and the wind would be keen
a1ter sitting by this noble fire. My
hostess had disappeared. carrying q
huge pitcher, and, as I suppose, about
some household task, when heard q
rattle OF hoofs on a stony patch near
the house. I looked up, and as / did
SO, head thrust itself into the patch
OF sky commanded by the little vim
dow The latter was mere hole in
the wall, unglazed, and closed at night
by wooden shutter, now hanging
back. r11s = e 2
The head was that of a man of az
to 40 years OF age, with fiery red hair
mustache and beard. His eye was
blue gray, and bright and hard as
falcons, his nose VAS slightly hooked
his mouth shut like spring trap. Rut
1t was more the general expression Of
MS features Which impressed me than
any special point among them.
HIS face was purely Roman in its
outline. My grandfather, who was
curious In such matters, formed at R1t-
ley Croft a collection of ancient coins
ana often to my delight he had shown
me the contents of his cabinet and told
me the stories connected with them
Twelve hundred years or more had
passed since that great conquering
race had left our island and vet here
was their impress stamped as strongly
ana freshly as IL this man had marched
with sword and shield and plum I'M
DER the shadow of the eagle standard
mad ample! time to make my obserya-
lions. for the horseman remained per-
fectly atfll, his eye fixed as if watching
the far distance 4 =
Then ne started forward, ana paused
again s. before the open door, He was
sriding q small pony of the mountain
breed, and, dismounting, he tied his
reins 20 2 wooden peg fastened in the
wall. then entered the house without
ceremony. He was tall, straight fell
low, SIX feet high at least. spare and
s 9 He advanced directly to the.
iire and spread his hands to the
mere was but little light in the house
ana Inc flame had died out Of the turf.
leaving liz Bs1YflfS