Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1904-09-21
The Dividends of laura Leigh

tainly was girls figure at the stile,
and pony favoring Prince tethered
at the gateway. Gould she be waiting
for him? If so 1t was the first time.
He put the thought aside. 1t was too
much to hope for.
AS he came into sight, Nellie Nc
Swain, for it was she, rose, and began
walking rapidly toward him.
"Mr. Alderson!" she gasped with
breathless excitement, you must turn
back. There's something wrong to-
nightv She leaned against Swinging
Sarah, putting out hand to catch the
bride rein.
"Why, what's the matter, Miss Nc
SWAMP" Alderson's self-consciousness
disappeared at sight of her agitation.
"Jake Andrews just rode down from
the Revenue few minutes ago, and
said Black Jack and his gang from
the Blue Hills are in this neighbor-
hood to-day. He thinks they are lurk-
ing about in the hills between here
and Ouray. The telephone wires are
cut, and there are no means of com
munication with town."
Anderson remembered vaguely that
the chief accountant had been vainly
endeavoring to get central few min
utes before he left the Office.
"You know the gang" she contin-
ued. "They stop at nothing; they
would kill a man for five dollars"
He looked down upon her with
quiet regard. And you waited here
to tell me this? 1t was good Of you.
Miss McSwain."' His words conveyed
the reverence he felt. Then he drew
himself up in the saddle and laughed,
his gray eyes swapping with the zest
Of adventure.
The girls form grew tense and she
chung fiercely to the rein. "You sha'nt
risk it, Mr.. Anderson. The towards
may be waiting down there now to
pick you off. You have no right to
place that gold in jeopardy
The gold! How the words stung
him. She was thinking only of it,
and she was right. Whipple would
not thank him for losing the bullion
by a rash move. Yet it must reach
Ouray in time for No. 5.
"You don't understand, Miss Nc
Swain; l must get this gold to the
station within an hour. 1t must be
therew
Eyes, but you need not go alone.
Leave it with me while you go back
for help; Swinging Sarah can move
faster without it. I can protect 1t:
nobody will know; it will be safe with
me. Go back, for my sake, Tom"
Had he heard aright-was that his
first name on her lips? He seemed to
see but dimly the clinging figure, as
through a mist Then he reached down
and lifted the carefully sacked retort
from the saddle-bag.
"What will you do with 1t Where
will you keep itr" His throat was
burning and he could hardly speak.
"Herev' she cried, my dinner
basketv'
"Goodl I've no time to lose. I'm
afraid I can't make it. but you shall
have your way. Wait here till |
come back"
Nellie McSwain stood motionless for
q moment as she heard him gallon
away. She looked at the white napkin
over her dinner basket, concealing its
heavy load.
"What have donew Her first feel
ing was one Of fear, and she was
white and trembling. Gle will never
make it, and the gold must be there.
Ahv The idea came to her forcibly,
and for moment unneryed her. Then
came that flash; her eyes for a mo-
ment resembled Alderson's, rejecting
the fearlessness of the Western spirit.
''I'll do it!' The resolution Gained her.
Prince no doubt felt it an injustice
to carry such an unusually heavy din
rer-basket at such an extraordinary
pace. And to think that his faithful
service should be so far forgotten that
he should be rudely stimulated with a
riding whip! Yet he was merely being
urged into simple trot, and no OBJ
server would have accused his charm
ing rider of cruelty to her beast.
She glanced back once or twice. The
sun was disappearing rapidly from
view behind the treacherous path of
the y. s. snow slide, and the canyon
was narrowing perceptibly in the
gloom. This she knew was due entire
ly to her imagination, and tried to
maintain her courage by glancing
ahead toward Mt Abram, the last
peak to release the lingering rays of
the sun in the evening. She blessed
It for its kindly brilliancy as it stood,
a guardian sentinel over the mining
camp Of Ouray, and was glad 1t
seemed so decept1yely close.
Two Of the most dangerous places