The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1904-01-08
kED MOUNTAIN ;
|, NIIPTIAIS By ;
JOHN
BARTON OXFORD
Copyright. ieOG. by L. c. Mcclure
e1oro eSo1ceT opc7opepo,

self with an air OF determination. Billy
Crawford. lounging in the doorway of
the barroom. languidly smoking
stubby clay pipe. looked at the arrival
critically. He noted the mans face. of
the chalky whiteness of unpolished
marble. the dark rings under his eyes
and the gaunt hollows in his cheeks.
which made the cheek bones glaringly
apparent.
Billy had seen many such arrivals
before. Generally. though. they lacked
the combativcncss this mans bearing
seemed TO suggest. They were prone
to wear n tired. hopeless. often fright
ened. look. Generally. too. they went
back in a few months by the stage
again-in long box on the trunk rack
behind.
Billy was mentally figuring how long
IL would be- hefoce this one went back
in such fashion. when the young man
strobe briskly up the steps and accost-
ed him.
"Are You the proprietor herer
Billy ''reckoned he was"
Accommodate me hcre?" The young
man shot out his questions with no
waste of words.
How longT' said Billy. removing
his evil smelling pipe.
"As long as like the place." said the
other. Maybe all summer. maybe a
year. maybe longer"
Billy thought to himself. Maybe
four or five months at the most" but
he said. Guess So" replaced his pipe.
and. picking up the bulGing suitcase.
led his guest within.
From behind the closed blinds in the
second story of the little red shack
a stage station which Billy Crawford
had clristened the Red Mountain inn"
some one else had watched the ar
rival OF the stage. and that some one
was Araminta Crawford. Billy's daugh-
ter. She saw the determined looking
man, with his almost defiant air and
his pale. sunken cheeks. As her IA
ther was showing the way upstairs she
heard the mans spasmodic cough. and
her heart was filled with sudden pity
at the thought OF his coming 10 that de-
serted corner OF the world to die for
despite the reputation Of the climate OF
the Red mountain district as healer
lOA taAhd6to apparatus
minta had seen the long boxes on the
trunk rack too often to put much faith
. In it.
At supper time the young man was
the sole guest in the smoky dining
room. Araminta was waitress as well
as cook When she came into the din
ing room the guest fixed his eyes upon
, her. She was good 10 look upon-dark,
! well formed. with a fullness of figure
and an unstudied case which youth and
life in the open air had given her.
Crawford came into the dining room
+ for moment TO inquire concerning his
!. guests comfort. He indicated his
daughter with wave of his hand.
My daughter. Minta. Mr.-er-er-
: Mr.
( turning 10 the girl. From that moment
q Jack Deming dated the beginning OF
e his recovery.
r In the days that followed Deming
i saw much of the girl. He found heI
i frank, unaffected, good hearted. YET
: with q keenness of mind which accord
: ed III with the narrowness OF her sur
}. roundings. Her father and the mer
r who came to the inn were gross and
e coarse. Aside from the old negro WON
e an who assisted about the place. ther'
II was not a woman within thirty miles
e Yet the girl was womanly. quiet ant
Is possessed OF a native refinement and 8
}. simple frankness which Deming founC
n irresistibly charming.
The weeks flew past. and Deming i'm
IT. a. t.. 4.s-
pany, and the more he saw OF the gir
m the deeper grew his interest in her
n He showed her his diploma from YAH
p and told her OF his life in the worlC
outside, while she listened eagerly 70
D. every detail They walked together
~ they fished In the stream at the bacl
y of the inn, they set up a target AM
~ tried his rifles, and the girl proved L
ID be a far better shot than he. Mean
st while his lungs mendcd, and he devel
t. oped very common form OF hear
~ trouble. of which Minta was the cause
Ut There could be but one ending TO
or ALL One October night Deming sough
to Crawford, who was smoking sleepil
n in the deserted barroom. Deming mad
I'd known his intentions, and Crawfor
III CdIue suuuenly iIolu HIS SoluuOlcu
r. mood and swore roundly.
NO" said Crawford. 'Minta MARI
We a consumptivc-a tenderfoot consumI
a tive: No. sir; she is going TO MARI
u the son of old Jones. who runs th
w stage route. That was arranged year
ago. He's got money TO burn an
nothing the matter with his lungs"
Deming turned angrily on his heS
a and left the room. Outside In tn
ng moonlight he met AIinta, who laughe
of when he told her OF the Interview
Sc. whispered a few words into his ea
he and then ran swiftly into the house.
Late next afternoon. when the stag
on drew up at Crawfortrs. Deming stoo
ly on the porch saying goodby to Billy.
te. "No hard feelin'. hOper" Billy wa
saying.
/ 'None at all, assure you." Denim
'ur replied. with n twtnkls in his eye. Il
behind Crawford's back he saw I
'od Dempsey. the stage driver. helping
IN. woman into the coach.
'sh Twenty minutes later. after Il
he coach had ratified OF toward ks
Mountain. Billy called his danxbtsr.