Smyrna times., 1904-07-20

By c. B. LEWIS
Copyright, 1901, by C. B. Lepts
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS,
By c. B. LEWIS
Copyright, 1901, by c. B. Lepts

There was but one passenger to
alght at Snow Hill, on the Southern
Pacific road and in the cattle and In
dian country, and that was Miss Bessie
Vaughn of Chicago. Her schoolmate.
Nettie Long, whose father owned and
managed the big Long ranch and who
was now living with him out in the
wilds, had written that person would
meet Bessie at Snow Hill with a buck
board and bring her safely to the
ranch. The person" proved to be a
young man of twenty-five, dressed as
a cowboy, but having rather distin-
guished look about him. While he
was Fastening along the platform and
yet thirty feet away the girl acknOwl-
edged to herself that his features were
good and that his face showed charac-
ter and ambition. Perhaps it was for
these reasons that, while he was COW
erng the other thirty feet, Miss Bessie
suddenly decided that he ought to ta
snubbed.
This is Miss Vaughn of Chicago, l
presume?" he said as he lifted his hat
and smiled welcome.
What right had he to presume? Ry
what right did he smile a welcome and
seem ready to shake hands? The girl
looked cOldly at him and slightly nod
ded her head, and that was snub No. /.
The young man took it 50; but, though
lie colOred up, he did not lose his smile.
You will give me your checks,
please, and l will put your trunks
aboard, and we will be off,
There was a touch of authority in his
tones that nettled the girl, and she
turned away and delivered up the
checks with her own hand She would
also have loaded the trunks on the
vehicle if she had been strong enough.
Snub No. had followed fast on the
heels of snub No. /.
I'VE have fifteen miles to drive, and
the road is rather rough" observed the
young man as they got seated.
No reply. Snub No. 3.
Il take it that you have never visit
ed this section before?" was remarked
after the silence had lasted for mile.
NO"
But l trust you will find novelty
and pleasure"
Miss Bessie looked straight ahead
and shut her teeth hard. What was
ii to one of Colonel Longs hired men
whether she enjoyed the west or not?
The man was presumptuOus, and she
meant her silence to be another snub.
Whether it was so taken or not, it was
not more than five minutes before a
voice which had a touch Of the paternal
in 1t remarked:
You don't look Overwell, and cou-
pie of months of this bracing atmOs-
phere will do you a world of good"
Sir are you u practicing physician?"
asked Miss Bessie as she turned to
look the young man square in the eyes.
well, no." he slowly replied.
Then you need not bother to take
charge of my health"
That was what the boys would have
called a settler, and it hung the young
man up for the next ten minutes
When he spoke again, however, it was
as if nothing had happened.
ut was on that hill over there" he
quietly said. as he pointed with his
whip, that four of our men were sur
rounded by fifty Indian warriors two
years ago"
Miss Bessie deliberately turned t
look in the opposite direction, and SHE
felt that he was smiling as he con
tlnued:
Zone of the boys was killed, but the!
killed twelve Indians and held thei
ground all day"
What was it to her whether one o
the whole four cowboys were killed
Indeed she found herself almost wish
ing that all had been wiped out. Sh
hadn't the slightest interest in th
affair-nOt that day.
"And over there in that valley
where a drove Of steers ran over an
tramped the life out of two of Ou
men last spring. We didn't even fin
their boots"
Miss Bessie looked straight ahea
and made no reply.
And you wouldn't believe, woul
you, that this insignificant creek W
are crossing was mile wide and te
feet deep last May? We lost thoI
sand head of stock in that flood"
Still no reply. 1t was snub afte
snub and she meant to tire him ou
This time the silence lasted for tftee
minutes, and she it was who broke
at last. The horses had SHE'D at
coyote lodging for cover and starte
away on a tearing gallop. The youn
man kept them on the trail, but mao
not the slightest effort to check II
pace On the contrary, he hummed
popular air as they laid down to the
work. The visitor stood it as long
she could, and then turned and e.
claimed:
Cant you see that the horses al
running awayT
II have seen it for some time past
he quietly replied.
''rhen why don't you stop themT
Il will If you so wish, but run
few miles won't hurt them any"
She did wish it from the bottom