St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1904-12-24

don't let that bullion 60 over with you;
it gives us just the proper per cent
this month";"
The bullion guard laughed carelessly
at the good-natured jest of his mana
ger. He was used to Whipple's final
| injunction about not losing the yellow
stuff He had an hour and half
| to make eight miles into Ouray, and
felt very easy about arriving in time
to catch the passenger train before it
left. It had been years since any
trouble had occurred on Sneffels road.
He rode along unconcernedly, mus
Ing over the morning ride with Miss
McSWain. AS he neared the end Of
the third mile between the mine eand
the Potosi school, he wondered if she
would be working late and if he by
any chance would see her. There was
certainly a girls figure at the stile,
and pony favoring Prince tethered
at the gateway. Could she be waiting
for him? II 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
tonight" She had leaned against
Swinging Sarah, putting out hand to
catch the bride rein.
why, what's the matter, Miss
McSwain?" Alderson's self-conscious-
ness disappeared at the 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 neighborhood to-day.
He thinks they are lurking about in
the hills between here and Ouray. The
telephone wires are cut, and there are
no means of communication with
town."
Anderson remembered vaguely that
the chief accountant had been vain
ly endeavoring to get central a few
minutes before he left the Office.
"You know the gang" she continued.
"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. It was good of you, Miss Nc
Swain" His words conveyed the rev.
erence he felt. Then he drew himself
up in the saddle and laughed-his gray
eyes swapping with the zest of adven-
ture.
The girls form grew tense, and she
chung .fiercely to the rein. "You
shan't 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
rash move. Yet it must reach Ouray
in time for No. S
You don't understand, Miss Nc
Swami must get this gold to the
station within an hour. 1t must be
there!"
eyes, but you need not go alone.
Leave it with me while you go back
fer help-Swinging Sarah can move
faster without it. I can protect it
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 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 it," His throat was
burning and he could scarcely speak.
.'Here!" she cried. my dinner-bas-
ket!'
''Gcod! I've no time to lose. I'm
afraid can't make it, but you shall
have your way Wait here till come
heck:.
Nellie McSwain stood motionless for
a moment as she heard him gal1op
away. She looked at the white napkin
over her dinner-basket, concealing its
heavy load.
What have I done?" Her first feel
ing was one of fear, and she was white
and trembling. 'sHe will never make
1t, and the gold must be there. Ali"
The idea came to her forcibly, and for
a moment unnerved her. Then came
that flash; her eyes for moment re-
sembled Alderson's, rejecting the fear
lessness of the western spirit. I'll do
it!' The resolution claimed her.
Prince no doubt felt it an injustice
to carry such an unusually heavy din
ner-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
ridiEg-whip! Yet he was merely being
urged into a 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 u. S. snow slide, and the
canon was narrowing perceptibly in
the gloom. This she knew was due
entirely 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 1t
for its kindly brilliancy as it stood,
q guardian sentinel over the mining
camp of Ouray, and was glad it seemed
SO deceptively close.
Two of the most dangerous places
on the trail, the hanging rock and
the switchback, were passed safely