The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-06-13
FOUND ON LOST CREEK.
BY MAY BELLEvILLE BROWN. tccpyrtght. 1905. by Daily Story Fuo

quota of men who, during the hour before turning in, were indulging lh the customary running fire of lokes and argument over their pipes flna.- iy the talk fell on Masterson. the stai- wart foreman. who was living at the house. during the winter absence or the owner. The voices had dropped trihe in earnestness. for the welfare or this man was at every heart.
 "There'll be new foreman on Lost Creek before Spring." prognosticated old Bones. shaking his head. Hes gettin' thinner and more holler-eyeo every day"
 "shucksw scoffed Deacon. Worry ner heartache ain't goin' to kill the old man. But yet it gets away with me to see that sorry look on his face all the time" t Tell ye what he makes me think of fellers." spokeup Lariat Pete, rumi- hating over his pipe. "Five-six year ago we had pair O these here Saint white fellers, you know. The Boss had promised 10 take one to his little gal when he went east. so he totes off the littlest one. Well. sir. or Max never whimpered onct when he was left behind, but he jest went from one to another with the sorriest look on his face. an then he'd pace back to LHG EOdu anu Set dOW II. lOohih CdSts An he kept gettin' sadder an thinner. an more .uncomplainin' till we boys didn't know whether to shoot our selves. or go east and kick the idiot that took off the poor dogs mate. An one morning we found Max at the top of the hill. with his nose tords the east. stin as picket pin. I tell ye. that dog had as near Christian bury in as the Hell-roarin' gang thet was here could give him."
 There was a sympathetic silence for a moment. Then Pete continued:
 T don't know whether Masterson's lost a mate or not. If his hearts broke that won't kill him. Only dogs and hosses is lucky enough to die of that l don't believe he'd go off his feed an get so sorry lookin' for any thing but woman. but as we don't know nothin' an can't do nothin'. we'd best keep our tongues off an let him fight it out alone. same as Max did"
 It was we'll that Masterson was pre- occupied, else, entering before Pete had fairly finished, he would have no- ticed the guilty looks of the men. He had come over from his lonely fire to talkNof some changes in the next days work A storm was brewing, and a gang must be put to work, hauling ex- tra hay from the creek bottom; a half dozen calves and cows must be cut out and housed; the lower row of straw matched sheds needed repairing. So engrossed were they in the discussion that they realized the opening of the door only by the gust of wind which dared the lamps. Then they looked and marveled. specchless-almost breathless.
 On the threshold, smiling a little, half in fear and half in friendliness. stood a little child. She was not a ragged, shivering prairie waif. but plump and rosy, and as bright-eyed as though just awakened from sleep. A moment she scanned the faces about her and then advanced slowly toward Masterson and held out her hand.
 T fink I'll let you take care of me-" she announced. with her shy little smile. and fiattering accent on the pronoun.
 Her voice broke the spell that held the men, and they descended upon her as one. with many exclamations and questions Indeed. had 1t not been that she found herself safe on Mas terson's knee, her courage might have failed her entirely, as she looked at the bronzed faces circling about her, while the men gazed and marveled. But she bore scrutiny bravely. and smiled trustingly into the face above her.
 Where did you come from, Little One?" Masterson's voice was strangely tender.
 way off" with an indeterminate wave of the hand.
 Who brought you?"
 Some lks." Her voice hesitated triae
 questioner.
 Back to town, fink" she faltered. and then smiled bravely again.
 why did they leave you here3'
 She shook her head. T dess Ise dit tin Lonesome" At the quivering of her lip Masterson desisted. and hastily soothed her.
 "The baby can't tell" he said. Some of you men saddle up and hunt the outfit They can't have gone far"
 Several threats were simul ultaneously cleared. 'Tooke here, Masterson," ar gued Pote. lair you goin' to give that little thirg to pack of folks so pizen mean as to drop her in the middle of the prairie like this?"
 Why can't ye leave her alone, when she's among friends?' asked old Bones her if ye do give her back"
 Whatever we do with her. the thing is to find out where she came from. and why she was left" said the fore man, decisively. You'll soon over haul them somewhere on the trail. and then report to me at the house. I'll take her over there and maybe she'll go to sleep.
 
 Masterson sat before the fro hold ing the sleeping little one. The oc- casion awoke no memories. as it came to him with a sense of wonder that he had never before held a child in his arms. but ss he listened to her soft breathing aud watched her flushed face with the moist curls clustering about 1t, the tense lines of his face re- layed. an dnnder tha fnhmences Of fhh