The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-01-12
for a girl to step aside to avoid
snake, for instanceY'
I shuldcred again.

snake, for instanceY'
shuddcred again.
"Well. this Is just where met Nan
that day. can see her now. bless her
heart, dancing along In the little short
skirts and baby cowboy boots she loved
to wear and dangling her big sombrerc
by it's cord. She hadn't seen me, and
I turned to hike back the way l came
for Lee Bailey was on her trail and I'd
possibly stand it.
Just as she came to that turn where
the bowlder juts out she gave little
scream and turned so suddenly that her
foot slipped and down she went right
on the edge. She held on to that rock
for dear life and shrieked: Lee! Oh,
Lee!
''l'hat Lee settled me. and l stood
still. like Il stubborn mule, and let her
yell. knew he could pick her up
easily enou:o> and wouldn't butt in
But when | reconnoitered around the
bowlder was behind l was the cause
Of the disturbance-this MIR. Rattlcr,
ruftiing himself up like the coil of an
electrocutioner and disputing the right
Of way with my girl
"And there was Miss Nae :hite with
fear. staggering right Oh ), edge of
the precipcc. too paralyzcd to move
back up the TRAIL
"Where was Bailey. the noble res
cucr?' ! asked as Dane paused and
gaZed refectively into the lighted end
Of his cigar. .
Eyes; that was what l wanted to
know. He'd made for camp on a lope-
that's where he was. the coward-to get
fishing rod to kill the snake with. he
explained afterward, but it didn't 60
down with Nan. Wien saw her nat
ural protector deserving her stepped
out In the road. bowed low, pulled my
gun and blew the gentleman's head of
the rattler's, not Bailey's, though that
would have been a job to my liking
too. He wasn't as much Of a gentle
man us Mr.. Snake. for he was polite
enough to tell right out what sort of
poison critter he was, while the human
serpent wasn't"
"And Nam: l even forgot to puff
smoke in my interest.
"Acted just right, like the heroine in
a melodrama-fainted promptly on to
the shoulder of her faithful knight, and
when he'd walked her up again by
means Of kisses and other shocks she
promised to love and obey him ever
after, and nothing would do but that
snakeskin must be fixed up with the
trimmings you saw as one Of our Lares
and Penates, but whether q Lar or
Pcnate don't know, being rather mis-
ty on mythology since l left college.
All, there's the moon at last! Isn't this
country great at night?"
eyes, yes" exclaimed impatiently,
without a glance at the wonderful
panorama of rolling, pine clad, snow
capped submits now being transfg-
ured by the rising glory. "But what
became of Nan? Why didn't you
marry
'Oh. there you are, dearr' called out
a silvery VOICE ahead of us farther up
the slope. II We been waiting for you
a long time. You have been two hours
climbing the gulch. 1 came up the
short cut. 1t takes more breath, but
less time"
"Well, little girl, you've got plenty of
BOTH" answered her husband, sprawl
ing himself over the thick pine needles
at pretty Mrs. Danes feet and laying
his head shamelessly on her lap. Her
small fingers buried themselves in his
hair. He pulled them down to his lips.
1--WE took the time because was using
up all my breath telling Jack about the
snakeskin belt, Nan, dear"
'Oh, that old storyv' l could see her
blush delicately in the moonlight.
Another light than that of the moon
broke in on my darkened senses. ooh,
then you did marry her? I thought you
said
MY first sweetheart? Sure, SO did
land Mans it,"