Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1906-08-17

startling to suddenly find ones self
launched on a boundless sea with the
wind filling every stitch of canvas and
the bow pointing to undiscovered coun-
tries. It was like that with Philip; Do
lores enthralled every sense with her
beauty and fierce love. but he could not
reconcile her with his traditions.
God knows how two young and fool,
ish creatures would have tangled the
threads of life and love. but that Fate
came in and ended the matter in a way
that would have been melodramatic
enough anywhere else but on the Rio
Grande.
Zone day-it was perfect day, | re-
member, and the prairies were like an
azure carpet of bluebells-we, Dolores
and her father, and Philip and l, had
been riding far, going to a distant part
of the ranch to pick out some cattle for
shipping. Toward evening the weather,
which had been SO fine, grew suddenly
hot and oppressive. The white heat
quivered and there seemed a suppressed
| excitement in the very air.
I'VE had come rather unexpectedly
upon the bunch of cattle that we were
| seeking, and the cowboys looked grave,
for the sultry weather presaged the
storm, and they were trying to round up
the cattle for fear of stampede. Some
times, you know, cattle become hysterical
at the coming of a Storm, and break
away, flying anywhere away from their
causeless and senseless terror, trampling
down everything in their path.
1T was only too obvious that we had
exposed ourselves to this danger There
was nowhere to 90, and the only chance
was in keeping the herd quiet, as can
often be done by the knowledge of hui
man presence. Presently there was
deep and ominous roar. the trembling
herd lifted their heads and listened,
| bull beloved wild and fierce, we felt
rather than saw the tremor that ran
| through the cattle, a binding flash of
| lightning tore the heavens in two, the
| thunder pealed and crashed, and the
stampede had begun.
Fly, fly for your ives!' was the
hoarse cry, and I had only time to see
| that the herd had broken in the direction
of Hartness and Dolores.
Together. side by side, they rode be-
fore the maddened cattle, Dolores with
her face as pale as death. By and by
Philips horse stumbled, the first sign of
failing strength in mustang; another
stumble, and Dolores drew from her
breast little revolver her father had
| given her; another stumble-the herd
was gaining on them-and she fired; the
horse and rider came down together.
'She flung herself off her own horse
and pulled Philip, dazed and stunned,
behind the animal, and crOuched over
him while the herd swept by. We found
them thus. Dolores was unhut, but
| HARNESS. head had been struck by a
hoof as the cattle went over them; and
when we carried him back to the ha-
cienda it looked as if he had come to the
end of the chapter, and that his love
story was to be brief after all.
Dolores grief and despair were mad
dening. [ remember thinking it would
be almost worth dying to be so mourned.
We could not drive her away from his
bedside, and so it CHANGED that she saved
his life after all, perhaps. We could not
rouse him from stupor that seemed
settling down into the insensibility of
death; and, at last, in utter despair, |
turned to Dolores and babe her sing.
Poor child, she was too wild with grief
to know what she did, and almost in
voluntarily she began the bugle call for
'taps'-you know it
| All, love, goodnight; must you go
When day and night l need you so?
He seemed going very fast toward
that land where there is no lights out
but her passionate entreaty recalled him,
and he opened conscious eyes upon the
world again.
Dolores [ heard him say, feebly,
and she took his hands in hers and began
covering them with kisses, and then l
slipped out of the room. What followed
was not for you or me to know, only, as
you say, Mrs. Gray, l stayed on for the
| wedding"
The deep eyes [ had looked to for
sympathy were humid with unshed tears,
and even Mrs. Gray's fat hand was not
quite steady as he passed her cup back
for more tea.
"You make romance of it," she said;
''but does the Mexican aloe bear trans
planting to our cold England? Will your
Dolores be happy among us?"
"Quien sabe," l answered, with
shrug; 1.-THE mystery of love is past find
mo ont "-TlIuStrated Bits