The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1906-06-08
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AND:*AIl NICKEL.

"Oh, this Is grand!' exclaimed George
Casey, as he paused for few moments to
enjoy the embracing air and scenery. All
about him the mountains lay in tumbled
heaps. farther away, the foothills sloped
down in the valley and out over the mining
camp he could see the old trail that
stretched away to the westward. He was
new to these scenes; having n recently come ns
he was drinking in the atmosphere Of the
new life to the fullest.
"Y-a-s," drawled the girl as heovertook
her companion; "but I'm thinkin' as how
We better start fer home. It's a-gettin.
from town. We can't much more than git
there by dark
"Two.bits,' said George tauntingly, IT
believe you're a. coward. Here you were
born and raised in this country, and you're
scared about being out in the hills after
dark. Now, I'm a tenderfoot, and yet I
wouldn't be afraid to wander all over these
bills from now until morning
but this was not the worst of his failngs.
Raised in wealthy family, he had been
given everything he wished, and had ruled
bis fathers house to suit himself. That
and it was his greatest desire that others
should share that opinion with regard to
him. When he found that he was to spend
mining interests, he determined that Of all
other things he would show, the people
there that here was one tenderfoot that was
not so tender after all. The few friends
whom he had made on first arriving a., at
Cold Springs, had soon tired OF ms lordly
ways and the only one who cared to accom-
pany him on his various journeys over the
hills was Two-bits, who followed him
around like a faithful dog.
Nobody could tell where Two-bits got, her
name She was. a rough, uncouth girl OF
fourteen years, born in the wids and true
TO her birthplace. The high cheek bones
and swaf fy{ # Wbeb s tSd was proud
No two characters could possibly have
been more Opposite than those of George
Casey and Two-bits. She had always been
accustomed to associating with roughly
dressed, brown-featured, bow-legged cow
kind, and sometimes enjoyed teasing her
for the amusement of the gang An admir-
alton had been awakened IN her TOT tnls
smooth-shaven, well dressed, polite young
of which she had heard such wonderful
stories, She had dreamed Of such tnd1vld-
uals but had never seen one before. he
appreciated the fact that she admired MIN,
vicinity seemed to share the, feeling, he
gladly allowed her the monopoly or IL.
So the two had formed sort of soclai
system all their own, with just two classes
master ana VdSSdl.
"N-a-w," she drawled, II amt no coward,
neither. But I tell you, we cant go Dack
the way we come, fer it's too long round.
We got to go straight back toward the
Springs an it's a good four hours walk
Mebbe yer don't know tibet them there nils
Jest above the camp has got fire all under
'em! They is great big cracks thar, tibet Is
so warm yer can hardly bear yer hand in
'em. Mebbe yer wouldn't like ter fall down
one Of 'em inter the fire.
"Ho, no, ho!' laughed the tenderfoot;
such ghost story. Now Miss" he added,
do you see that big pile of rocks yonder?
Well, that's the highest place there is
around here, and I'm going to go there. -
"Huh!' muttered TwO-bits. eyer kent
neither. while back yer thought this
was the highest-her yer are, an thet's the
highest. It'll be the same way when yer
git thar; the highest will be just beyond. l
tell yer, it's time to 60 home"
go home, then, il you want to, and are
afraid I'm going on. 1t isn't more than
ITS all of five miles! she declared; but
the master started along, and the faithful
slave followed obediently. If he were
going, there was nothing for 1t but that
She must accompany him. They trudged
along in silence for half an hour, and still
the peak seemed as far away as ever.
"COnfOund it!'' said George, at last, IF
We had not stopped so long to talk about 1t,
we could have been there before this. l
suppose it's too late to go any farther"
Had Two-bits been more cultured and
learned, it is likely she would have said,
II told you So" But she only turned as