The Washington herald., 1906-10-28

stay in Boise. Sine ran away and tried
70 go on foot TO him away up in tho
mountains. where the mining camp was.
When he heard of It. they say he laughed.
and ] suspect that he sworc an oath or
two-he lived among rough men you know
but If he did, they were swear words OF
admiration; he said II was just Ike her
independence and pluck. But he made her
stay in Boise"
He knew what was right and what was
due both him and her, because now he
was becoming a great man in the North
west He rose TO power in both financial
and public life, and his daughter must be
equal 10 her fortune. Bat he spoiled her
you can see that, and how could he help
it,"
she was fifteen before We heard that
she was alive. and then ar. Grayson and
her other relatives wanted b take her
and care for her. but MT. Plummer re-
fused 10 give her Up. and he was right
He had saved her when he found her z
little girl alone in all those vast noun
tains, and he was entitled to her. Don't
you think so. Mr. Harley?''
Il do" replied Harley, with conviction.
We yielded to his superior CLAIM, bu1
ne sent her more than once TO see Us. w
loved her from the first, and we love her
yet"
Here Mrs Grayson parsed and hest
tated over her words, as II Al embarrass-
ment.
But it is not you and Mr.. Graysou
alone who love her" suggested Harley
1t Is not we alone; in Boise every
body loves her, and at the mines and on
hr. Plummer's ranches they all love
her. too"
Il did not mean just that kind OF love"
Mrs. Grayson flushed little, but she
continued;
You are speaking Of Mr. Plummer
himself; she was his daughter at first.
and so long as she was little girl I SUP
pose that he never dreamed Of her in any
other light. But when she began 10 grow
into 2 young woman. Mr. Harley-and a
beautiful one. too, as beautiful as she IS
good-he began TO look az her in a diff
ferent way When these elderly men.
who have been so busy that they have
not had time to fall ia love DO fall in
love, the fail IS sudden and complete
Mr. Plummer was like the others. And
what else could she do? She was too
young 10 have seen much Of tho world
There was no young man, none OF her
own age. who had taken her heart. ar
Plummer IS a good man. and she owed
him everything OF course. she accepted
MIN. ask you, what else could sho
do?'
There was q defensive note in hey voice
when she said: Il ask you. what else
could she do" and Harley replied, With
due elaboration:
Perhaps she could do nothing else, but
sometimes, Mrs. GraysOu. ] have my
doubts whether twenty and fifty can ever
60 happily together"
We ike Mr.. Plummer. and he i e
great friend OF my husbands"
Harley said nothing. but nc. too. liked
Br. PlummeT. and he held him in tho
highest respect IL required little effort
Of the imagination to draw a picture o.
the brave mountaineer riding from the
Indian massacre with that little girl upon
his saddle bow. And much OF his crit
cism Of Sylvia Morgan herself was dis
armed. She was more q child OF the
mountains even than his first fancy haC
made her. and il was not a wonder thai
her spirit was often masculine in it,
strength and holiness. II was invOlun-
tary, but lie thought Of her with new
warmth and admiration. Incited by this
feeling. he soon joined her and the group
that was with her. He had expected "a
find her sad and comparatively silent. bur
he had never seen her IN a more lively
mood fun OF light talk and jest and 81
gay good humor that could not havr
failed 10 infect the most hardened cynic
Certainly he did not escape its influence
nor did he seek 10 do 50. but as he watch
ed her he thought there was a slight
touch OF feverishncss to her high spirits
as If she had just escaped from SOM
great danger
Before they reached Detroit he talked
a while with Mr. GraysOn, iu the pr
vate drawing room Of the car-1Irs- Gray
son had joined the otheTs-aud King
Plummer was the subject OF their talk.
rs he really such A great political
power in the Northwest asked Harley
He is. Even greater than popular Ts-
port makes him. / believe that in a Pres
identiaI election he could decide the v0tt
Of i've or six Of those lightly populated
States. He has so many interests, So
many strings that he holds. and he IS @
man Of so much energy and viii. You
see, want TO keep king Plummer my
friend"
7 surely would. il 7 were in your
place" said Harley, with conviction.
TO BE CONTINUED NEXT SUNDAY