The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1907-03-11
That Girl Of JOhnsOu's.

Yes. said Lode. slowly A.
theys want him ct Their court ter-day;
eff he amt thyar they'll KEN fer HIN;
theys sweared they'd hev him, fer
Their thing kyant be settled tell p
goes
He swung the bucket up on ths
edge of the well and passed DOWN tns
road in silence, his slouching nsurs
like a blot on the exquisite landscape.
Breakfast was ready, and Dolores
went in and set the potatoes ane p
con at one side of the hearth; ne
coffee was ready to make; she heEer
made that till 1t was ready to p
drank. When all was ready Wltnio
she went out to the bank under tne
pines. The sun was high and warn,
but under the pines the shadows were
cool and dark; and there she waited
for her father.
BY and by the men of the settle
ment started over the mountain IN
groups of twos and threes Dolores
watched them go. scarce taxing her
eyes from them till their sloucninS
figures faded and blended with the
yellow road and the rugged paths. As
they passed they asked for her father,
every one receiving the same reply
Later, as Dolores watched. . yellow
cloud of dust arose where the road
and the sky seemed to meet She
watched 1t mechanically. AS the cloud
appeared and drew neareF out OF 1t
appeared a body of horsemen riding
at a sharp pace down the rough road.
They slackened their pace as they
came up. The girl was plainly dis
cernible in her print gown under the
pines. They hated at the rickety
gate. and one of them dismounted and
went up the walk. He removed MS
hat as he drew near Dolores.
Miss Johnson"
She hesitated moment; the name
was unfamiliar to her save as used
by young Green. Then she bent her
head in reply.
Your father?"
He is not here" she said, slowly.
Where can we find him?'
Il do not know"
But we must find him." He
frowned sternly; his face and voice
were dUlROTIldl1N0. I1C 10
to appear in court to-day in the Green
case; the law cannot wait. Can you
give us no idea where we can find
him ?"
No"
He returned to his companions and
reported that Johnson was not there;
his daughter did not know where he
was They held consultation. II 1t
were possible Jchosnn must be found
and brought to court that day; law
and right must not be delayed. Riding
down the mountain they halted at the
tavern. The tavern-keepers wife came
out to meet them.
They asked for water; she said
water was scarce on the mountain,
but she could give them cider II that
would do.
They replied that cider would do
very wel---in fact, much better than
water for their purpose. or they had
rough time before them.
AS they drank they asked for the
host He was away, she said, gone
over the mountain to the town;
trial was being held there, had thel
not heard of 1t? Nearly every one hat
heard of it; 1t was making a stir
Folks we're excited about it; Their
was to be a trial there, and johnson
had they ever heard of Johnson?-
was all they were waiting for to la
the guilt where 1t belonged; he knew
more about it than most folks; som
thought
Did Johnson go? No. not that she
knew of. and she would know. He
went over to the opposite mountain
last night to hunt his COW.
In what direction did Jrhnson go?
She was not sure; she believed he
went right down the road across the
valley, There was a bridge across
the river II one followed the road
along the foot of the mountain a bit.
jenkins had seen her there, and he
told Johnson so at the tavern John
son went right over to hunt her; he
took his gun in case he came across
game, but that was useless unless he
were luckier than usual, for Johnson
was too shiftless to have luck
Yes, the COW came b. K; she had
lost her bell; he would expect to find
her by that; doubtless he would keep
on hunting; he hadn't sense enough
to know she would most likely come
home by herself. But il he did not
wish to return for reasons best known
TO himself-Johnson was shiftless, but
he was no fool about some things.
His girl now had about as little
sense as was possible. She did not
even know when she was we'll off; she
was like her mother for all the world
only worse.
As for Dolores, she seemed to like
him to talk to her; she was not in the
habit of talking much she never
talked with her neighbors, she felt
above them. he was tho indpe,s son