Evening journal., 1907-05-13
Miss Baker S Choice.
Iorlglnal1


80 with him from Julesburg TO Denver
with a couple Of wagons loaded with
groceries. Julesburg was at tho time
the terminus Of the Union Pacific rail
road, and there was no railroad be-
tween Julesburg and Denver Dobson
and 1 were to take the teams through
alone, he driving one, the other. Jpst
as we were starting a young woman
came to Dobson and asked If he would
take her along. She was about twenty
three years old and comely. Dobsor
granted her request willingly.
Women in those days in Colorado.
especially respectable women, were at
a premium. One saw only the rougher
visages of men, and when the more
delicate features Of a woman appeared /
the contrast was far greater than in /
the east where the sexes are more /
nearly divided. 1t was plain TO me |
from the first that Dobson was bent on
monopolizlng the girl, who called her. /
self Betsy Baker, and it was equally |
plain that Miss Baker did not object to
being moaopoiized We were several
days making the journey. and as we
camped at night the two had plenty Of
opportunity to enjoy each others COM
pany. During the day Miss Baker
would sit by Dobson as he drove, and
In the evening after we had fed our
selves and the stock they would sit by
the campfire Cfor the nights were chilly
and do lot Of billing and cooling.
AS for me, couldn't quite make the
girl ont. she didn't make it plain why
she was there-ddn't say what she
was going to Denver for or what she
was going TO do whea she got there.
didn't doubt that she was perfectly re-
/ Specialize but could see that she was
I concealiag something. For this reason
/ 7 felt perfectly satisfied that Dobsou
/ should monopolize her. didn't wish TO
/ get entangied with her myself
The second night out after Miss
Baker was asleep in one Of the wag-
ons, a man rode into our camp. lie
was q short Thick set fellow with
stubble beard, not very prepossessing,
but looked as if he wouldn't be a good
man for an enemy to tackle He and
Dobson talked together for awhile. The
man telling Dobson that he was taking
n good deal Of risk I'm driving wagons
on the plains with but one man to
help him. dldnt quite make out
whether it was Indians or road agents
that were TO be feared, though Indians
were not numerous on the plains as
late as 1867. At any rate, Dobson en-
gagged the man 10 so on with US. Even
party Of three was NOT numerous in
case OF attack, but three werc one
more than two
The next morning Miss Baker was
rather late getting ont Of her sleeping
place In the wagon. and when she did
and came to whore we were eating
breakfast l saw tho stranger look at
her in an odd way.
"You here2" he said.
Miss Baker didn't look especially
pleased TO see him and made no reply.
"Do You happen to know the ladyg'
asked Dobson.
4 ought to know her, seein' I'm en-
gagged to her"
Singularly enough, he didn't say an
other word TO her, nor did she speak to
him during our breakfast Of bacon and
corn bread, washed down with a cup OF
coffee boiled over our campfire. When
breakfast was finished and we were
ready TO move on. the stranger took
the lead, while Miss Baker got up. as
usual. on the seat with Dobson. Once
or twice the stranger turned and rode
back to say something to Dobson,
while the girl he claimed TO be engag
ed to was sitting beside Dobson in an
evidently friendly manner. Her fiance
didn't seem to object TO her doing so
and after a few words of inquiry or
information rode on ahead again,
When we came within a dozen miles
} Of Denver, he came back, and l heard
r him tell Dobson that he was going to
! sheer off to the west just before reach
q ing our destination and go up through
p Golden City to the stamp mills above
on Clear creek.
! All this time the fellow paid no at
tention to Miss Baker and Miss Baker
: didn't favor him with a word. Neither
did she discourage DObson's attentions
on account Of the others presence
' What passed between her and Dobsou
on the subject Of the stranger l never
knew. It occurred TO me that the an
nouncement that the latter was going
: to break away from the party must be
very welcome to the girl. If he had
been a fine looking, attractive fellow
might have thought it a lovers
quarrel, but that shabby, hairy crea
= ture-it was impossible.
a A short distance out from Denver We
3 stopped for a noon meal. noticed FOL
the first time that Miss Baker looked
nervous. The stranger didn't notice
her any more than he had noticed hei
before and the moment the meal wa:
finished mounted and rode on.
Presently we came to a fork in the
road, one fork leading up to the can
yon, the other straight on to Denver, {
few miles ahead, though in the cleal
atmosphere 1t looked only a few hun
dred yards. The stranger stopped a
the fork and waited for us to come up
Dobson when he reached him drew
rein.
BETSY" said the stranger, "thes,
yere reads forks right yere. Y cal
take this one with me OF t'other fo
Denver. But whichever y take
there's no go back"
The girl sat still for a few minutes
then got down from her seat. Dobsor
handed ber valise down to her, and tn,