The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1907-03-12
'OnlyaRomance
BY LueIia eOoff
Copyright, 1906. by NJ. M. Cunningham

much in evidence.
1t was 10 o'clock when Miss Gussie
fastened her pony to a wild plum tree
at the head of a gulch two miles from
camp and made her way down it and
alongside a brawling creek until the
wall on her right rose up a full hun
dred feet in massive ruggedness. Then,
she found comfortable seat on a rock
and began to sketch the grim wall and
the half dozen trees whose roots had
found foothold thereon. 1t was a
quiet, solemn place, even with the
brawling of the creek in her ears, and
the girl worked for an hour, forgetful
almost of where she was. Then there
came sudden and startling Interrupt
ton.
While Miss Gussie was hitching her
bronchO to the plum tree and descend
ing the gorge man about thirty years
old, neither good nor bad looking, but
possessed of a fighting. jaw, was rout-
ed out of his camp on the mountain
trail above her ten miles away. Five
men, all mounted. came upon him as
he was saddling up and called upon
him to surrender. He yelled back In
defiance, and, taking cover, lie stood
them off for half an hour, wounding
two and being himself grazed by a
bullet. Then, as the survivors began
to work around to his rear, the man
mounted his broncho and fed down
the trSl at full speed. The three I'M
wounded men pursued him, firing
whenever the eurying trail brought
him into sight. The girl in the gorge
heard the shooting and shouting, but
could not locate the sounds. In her
alarm she rose to her feet and was
looking up and down, seeking to make
out the situation, when a man and
horse came over the top of the cliff
above her and crashed into a tree fif-
ty feet down. Thence they detected
into the top of a second tree, thirty
feet lower, and as she gazed with wide
In the creek almost at her feet. She
heard the shouts of men and the clat-
ter of horses hoofs above, but both
soon passed out of hearing
The girl sprang from the rock and
bent over the bodies in the creek. The
horse was dead, but the rider lived.
In moment she had dragged him out
of the creek, and as he came to he
stared at her in stupid surprise. Sit
ting up after a moment, he dreamily
asked
Ibid l come over the cliff there?"
you did," was the answer, land
your horse lies dead in the creek.
Those trees broke your fall"
much obliged to the trees. Did the
sheriff's party keep on down the trail?"
$50 the sheriff was after your" she
queried as she stepped back pace.
Eyes, but give me a chance to tell
my side of the story. / had claim
up ON the mountain, and a hound of
man jumped it. | tried to shoot him
out. That's the game in these parts,
and there's nothing criminal about it.
Don't be afraid of me- You belong to
some camping out party, l suppose"
Eyes, and | will ride back and get
help for you"
Don't do it. If you'll help me bit
l can get along here all right Help
me over against the wall. Thanks.
Now, then, I'll want blanket and
some food, and | shall depend on you.
You have the soul of an artist and
therefore plenty of romance. We will
stop at romance. 1t will be an incident
for you to think of, and it will save me
making long explanations to the sher-
if. Shall it be as l say or will you
leave me to make a dinner for the first
bear that comes along? Don't take too
much trouble, and keep thinking what
romantic incident it is. No love, no
matrimony- just romanceT
There was something in the reckless
nature of the man that appealed to
Miss Gusse. She doubted that he had
told her the truth about himself, but
he was temporarily helpless, and she
sympathized with him. She gave him
her MONDAY lunch and rode away to
camp, returning with a blanket and
further provisions. She suggested the
camp again, but the man made light Of
his shaking up and declared he was
doing very well. Give him three or
four days and he would be ready to go
his way.
When the girl left the gorge on this
occasion it was understood that she
was not to return next day, but early
next morning she stole a bottle of lini-
ment from the medicine chest, brlbed
the cook to put up luncheon for two
and rode away for further sketching.
She found the stranger stiff and lame,
but more laxative than the day before.
On this occasion she saw more ro-
nance in the affair. He was a fairly
good looking man. He was victim of
injustice. He had passed through
great peril. He was what she had al
ways hungered to behold-a hero
Miss Gusse fingered for an hour and
then left the things she had brought,
taking her departure to reappear next
day and the next and the next In
brief, her visits were made daily for
the next seven days, and each day she
saw that her bad man was making an
Improvement. On the last day she
found him waiting at the plum trees
He had furnished himself up as best
he could and looked more presentable
His lameness was about gone, and the
saddle from his horse was on the
ground beside him.
my dear young lady" he began, at
goes without saying that my gratitude
is unbounded. Did | promise not to
make you proposal of marriagew
II don't remember" prevaricated
the girl as red flush crossed her face.
II think | did. and l will stick to
my promise. 1t was to be romance
and nothing beyond. No love, no mat
rimony-just romance. l might make
nm exception in your case, however"
-"Please don't. That is-what are you
doing with my saddle?'
Removing it to make room for mine.
There we have 1t. You see, l have got
to borrow your horse That will also
be included in the romance"
But l object 1t is not my horse"
Sorry, my dear girl, but l can't get
away without him, and if l should be
taken our little romance would be
spoiled. For all your kindness l thank
you, and should we meet again under
different circumstances
Miss Gussie grabbed at the horse,
but the bad man was too quick for her.
He raised his hat and smiled as he
rode away, and she sat down on a
stone and cried. She was still crying
when the sheriff and four men came
galloping up and plunged down into
the gorge They were hack In five