The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1907-02-27
By LusHa U'aT

shadows Of the Spanish peaks, Colora-
do. to do some sketching. Aparty OF
New York and Boston people were do
Ing the camping out act in great shape.
Miss Gussie was the daughter of Colo
mel Robertson. who was one OF the
party, and she was an artist of no
mean ability. There was but one draw
back to her complete happiness. Young
Harry CasweH Of Boston had imagined
for year past that he was very much
in love with her. She didn't have any
yueh feeling for him. She doubted If
she ever would have, but she had join
ed the campers to have time to think 1t
over and had arrived to find him very
much in evidence
It was 10 o'clock when Miss GussIe
fastened her pony to wild plum tree
at the head Of gulch two miles from
camp and made her way down it and
alongside brawling creek until the
wall on her right rose up fun hum
dred feet in massive ruggedness. Then
she found a comfortable seat on 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 interrup.
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 fighting jaw, was rout-
ed ont Of his camp on the mountain
trail above her ten miles away. Five
men, all mounted, came upon him as
he was saddllng up and called upon
/. him to surrender. He yelled back in
defiance, and, taking cover, he stood
them of for half an hour, wounding
two and being himself grazed by a
bullet. Then, as the survivors began
20 work around to his rear, the man
mounted his broncho and fed down
the trail at full speed. The three I'M
wounded men pursued him, firing
whenever the curving 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 If
ty feet down. Thence they detected
into the top OF a second tree, thirty
feet lower, and as she gazed with wide
open eyes the two bodies brought up
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 a moment she had drdgged him out
OF the creek, and as he came TO he
stared at her In stupid surprise. Sit
ting up after moment, he dreamily
asked:
did 1 come over the cliff therefp
"You did," was the answer, "and
your horse lies dead in the creek.
Those trees broke your fall"
Much obliged to the trees. Did the
sherifrs party keep on down the trail?"
$50 the sheriff was after your she
queried as she stepped back pace.
"Yes, but give me a chance to tell
my side of the story. had a claim
up on the mountain, and hound of
man jumped it tried to shoot him
out. That's the game in these parts,
and there's nothing criminal about 1t.
Don't be afraid of me. You belong to
some camping out party, suppose"
Yes, and l will ride back and get
help for you
Don't do 1t If you'll help me bit
1 can get along here all right. Help
me over against the wall. Thanks.
Now, then, I'll want a 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 1 say or will you
leave me to make dinner for the first
bear that comes along7 Don't take too
much trouble. and keep thinking what
a romantic incident it is. No love no
matrimony-justr omancer'
There was something in the reckless
nature of the man that appealed to
Miss Gussle. She doubted that he had
told her the truth about himself, but
he was temporarily helpless, and she
sympathlzed 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
bis way.
When the girl left the gorge on this
occasion II WIS understood that she
was not to return next day, but early
next morning she stole bottle Of llni-
ment from the medicine chest, bribed
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 TO-
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 Gussie fingered for an hour and
then left the things she had brought.
taking her departure to reappear next
day ard the next and the next In
brief, her visits were made daily Cor
the next seven days, and each day she
: en1r That hnr. Ind nnnn -.-n, r,nl.ir,c. n I,