The Lake County times., 1907-02-05
.OnlyaROlnance
BY LueIJo cJoff
Copyright, 1906. by NJ. N. CUNNINGHAM
By LueIIo uOoH


do, to do some sketching. A party az
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 Caswell Of Boston had imagined
for a year past that he was very much
In love with her. She didn't have any
such feeling for him She doubted if
she ever We I'D have, but she had ioin-
ed the campers TO have time to think it
over and had arrived to find him verv
much In evidence.
It 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 q comfortable seat on a rock
and began to sketch the grim wall and
the half dozen trees whose roots had
found a foothold thereon. It was q
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 a 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, he 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 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 fif-
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 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:
did I come over the cliff thereT
"You did," was the answer, land
your horse lies dead in the creek
Those trees broke your fall"
Much obliged to the trees. Did thG
sheriff's party keep on down the trail 2
so the sheriff was after you?" she
queried as she stepped back pace.
Yes, but give me a chance to tel
my side of the story. l had a claim
up on the mountain, and a hound of {
man jumped it. 1 tried to shoot hin
out. That's the game in these parts
and there's nothing criminal about 1t
Don't be afraid of me. You belong tt
some camping out party, 1 suppose?'
"Yes, and | will ride back and ge-
help for you"
Don't do IL. If you'll help me bi
I can get along here all right. HelI
me over against the wall. Thanks
Now, then, I'll want q blanket anC
some food, and l shall depend on you
You have the soul of an artist anC
therefore plenty of romance. We viii
stop at romance. 1t will be an inciden
for you to think of, and it will save me
making long explanations to the sher
if. Shall 1t be as | say or will yol
leave me to make a dinner for the frs
bear that comes along? Don't take TOT
much trouble, and keep thinking wha
a romantic incident it is. No love, NJ
matrimony-justr rOmance"
There was something in the reckless
nature of the man that appealed Il
Miss Gussie. She doubted that he hat
told her the truth about himself, bu
he was temporarily helpless, and sh
symuathiZed with him. She gave hin
her MONDAY lunch and rode away t
camp. returning with a blanket ant
further provisions. She suggested tn
camp again, but the man made light o
his shaking up and declared he wa
doing very we'll. Give him three o
four days and he would be ready to g
his way.
When the girl left the gorge on thi
occasion it was understood that sh
was not to return next day, but earl.
next morning she stole a bottle of lini