The Press., 1907-06-19
By LueI1o eG'oFf

out from the summer camp under the shadows of the Spanish peaks, Cobra do, to do some sketching. A party of New York and Boston people were do- ing the camping out act inNgreat shape. Miss Gussie was. the daughter of Colo nel 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 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 would have, but she had join cd 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 a wild plum tree at the head of a gulch two miles from camp and made her way down it and alongside q 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. It was a quiet, solemn place, even with the brawIing of the creek in her ears, and the girl worked for an hour, forgetfu1 almost of where she was. Then there came a sudden and startling interrup- tion.
 While Miss Gussie was hitching her broncho to the plum tree and descend ing the gorge a man about thirty years old, neither good nor bad looking, but possessed of a fighting jaw, was rout- ed out of his camp ona 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 fled down the trail at full speed. The three un- 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 tree if ty feet down. Thence they. defected into the top of 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 thacreek. 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 there2" s
 "You did," was the answer, "and your horse lies dead in the crcek. Those trees broke your fall"
 Much obliged to the trees. Did the sherif's party keep on down the trail?'
 'So the sheriff was after youT' she queried as she stepped back pace.
 "Yes, but give me a chance to tell my side of the story. I had claim up on the mountain, and hound of man jumped it. I 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 I will ride back and get help for you"
 "Don't do it. If you'll help me a bit I can get along here all right. Help me over against the wall Thanks. Now, then, I'll want a blanket and some food, and I shall depend on you. You have the soul of an artist and therefore plenty of romance We will stop at romance. It will be an incident for you to think of, and 1t will save me making long explanations to the sher fir. Shall 1t be as say or will y0u leave me to make 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 romance!
 There was something in the reckless nature of the man that appealed to Miss Gussie 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 we'll. Give him three or four days and he would be ready to go his way.
 When the girl left the gorge on this occasion 1t was understood that she was not to return next day, but early next morning she stole bottle of lini- 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 talkative than the day before, On this occasion she saw more TO- nance in the affair. He was a fairly good looking man. He was a victim of injustice. He had passed through a 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 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 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 Iameness was aDouU gone, ana the saddle from his horse was on the ground beside him.
 My dear young lady," he began, ''it goes without saying that my gratitude Ia unhounded Did I promise not to