Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-05-07
PART II.
What Occurred in Glencaid.
CHAPTER I.
The Arrival Of Miss Spencer.


There was a considerable period when
events Of Importance in Glencaid's history
were viewed against the background Of the
opening Of Its first school, This was no,
entirely on account of the deep interes,
manifested in the cause Of higher education
by the residents, but owing rather to the
personality Of the pioneer school teacher
and the deep. abiding impress which she
made upon the community.
Miss Phoebe Spencer came direct to Glen
caid from the far east, her starting point
some little junction place back in Vermont
although she proudly named Boston as he,
home having once visited in that metropolis
for three delicious weeks. She was of an
ardent, impressionable nature. Her mind
was nurtured upon eastern conceptions OF
our common country, her imagination aglow
with weird tales of the frontier. and hel
bright eyes perceived the vivid coloring OF
romance in each prosaic object west Of the
tawny Missouri. All appeared so different
from that established life to which she had
grown accustomed-the people, the country
the picturesque language-while. her brain
SO teemed with lurid pictures OF oorder ex-
periences and heroes as to reveal romantic
possibilities everywhere. The vast, mys.
terious west, with Its seemingly boundless
prairies, grand, solemn mountains, and
frankly spoken men peculiarly attlred ano
everywhere bearing the inevitable gun, u
was to her a newly discovered world. She
could scarcely comprehend Its reality. AS
the apparently ilimitable plains, barren
desolate, awe-inspiring, rolled away behind
mile after mile. like a vast sea, and left a
mea sureless expanse Of grim desert between
her and the old life, her unfettered mag.
nation seemed to expand with the fathom-
less blue Of the western sky. AS Fer eager
eyes traced the serrated peaks OF snow
In thrnhhaC
with anticipation of wonders yet to come
Homesickness was thing undreamed Of
her active brain responded to each new I'm
preston.
seat of the old, battered red coach. sur.
rounded by cushions for protection from
continual jouncing. as the Jehu In charge
urged his FESTIVE mules down the desolate
valley of the Bear Water. Her cheeks were
flushed. her wide-open eyes filled with
questioning her pale, fluffy hair frolickine
with the breeze, as pretty picture OF
young womanhood as any one could wish to
During the final stage of her long journey
she had found two congenial souls. suffa-
GENTLY picturesque to harmonize with heI
ideas of wild western romance.
These two men We're lolling In the less
comfortable seat opposite, secretly longing
for a quiet smoke outside, yet neither will
ing to desert this eastern divinity to his
rival. The big fellow, his arm run care
lessly through the leather sling. his bare
head projecting half out of the open win
dow. was Jack Moffat, halloween Of the
Golden Rule and enjoying well-earned
reputation as the most ornate and artistic
liar in the territory. For two hours he
had been exercising his talent to the full
and merely paused now in search of some
fresh inspiration. holding in supreme and
silent contempt the rather feeble limitations
of his less-gfted companion. 1t Is also just
to add that Mr.. Moffat personally formed
an ideal accompaniment to his vivid nara
lions Of adventure. and he was fully aware
of the fact that Miss Spencer's appreciative
eyes wandered frequently in his direction
noting his tanned cheeks, his long. silky
mustache. the somewhat melancholy CLEAN