Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-05-06
DAILY STORY.
MISS BAKERS CHOICE.
LOriginal.l

with couple OF wagons loaded With
groceries. Julesburg was at the time
the terminus of the Union Pacific rail
tween Julesburg and Denver. DObson
and l were to take the teams through
alone, he driving one, l the other. Just
as we were starting a young woman
came to DobsOn and asked if he would
take her along. She was about twenty
three years old and comely. Dobson
granted her request willingly.
Women in those days in Colorado,
especially respectable women, were at
Il premium. One saw only the rougher
visages of men, and when the more
delicate features of a woman appeared
the contrast was far greater than in
the east. where the sexes are more
nearly divided. 1t was plain to me
from the first that Dobson was bent on
monOpOliZlng the girl, who called her
self Betsy Baker. and.it was equally
plain that Miss Baker did not object to
being mOnopolizcd. We were severa!
days making the journey, and as Wa
camped at night the two had plenty OF
opportunity to enjoy each others com
pany. During the day Miss Baker
would sit by DObSOn as he drove. and
in the evening after we had fed our
selves and the stock they would sit By
the campfire for the nights were chilly
and do Il lot Of billing and cooling
AS for me, l couldn't quite make the
girl out. She didn't make it plain why
she was there-didn't say what she
was going to Denver for or what size
was going to do when she got there |
didn't doubt that she was perfectly re
spectacle, but could see that she was
conCealing something. For this reason
| felt perfectly satisfied that Dobsou
should mOnOpOliZe her. | didn't wish to
get cntangled with her myself.
The second night out after Miss
Baker was asleep in one of the wag-
Ons. Il man rode into our camp. He
was 4 short thick set fellow with n
stubbie beard. not very preposseSsing.
but looked as if he wouldn't be good
man for an enemy to tackle He and
DobSOn talked together for awhile. the
man telling DObSOn that he was taking
Il good deal of risk in driving wagons
on the plains with but one man to
help him. l didn't quite make out
whether 1t was Indians or road agents
that We're to be feared. though Indians
were not numerous on the plains as
late as 1861 At any rate. DobSOn en-
gagged the man to go on with us. Even
party of three was not numerous III
case of attack, but three were ono
moro than two.
The next morning Miss Baker was
rather late getting out Of her sleeping
place in the wagon, and when she did
and came TO whore we were eating
breakfast l saw the stranger look a.
her in an odd way.
You here" he said.
Miss Baker didn't look especially
pleased to see him and made no reply
do you happen to knew the LADY,
asked DobSOn.
Il ought to know her. seem I'm en-
gagged to her"
Singularly enough. he didn't say an
other word to her, nor did she speak to
him during our breakfast of bacon and
corn bread. washed down with Il cup o,
coffee boiled over our campfire. When
breakfast was finished and we wera
ready to move on. the stranger tool.
the lead, while Miss Baker got up. as
usual. on the seat with Dobson. Once
or twice the stranger turned and rode
back to say something to DObSOn,
while the girl he claimed to be engag-
ed to was sitting beside Dobson in an
evidently friendly manner. Her fiancc
didn't seem to object TO her doing so
and after Il few words of inquiry or
information rode on ahead again.
When we came within 4 dozen miles
of Denver, he came back. and | heard
| him tell DObson that he was going, tn
sheer off to the west just before reach.
ing our destination and go up through
Golden City to the stamp mills above
on Clear creek.
All this time the fellow paid no at
tention to Miss Baker. and Miss Bakeg
| didn't favor him with a word. Neither
| did she discourage Dobson's attentions
| on account of the others presence
| What passed between her and Dobson
on the subject of the stranger l never
knew. 1t occurred to me that the an.
| nouncement that the latter was gOinG
to break away from the party must bC
very welcome to the girl. If he had
been u fine looking. attractive fellow
l might have thought it a lovers
quarrel, but that shabby, hairy crea
| ture-it was impossible.
A short distance out from Denver We
stopped for i noon meal. l noticed for
the first time that Miss Baker looked
nervous. The stranger didn't notice
her any more than he had noticed hel
before and the moment the meal was
finished mounted and rode on.
Presently we came to a fork in the
road, one fork leading up to the can
yon, the other straight on to Denver, {
few miles ahead, though in the clea.
atmosphere it looked only a few hun
dred yards. The stranger stopped a
the fork and waited for us to come up
| Dobson when he reached him drew