The commonwealth., 1907-11-22
Miss Baker 5 Choice.
forixinai.I

20 with him from Julesburg to Denver
with q couple OF wagons loaded with
groceries. Julesburg was at the time
4 the terminus Of the Union Pacific rail.
road, and there was no railroad be-
tween Julesburg and Denver. Dobson
and ! were to take the teams through
alone. be driving one. the other. Just
/ a. we were starting young woman
: came to Dobson and asked IL 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
a 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 tnat Dobson was bent on
monopolizing the girl, who called her.
self Betsy Baker, and 1t was equally
plain that Miss Baker did not object to
being monopolized. We were several
days making the journey. and as we
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 lot Of billing and cooling.
As for me, couldn't quite make the
girl out. She didn't make 1t plain why
she was there-didn't say what she
was going to Denver for or what she
was going to do when she got there.
didn't doubt that she was perfectly re-
spectable, but could see that she was
concealing something. For this reason
felt perfectly satisfied that Dobson |
should monopolize her. didn't wish to |
get entangled with her myself.
The second night out, after Miss
Baker was asleep In one Of the wag-
ons, a man rode into our camp. He
was a short, thick set fellow with a
stubble beard, not very prepossesslng.
but looked as II 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
good deal Of risk In driving wagons
on the plains with but one man to
help him. ! didn't quite make out
whether 1t was Indians or road agents
that were to be feared, though Indians
were not numerous on the plains rs
late as 1867. At any rate, Dobson en-
gagged the man to 60 on with us. Even
party Of three was not numerous in
case Of attack, but three were one
more 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 where we were eating
breakfast l saw the stranger look at
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 know the ladyY'
asked Dobson.
Il ought to know her. seein' 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 cup of {
coffee boiled over our campfire. When
breakfast wis finished and we were
ready to move on, the stranger took
the lead, while Miss Baker got up, as |
usual, on the seat with Dobson. Once Z
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 fiance Z
didn't seem to object to her doing 30
and after a few words of inquiry or I
Information rode on ahead again.
When we came within a dozen miles G
II Denver, he came back, and heard
aim tel! Dobson that he was going to l
sheer OF to the west Just before reach
ng our destination and 60 up through "
Golden City to the stamp mills above c
IN Clear creek. y
All this time the fellow paid no at I
'ention to Miss Baker, and Miss Baker '
lidn't favor him with word. Neither
lid she discourage Dobsons attentions t
IN account Of the others presence. c
What passed between her and Dobson II
IN the subject Of the stranger I never
inew. 1t occurred to me that the an b
iouncement that the latter was going s.
o break away from the party must be v
iery welcome to the girl. II he had /,
been fine looking, attractive fellow, z
might have thought 1t lovers
quarrel, but that shabby, hairy crea- Ii
ure--it was impossible. I,
A short distance out from Denver we h
topped for noon neal l noticed for q
ne first time that Miss Baker looked I,
iervous. The stranger didn't notice n
Ter any more than he had noticed her 81
,efore and the moment the meal was |,
inished mounted and rode on. n
Presently we came to a fork In the Il
Dad. one fork leading up to the can +
on. the other straight on to Denver, a b
ew miles ahead, though In the clear Il
atmosphere 1t looked only few hun b
lred yards. The stranger stopped at I
he fork and waited for us to come up.
)obson when he reached him drew u
elm.
"Betsy." said the stranger. ''these b
ERE roads forks right yere. r. can 4
ake this ons with me or t'othsr for b
Denver. But whichever y takes n
here's no 90 back"
The girl sat still for I few minutes,
hen got down from her seat Dobson 81
landed her valise down to her. and the
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