The daily Alaskan., 1908-10-06
GrandmOth0r'S Yarn.
.LoriglnuLl

when you were a girl out west" said a boy of eight,
 Well, sit down and be quiet and don't ask any questions till get through, for I don't want to be Inter- rupted. When was young lady my father took us all out to q mine he owned in Colorado In those days the railroads were not yet built, and we were obliged to go by stage. Fathers mine was up in the mountains. It was q rough country at that time. had no associates and found 1t hard to get away with the time.
 "One day l heard that there was gO' ing 10 be masquerade dance at the tavern. l couldn't understand how they could get costumes in that country so remote from civilization. was just crazy to go to the dance, but of course father wouldn't hear of such a thing. But life for me was dull. and kept thinking what a curious affair q mas Qucradc ball would be among such a people. and 1 resolved tO steal away and go without father or anybody knowing about 1t. l had gone to a fan cy dress ball in the east as Marguerite and knew how to get up the costume or, rather improvisc it, and when the night for the dance came around stole out after all In the house were asleep and joined the dancers in the dining room of the tavern.
 There were not many different cos. tunes, the dlsguiscs consisting mostly of Mexican. Indian and made-up dress. cs that represented nothing in particu. lar. Since all faces were masked there was no difference in this from any oth- CT ball, except that the people were nOslcr."
 When is the stage robbery to come in. graudma?" interrupted the listener.
 Didn't you promise to ask no Qucs- tlons? We'll, to go on with my story, man in the costume of a Mexican, sombrcro. jacket, slashcd trousers and all that, with plenty of gold lace, came up to me and asked me to dance. l preferred to look about As there were twice as many men as women, saw at once that this was impractica. Besides. there was something a. the McXicau-l could not'tcll what that was familiar to me, and l was sure l had heard his voice before ] fancicd he might be q young mining engineer whom | had previously met. At any rate. danced with him and found him a very good partner, easy on his feet and light as a feather.
 After our dance we made few com monplace remarks to each other when he said:
 'It is hot in here Come outside
 q took his arm and went with him on to the vcranda. where. after walking back and forth for time, we took seats in a corner, when we removed our masks, which were uncomfortable. could see something of his face in the dim light, and he could see as much of mine.
 "To make long story short, he madC love to me. and l confess he did it very nicely. He told me he was a rich mine owner and had to start at . o'clock the next morning for Mexico, where his mines lay. told him of my being at the ball without permission. What did he do but beg me to go with him from the ball, marry him and ac- company him to Mexico"
 But, grandma-the robbery; l hear nothing of that"
 Hush, child; it's coming. My lover drew a ring from his finger and gave it to me. l took 1t to where the light poured through window, and it sparblcd beautifully. It was a dia- mond in an antique setting. l went back to the giver, thanked him, and when he continued to urge me to go with him l hung my head as if sOrely  tempted. He redoubled his pleading, endeavoring to catch the fancy of n young girl by the romance of such an clopemcnt Finally told him that l would go home, gather up what valua- bles l possessed and meet him in an hour at my fathers front gate. To this he consented, and left him, running home as fast as my legs would carry me"
 "Oh, grandma, I don't believe the stagecoach robbery is in the story at all"
 "Yes, 1t is. In an hour I looked out toward the gate and saw the dim fig. ure of my lover waiting for me, I put a whistle to my lips and blew a shrill blast. He bounded away, but was met by figures on every side that I could see dlmly, and heard cries of Throw up your handsr My lover was captured. and I had arranged his Cap- turc. He was a road agent"
 What's that?'
 "A stage robber"
 "Now are We coming to the rob- bnrv 2"