Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-02-06

was Il ace lndt any woman might
view with satisfaction, not handsome
but clear cut. with kind. steady eyes
and strong white teeth which came to-
gether evenly behind straight firm lips
Presently he glanced up at the mouth
of a tunnel ON the mountain behind
them. Has Alf struck good ore yet?'
he asked.
"He tells me he's taking out pretty
fair stone; but, good gracious''-Miss
Lovilla laid her shuttle in her lap and
spoke with pleasing briskness-"the
stuff in it that shines like gold amt
gold at all, just copper. he says. and |
don't believe it's worth digging for;
but, then, he's making the best of it,
guess"
Unlucky looked at her with a smile
to which his face was almost a stran-
ger. Then it died away into an express
sion of thoughtfulness. Sometimes,
Miss Scanlon, l wonder if this sort of
life is best for any of us fellows.
There's your nephew" The man hes
itated and gazed wistfully across the
canyon at his own little shack. HE
might better be trailin' a good home
somewhere back east-and a wife,
Unlucky came to an abrupt stop and
twisted the stems of the flowers. but
there was an expression in his eyes
that deepened the pink in Miss Lovil-
las cheeks and caused her to glance
beyond him.
Immediately her attention was ar
rested by a mans head among the will
lows across the river. The head wore
a brown hat and was moving toward
the upper ford. She frowned as she
recognized Dutch 10, who kept a sa-
loon on the Meadows. Unlucky's
glance also followed the progress of
the brown hat, and when it's wearer
had forded the stream and turned to-
ward them he arose, quietly laid the
flowers on the stone and, with q brief
Good day, Miss Scanlon," departed.
Miss Lovilla glued her eyes on her
work, apparently oblivious of the pres
ence of the horseman until he had dis
mounted some distance away his
broncho refusing to approach so un-
accustomed an object as a woman,
and greeted her with a "Gut day, Mees
Scanlon.'
Then she arose and laid her work in
her chair. Good morning, Mr.. Sahler.
You want to see my nephew, l pre-
sumo" Her voice savored only Of
business.
"Nein." Dutch 10 covered her with
a covetous albeit respectful eye and
~abstractedly fingered the handle of his
six shooter, which he could manage
with more d~exterity than he could the
English language. "Say! Marry NIT
me, heinz" he finally burst out.
Instinctively Miss Lovilla shrank
back and glanced at the flowers. ooh,
no." she cried hurriedly. 81 couldn't
possibly"
The man wasted no further speech,
but, stepping deliberately ON the bou-
quet, ground it beneath his heel,
mounted his horse and rode off, leav-
ing an indignant woman nursing the
trampled blossoms. The clock striking
II aroused her to a sense of her house
hold duties, and when her nephew Ell
SSASo IL III" h1lS11Sl1 Sic was LEI
busy, serene self again.
81 declare, Aunt Lo," he exclaimed
merrily, you are getting nicer every
day. don't wonder the boys all want
10 marry you"
A half bashful smile touched his
aunt's lips. "Pshaw, ALT. It's because
I'm the only woman here. Now, if
| A hiroil on5 Co1;ro xr,oo-,4 ->..s.
and were here you'd see"-
Alfred removed the towel from his
face and interrupted solemnly. "Aunt
Lo, when Gabriel ome down with his
trumpet expect to hear you tell him
that If there happens to be a seat left
after Abigail and Salina have been
ushered to the front pew, why, you'll
take 1t, please. and make the best of
It,"
calf" Miss Lovilla demonstrated.
Nevertheless she looked pleased.
Praise had not come her way back in
New England.
And I'm 1ookin' to Gabe to say" AL
fred continued, chat he's reserved a
box seat for the best and sweetest and
most unselfish little woman on earth.
Now, Aunt 10, don't be shocked. but
tell me what poor unfortunate struck
the matrimonial trail today. You look
ed guilty when l came in. Whose
horse was it I saw at the door,"
"That-that Dutchman's from the
Meadows" returned Miss Loyilla in q
tone savoring of the snap of a whip.
Alfred threw his head back and roar
ed. Clutch Jo!" Still laughing. he
entered the living room, raising his
voice as he continued. "By Jove! He's
the thirteenth too. That's unlucky TO,
himself or some one else. His mark
can't be too crooked either, for ii
there's a man this side of Meeteetse
without a conscience
The closing kitchen door shut out the
rest Of the sentence.
Snifle was throwing a long shadow
eastward that afternoon before Miss
Lovilla sat again in the doorway with
her tattin' and greeted the stray pros.
pectors as they struck the trail across
Brown. 1t was Kilbraid of Meeteetse
that finally brought a look of alarm to
her avoS 0nd Sant hor oo1o coopohfpr