Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1909-04-20
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The household was again Increased
q few years later by the generous re-
sponse of the Aliens to an appeal from
children's aid society in an eastern
city to give home to two orphaned
brothers, Richard and Henry Lane
Dick and Buddy shortened In time to
Bud,. as they were called. being taken
young, quickly adapted themselves to
their new environment and by the
time they arrived at manhood had
proved themselves the equals OF any
cowboy on the range In horsemanship
and kindred accomplishments, Dick
the elder brother, was steady. reli'
able fellow, modest as he was brave
and remarkably quick wtted and re.
sourceful in emergencies. He gave his
confidence over readily to his fellows,
but If ever be found himself deceived
withdrew 1t absolutely. 1t was prob
ably this last characteristic that at.
tracted to him Echo Aliens especial
regard. for 1t was also her distinguish.
ing trait. "You have got to act square
with Echo" her father was wont to
say. "for II you don't you'll never
make 1t square with her afterward."
Bud was q generous hearted, impetu-
Gus boy, who responded warmly to af-
fection. He repaid his elder brothers
protecting care with loyalty that
knew no bounds. The colonel. who
was a strict disciplinarian. frequently
punished him In his boyhood for way
ward acts, and the little fellow made
no resistance-only sobbed in deep pen
itence Once, however, when Uncle
Jim, as the boys and Polly called him.
felt compelled to apply the rod to
Dick-unjustly. as it afterward appear
ed-Bud burst into tempest Of pas
sionate tears and. leaping upon the
eolonel's back, clung there. clawing and
striking like wildcat. until Allen was
forced to let Dick go. 1t Is shrewdiy
indicative of the colonel's character
that not only did he refrain from pun
ishing Bud on that occasion, but when
foggings were subsequently due the
little fellow laid on the rod less heav-
ily out of regard for the loyalty to his
brother he had then displayed.
This attack also won the admiration
Of Polly Hope, who was something OF
spittire herself. A little Jealous OF
Dick for the chief place he held In
Buds affection, she openly claimed
the Younger brother as her sweetheart
and attempted to constitute him her
knight. though with repeated discour-
agements, for Bud was bashful LAD
and. though he had true affection Tor
the girl. boylike concealed 1t by show
of rude Indifference.
The tender relations OF these boys
and girls persisted naturally into
young manhood and womanhood. No
word Of love passed between Dick ana
Echo until that time when the NEST
ing impulse" the desire to have a
home Of his own prompted the young
man to 60 out into the world and win
his fortune. For a year he had acted
as foreman Of the Allen ranch, work
ing in neighborly cooperation with
Jack Payson of Sweetwater ranch. a
man of about his own age. The two
Young men became the closest OF COM
rades. When the fever Of adventure
seized upon Lane and he became dis
satisfied with the plodding career OF
wage Garner, Payson insisted on mort
gagine Sweetwater ranch for $3,OOO
and in lending Dick the money for q
years prospecting in the mountains OF
Sonora, Mexico, In search OF fabu-
lously rich "lost mine Of the Aztecs.'
Traditions Of lost mines are plentiful
| In Arizona and northern Mexico. FIRST
taken up by the Spanish invaders OF
800 years ago from the native Indians
they have passed down to each subse'
| uuent influx Of white men. The direc'
tions are always vague. The inquirer
| cannot pin his informant down to any
definite data. Over the mOuntains al.
ways lies the road. Hundreds Of lives
have been sacrificed and cruelty un.
paralleled practiced upon innocent
men, women and children by gold
seekers In their lust for conquest
Prosperous Indian villages have been
laid waste, and whole bands OF ad'
venturers have gone into the desert IL
search Of these mines, never to return
When the time for Lanes departure
came Echo wept at the thought OF los
Ing for so long a time the close com
panion Of her childhood and the sym
pathetic confdant Of her youthful
thoughts and aspirations. Dick, II
whom friendship for Echo had Ions
before ripened into conscious love. tool
her tears as evidence that she wat
similarly affected toward him, and be
allowed all the suppressed passion OF
his nature full vent In declaration OF
love. The girl was deeply moved by
this revelation Of the heart OF stronl
man made tender as woman's Dy .
mower centering In her own humble
self. and, being utterly without expert
ence of the emotion even IN Its protec
tive form Of calf love, which Is the
yarioloid Of the genuine affection. sht
imagined through sheer sympathy tina
she shared his passion So she assent
ed with maidenly reserve to his pie;
that she promise to marry him wheI
he should return and provide u home
for her. Her more cautious mother se
cured q modification Of this pledge b!
limiting the time that Echo shoult
wait for him to one year. II ut the e1
piration of that period Lane did no
return to claim her promise or did NO
write making satisfactory arrange
ments for continuance Of the engage
ment Echo was to be considered FREE
to marry whom she chose.
Soon after Lanes departure Mrs
, Allen persuaded the colonel to sent
Echo east to New England finishing
school Tor girls. where her mothe
hoped that her budding love for Lam
might be nipped by the frigid atmos
phere Of Intellectual culture, II not. In
deed. supplanted by saving interes
} In young uen In general and perhap
In some particular scion Of blu
blocded Boston family.
The plan succeeded in part only
The companionship of her schoolfe
lows, her music and art lessons. he
. books during the limited periods a
/ lotted to serious study ind reading
. and, above all, her attrition at recer
. tions with another. order Of men tha