The Holly chieftain., 1909-04-30
- By -


I'm gone and he different from US. 1t
won't be long now. guess. I've given
you the best schooling of any girl on
the river, and I'D have sent you out to
. convent In the States. but couldn't
1et you 60 10 Tar away. loved you
too much for that! couldn't do
1t, girl. I've tried hut you're all I've
got, and I'm selfish man. reckon"
NO, no. You're not" his daughter
cried impulsively. You're everything
that's good and dear. but you've lived
a different life from other men. and
you see things differently. 1t was
mean of me to talk as did" She put
her arms around his neck and hugged
him. But I'm very unhappy. dad"
Don't you aim to tell what started
this:" he said gently. caressing her
with his great. hard hand as softly ~
mother But she shook her head.
and he continued. an take the first
boat down to the mission and marry
your ma II you want me to-"
THAT wouldn't do any good" said
she. WED better leave things as
they are" Then she drew away and
smiled at him bravcly from the door.
"Im very bad to act this way.
Scuses."
He nodded, and she went out
Necia was In a restless mood, and,
remembering that Alluna and the chill
dren had gone berrying on the slopes
behind the Indian village, she turned
her way thither. All at once fear OF
d. I.r-
She wanted to think this out, to flnd
where she stood. before he had word
with her. She had been led to observe
herself from strange angle and must
verify her vision, as 1t were What II
he had changed now that he was
alone and had had time to think? 1t
would kill her II she saw any diner
ence In him, and she knew she would
be able to read 1t In his eyes
AS she went through the main street
Of the camp she saw Stark occupied
near the water front. where he had
bought building lot He spoke to her
as she was about to pass.
Good morning. miss. Are you rest
ed from your tripi"
She answered that she was and
would have continued on her way, but
he stopped her.
II don't want you to think that min.
ing matter was my doing" he said
"I've got nothing against you. Your
old man hasn't wasted any affection
on me. and can get along without
him. all right, but don't make trou-
BILE for girls II can help It,"
~f.l 4.
he said. His words rang true. and he
spoke seriously. Moreover. Stark was
known already in the camp as man
who did not 60 out of his way to make
friends or to render an accounting Of
his deeds, so 1t was natural that when
he made her a shew of Kindness Necia
should treat him with less coldness
than might have been expected The
man had exercised an occult influence
upon her from the time she first saw
him at Lees cabin, but 1t was too
vague for definite feeling. and she had
been too strongly swayed by Poleon
and her father in their attitude toward
him to be conscious OF It.
"I'm going to build a big dance hall
and saloon here" said Stark, showing
her the stakes that he had driven.
"As soon as the rush to the creek IL
over I'll hire gang Of men to get out
lot OF house logs. III finish II IN
week and be open for the stampede"
"Do You think this will be big
town." she asked.
Nobody can tell, but I'll take
chance. II it proves to be false
alarm I'll move on"
you've been in great many camps.
| ! suppose
He said that he had; that for twenty
| years he had been on the frontier and
knew 1t from west Texas to the circle.
i've never known anything except
this She swept the points of the
compass with her arm. And there is
SO much beyond that want to know
| about. Oh, | feel SO ignorant! There Is
something now that perhaps you could
tell me, yon have travelled so much"
Lets have it." said he. smiling at
| her seriousness
| She hesitated, at loss for words,
finally blurting out what was In her
| mind:
"My father is sQuaw man, Mr..
Stark, and I've been raised to think
that such things are customary"
They are in all new countries" he
assured her.
but how are they regarded when
civilization comes alongY'
eNvau thav ananst rnwur1nA ~ =