Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1909-06-04

prcssion 1T was thOughtleSs and
wrong. dead wrong, but I've loved you
better than any daughter was ever
loved in this wide world, and I've
worked and starved and frOZe and
saved. ard 50 las Alluna, so that you
might Eavc something TO live on when
I'm gone and lie different from us. 1t
won't lie long now, guess. I've given
Won the best schooling CT any girl on
the river, ard "a have sent you out to
Il convent in the States, bat l couldn't
let yon go 50 far away. | loved you
too mach for that! couldn't do
il, girl. I've tried, but you're all I've
got, and I'm selfish man. | reckon"
mo. no. You're not" his daughter
cried impulsively. you're everything
that's good and dear, but you've lived
q different life from other men, and
you sec things differently. 1t was
mean of mo to talk as did" She put
her arms around his neck and Rugged
him. "Eut I'm very unhappy, dad"
{ Don't yen aim to tell what started
. this?" he said gently. caressing her
with his great. hard hand as softly as
y mother. Bat she shook her head.
and he continued, "I'll take the first
j boat down to tho mission and marry
! your ma if 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 bravely from the door.
I'm very bad to act this way.
Scuses."
lie nodded, and she went out.
Necia was In a restless mood, and,
remembering that Alluna and the chill
! Grcn had gone berrying on the slopes
| behind the Indian village, she turned
| her way thither. All at once fear Of
| seeing Meade Burrell came upon her.
She wanted to think this out, to find
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 it were. What If
he had changed now that he was
| alone and had had time to think? 1t
, would kill her if she saw any differ
: erce in him, and she knew sha would
| be able to read it 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
cd from your trip?'
She answered that she was and
would have continued on her way, but
he stopped her.
! Il don't want you to think that min
ing matter was my doing" he said.
/ 1--WE got nothing against you. Your
/ old man hasn't wasted any affection
on me, and l can get along without
him, all right. but don't make trou-
bic for girls if l can help It,"
The girl believed that he meant what
he said. His words rang true, and he
/ spoke seriously. Moreover, Stark was
known already in the camp as man
| who did not go out CT his way to make
/ friends or TO render an accounting Of
| his deeds, so it was natural that when
he made her show Of kindness Necia
should treat him with less GOODNESS
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 fer 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 big dance hall
nnd saloon here" said Stark, showing
"As soon rs the rush to the creek is
! over I'll hire gang Of men to get out
! a let Of house logs. III finish it in a
week and be open for the stampede"
do you think this will be big
/ town." she asked.
Nobody can tell, but I'll take a
chance. If it proves to be a false
alarm I'll move on"
you've been in a great many camps.
suppose"
; lie said that he had; that for twenty
years he had been OH the frontier and
knew it from west Texas to the circle.
rive 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. you have Travelled so much"
lets have it," said he, smiling at
! her seriousness.
She hesitated, at loss for words,
finally hurting cut what was in her
mind:
My father is a 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 along?
well, they aren't regarded, as a
rule Squaw men are pretty shiftlcss,
and people don't pay much attention
to them. guess if they weren't they
wouldn't be squaw men,"
My father isn't shiftless," she chal-
lenged, at which he remained silent,
refusing to go on record. Isn't a
half breed just as good us white"
Look here" said he. What are
you driving at?"
I'm blood" she declared reck-
lessly, and l want to know what peo-
pie think OF me- The men around here
have never made me feel conscious OF
it, but"
.Nnu,rn .ifraid of thnsn now neOnle