The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1911-12-14


and fell partially forward into the
room. AS he struggled to his knees,
Neb's black face peering past him into
the lighted interior, he seemed to per-
ceive In one swift, comprehensive
glance, every revealed detail. A lamp
burned on a rudely constructed set Of
drawers near the window, and a wood
fire blazed redly in a stone fireplace
opposite, the yellow and red lights
blending in a peculiar glow of color.
Under this radiance were revealed the
rough log walks plastered with yellow
clay, and hung about with the skins
of wild animals, roughly made table,
bare except for book lying upon it.
and a few ordinary appearing boxes.
with a barrel cut so as to make COM
Portable chair. In the back wall was
a door, partially open, apparently
leading into second room. That was
all, except the woman
Keith must have perceived all these
In that first hurried glance, for they
were ever after closely associated to-
gether in his mind, yet at the moment
he possessed no clear thought of any.
thing except her. She stood directly
behind the table, where she must have
sprung hastily at the first sound of
their approach, clutching at the rude
mantel above the fireplace, and staring
toward him, her face white, her breath
coming In sobs. At first he thought
the vision q dream, q delirium born
from his long struggle; he could not
conceive the possibility of such pres
ence in this lonely place, and stagger-
ing to his feet, gazed wildly, dumbly
at the slender, gray clad figure, the al
most girlish face under the shadowing
dark hair, expecting the marvellous
vision to vanish. Surely this could
not be real! A woman, and such a
woman as this here, and alone, of all
places! He staggered from weakness,
almost terror. and grasped the table
to hold himself erect The rising
wind came swirling in through the
open door, causing the fire to send
forth spirals of smoke, and he turned,
dragging the daZed negro within, and
swapping the latch behind him. When
he glanced around again he fully be-
lieved the vision confronting him
would have vanished. But no! there
she yet remained, those wide-open,
frightened brown eyes, with long lash.
es half hiding their depths, looking di-
rectly into his own; only now she had
slightly changed her posture, leaning
toward him across the table. Like
fash he comprehended that this was
reality-flesh and blood-and, with
the swift instinct of a gentleman, his
numbed, nerveless fingers jerked OF
his hat, and he bowed bareheaded be-
fore her.
Pardon me-" he said, finding his
voice with difficulty 81 fell over the
step, but-but l didn't expect to find
a woman here"
He heard her quick breathing, mark.
ed slight change in the expression Of
the dark eyes, and caught the glitter
of the freight on a revolver in her
lowered hand.
What did you expect to fnd?"
Il hardly knew" he explained lame
ly; 1--WE stumbled on this hut by acct.
dent. l didn't know there was
cabin in all this valley"
Then you are not here for any
purpose? to meet with any one?"
NO; we were lost, and had gone
into camp UP above, when we discov.
cred your light"
Where do you come FROM
Keith hesitated just an instant, yet
falsehood was never easy for him, and
he saw no occasion for any deceit
now.
Carson City"
What brought you here?"
I'VE started for the Bar X ranch
down below, on the Canadian; got
caught in a sand-storm, and then just
drifted. | do not know within twenty
miles of where we are
She drew a deep breath of uncon-
cealed relief.
Are you elone?"
The negro and Ives; and you
haven't the slightest reason to be
afraid of us-we're square,
She looked at him searchingly, and
something in Keith's clean-cut face
seemed to bring reinsurance, conf
dence In the man.
II am not afraid" she answered,
coming toward him around the short
table "Only it is so lonely here, and
you startled me, bursting in without
warning. But you look all right, and
am going to believe your story.
What is your name?"
"Keith-Jack Keith
"A cowman?"
"a little of everything, reckon
touch of returning bitterness in the
tone. "a plainsman, who has punched
cattle. but my last job was govern
ment scout"
You look as though you might be
more than that" she said slowly
The man flushed. his lips pressing
tightly together.
well, II nav have been," he con-
fessei .'r-virfr~'v Il started out all
,.,.~1-4 : reckon 1uaf
went adrift. It's habit in this coun-
try"
Apparently those first words of COM