Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1912-12-14
The Evening Story
Stranded
b. VERNON ARNOLD
By VERNON ARNOLD

drifted east and made money. Ned
went west to see what his father had
seen. He had been gone just two
weeks when his father received the
following telegram from him:
Stranded. Telegraph money for return.
When he got home he told them Of
his weeks adventures in the land Of
the spurs, the revolver and the rife.
1t was as follows:
He found Denver, which his father
had known as a small town, large
city and pushed ON westward. When
he came to the end Of the rails he
took coaches. He was now in the
land where travellers talked about road
agents, where those in the towns spoke
incidentally Of the last gun fight, or
.low much money had been won or lost
| by some prominent citizen at faro.
Ned. who believed the only way to
learn the upnners and customs OF
people was to make their acQuaint-
ance. told everybody that he had come
out to see the country and meant to
see it thoroughly. He had no stuck
np notions about him; not he. He felt
IS much at home with stage driver
is he would with the veriest dandy at
zone. The consequence Of this be-
| avior was that he made friends in
| tanter.
| One evening at the Antelope-a tav-
ri. gin mill and gambling house COM
ned-it was suggested by a man who
.as showing Ned the town, that he
avest a few dollars at faro, just to
zee how it worked. Ned looked at his
'riend, smiled. slapped him on the
.ack. winked and said
Not much I'm young man from
the city, and you can't come faro on
ne"
You're dead right, pard," said the
other, but what meant was to invest
So to see the game. just as you'd spend
the same for a round Of drinks"
The man left Ned, but after awhile
returned and asked IL he proposed to
60 west in the stage the next morning.
Ned said he did; whereupon his friend
asked If he would mind taking charge
Of young lady. Ned remarked that
: he would be only too happy to do 50.
He was seeing a good deal Of the men
of the country, but had thus far met
few of the women. He was assured
that the young lady. Miss liver, was
the daughter Of wealthy ranchman,
and had been to Denver on a shopping
, tour and was returning to her home
This pleased Ned very much, and he
anticipated a bit of a filtration with
, Miss liver. How 1t would surprise his
father II he should marry a ranch
mans daughter and turn ranchman
himself.
Ned was introduced to Miss liver al
the coach door by the man who had
asked him to escort her and was
somewhat disappointed in her. Hel
walk was awkward, and her voice was
not refined. However, she was wo
man Of the country, and he was curl
Gus to learn all about her. He asked
!. !. her If she wouldn't like to sit outside
but she declined on the ground tina
the sun freckled her, so they entered
the coach, Ned taking seat beside
: her.
4 Inc YOuuk WO"dh was AASpOcC0 ~
1 be quiet and uncommunicative durinl
g the early part Of the journey, but al
: one by one the passengers left tn
coach, none others taking their places
she thawed and took pleasure in CIV
ing her escort information about tn
country, occasionally pointing out oh
tects Of interest. Ned, warming UP
began to pay her compliments as h
had been used to paying them to girl
at home, but she was not used Z
them, or did not seem to know hov
to take them; but she evidently wa
irving to make It appear that she ha'
been paid compliments before.
She told Ned that she expected he
father to meet her at the junction
the stage road and another leading I
the ranch. When the coach reache
the junction Ned expected to see
four mule team and four seated cour
try wagon. But he saw nothing. Ne
Their did the young lady. She locke
very much troubled. Ned asked he
what she would do. She said she sur
posed she would have to wait. For
Young woman to wait at crossroad
with no house within miles seemed
Ned little short Of madness. Tn
stagecoach must 60 on, and Ned trie
to persuade his fair charge to go
too. But she said her papa would b
awfully worried when he arrived an
did not find her.
There was nothing for Ned to do, e
pecially since she had been plnced
his charge. but to remain with he
She declined to permit him to max
the sacrifice unless he would promis
to spend his time till the coach passe
the next day at her fathers ranch. i
deed, she declared that papa would n
hear Of his doing anything else.
So they alighted. and the coach wei
on. As soon as 1t turned bend In Il
road and was out of sight Miss w
took d revolver out Of a pocket In h
Hroas and cOvprin0 Ned said: