The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-07-10
TIE EVENING STORY
Nell of the Mountains.
By Louise Merrifield.)

OLD Farley waited till the saw had cut
through the heart of the great cedar
before he came forward.
Been up ter the house?''
"She amt there. You seen her go
by Tinkum?"
Tinkum lay fiat down in the saw
| dust, making roadways. "Mabbe she's
after laurel" he vouchsafed. She
gees down to the gap after some every
night after supper"
| Burt pressed his knees against the
sorrel mares sides and she sprang for
ward over the rough wooden bridge and
down the road to the gap. On the rock
| embankment above the railroad he
found her, sweet and dainty as the
| mountain laurel that grew in great
! shrubs of pink bloom in the gray rock
! crags and crannies.
And he told her why he had come,
point bank. roughly, without hesi-
fancy or doubt as to the outcome, while
Nell dropped her head and smiled.
Lately she had become something of a
| connoisseur in love-making.
so I thought I'd better tell you"
| finished up Bart. i've got this call
down to Rocking Stone, and I won't
be back soon, and your father thinks
we'd better marry before CO."
well, 1 reckon I won't marry you,
Burt, not yet awhile,' Nell laughed.
Before he could ask why, there had
come the long call of the engine
whistle down the Gap. and she lifted
her head as if to meet 1t.
Burt watched her, saw her color
rise, and her eyes shine, as the express
Numbered into view, and he also saw
the engineer lean out of the cab win
dow, and toss something at her feet.
1t was a small box well wrapped
and weighted with lump of coal.
You might as we'll open it up, NeIl,''
he said rough. you're found OUT
ct don't care" flashed back Neil
st amt a bit afraid of you" She
broke the cord and opened up the Jox.
Inside lay a dark leather case, and
under its cover-NeH gave a gasp of
almost frightened delight when she
saw the ring imbedded in the white
velvet. 1t was not a diamond, but
three pearls, large as early peas they
seemed to Nell, and beautiful as the
dawn that she loved to watch melt
the mist wreaths up and down the
long valley.
How'd you get to know him, Nell?"
Nelrs chin went up defiantly. 'T car
ried medicine for mother down to old
Mis- Haynes An it was late. An I
took the railroad bridge way coming
home. An the train came along, an
I'd been killed if he hadn't seen me,
and slowed up in time
Then what?"
Then, then I always watched for !
him"
watched for him, n you don't |
even know his name.''
''I do so, Burt Sims. It's Ned Rowan.
He's a Nashville fellow"
How do you know so much?"
HE told mel mean wrote it TO
me-"
''I always told your pa it'd bring mis-
chief letting you go down the valley TO
school. Give me the letters
II won't. You and all the men up
here are just the same. A woman amt
no more to you than your hound, not
as much as your horse. Amt 1 seen
my mother slave and grow old with
out decent word from month end to
month end? Amt I seen her licked
sometimes, too, before was Id enough
to fight dad? Suppose I'm going to-
stay here in these mountains and be
the. wife of one of your" Her young
laugh rang out triumphantIy. She
slipped the ring on her third finger,
and held it to her lips. I'm going to
marry New Rowan, and mighty soon
too.'
The tall. lean young mountaineer
her with half closed eyelids,
and closed lips.
Are you? You'll have to be quick I
about it. Nell" He turned the mares
head. "'Cause he amt going to run {
hat train over the Gap again, not
llive!" Is
Burt. waltz"
He did not turn his head at her ,
,all. She watched him ride away to-
ward home. It was just sunset. The ,
whole range of mountains seemed
quilt of magical precious stones and
'amparts of gold in the strange, vivid 6
'adiance. {
The girl stood gazing out at it all;
lot the dark line of the mountains, I
1ut the sky and it's glory. She loved /
he sunset hour that had brought her
or weeks the only romance and joy f
hat had ever come into her life. f
She had been born and bred in the
I'D lumber mill. child of wearied.
aciturn mountain folk. Only little :
Tinkum had cheered her. Perhaps
Ter mother had caught a CLEAN of
ONE different world in the glory of I
he sunsets and had bequeathed a G
hidden heart longing to her daughter
worked on at the mill house, a slen- S
Ter, stoop-shouldered, close-lipped v
woman, with only her eyes to betray
Ter; great, lustrous, hungry eyes like Z
JelPs; dark hazel, like the mountain b
rooks in shadow.
That night Nell told her mother.
bowed her Ned's letters-manly, ten
er letters-showed her the ring and
sked what she should do. Mrs. Far
sy cried silently, and held her girl O
lose to her breast
''Dearie, dearie, I don't know" she :
aid. "I only want you to be happy
BURT Sims won't make you a good .
husband I saw him kick his horse l
ven. If you've got a chance to get
way, mustn't hold you. Mountain a
fe's a living death for the women
olks, Nell. You'd better go, and I'll II
elp you" g
"And what about father?"
He'll take it out on me, dearie, n
nd it won't hurt you" a
"Ill send for you and Tinkum, n
ure, mother Nell promised, passion n