La Junta tribune. (La Junta, Bent County, Colo.) 1881-1939, 1914-07-18
The Lone
Watcher
a Story d : Brave Ain's
Struggle z

snow. broken here aud therr by wan
dering traiIa that cyossesi sarh nther u
various snyies- At the hsot Of the
mountains the dark blur os pine tressa
showed against the i,ale ciosk Of win
Ter. growing fainter until at the sum.
mits the gray clouds came down aud
all outlines were l0st.
Al the bane Of the mountains were
scattrsed cabins Of homesteadsn. They
wers many miles apart. and each
roughly built hO,,se was half hiddee
under the heavy snOwfalL
On . certain March morning Anne
Beilew opened the duoe of her fathers
house and drew In deep bresths VI the
clear. cold cir her cheeks were tin
Cling with the Icy contact when she
reluctantly cl0~ed the door and threw
several chunks Of wood Into the stove
She moved ahout the kitchen. slen
der. graceful girl Of twenty-five with
golden brown hair and eyes and sweet
face that now drooped . little sadly
10 respOnse tn her thoughts
Her father came In t0 breakfast
fresh from bis mornins ablutlons.
big. strong. rudy looking man with
crisp grsy hair.
''S0me colder. Anne. my DEAR" be
aaid rheerily ~ be sat down to the ap-
petixinG meal Of corn bread and fried
bacon with fragrant coffee.
"yes. dad. suppose you will 60
into the forest today"
mo: I shall try to get to Moontou
for more supplies. shalt walk. and
can puck the things hack BY sled.
rather wanted to go over and see what
has become Of young Wallace Haven't
seen him for u fortnight hope the
lad isn't ~ lie might be. and NO one
would know H. That's the worst Of
the Wallace claim: It's the Inst one Of
the bunch and On the edge OF all crea
ton
Anne's face lost Its lovely color. aud
her hand trcmblesi rs she poured her
father n second cup VI coffee.
III lin Wallace In aii alone and sick
why. there II no one to walt upon him.
and perhaps h. hasn't anything In the
house to eat" she said practically.
THAT'S tue worst Of Il. Anne. Well.
IN make M early start Where ARE
my rnowshoes: Yes. ~ ! was saying.
l'll make m early start aud Try TO gr,
home by sundown. u . don't. Anne.
YOU needn't worry. { shall stop It
Gillmnn's for the night"
When the dusk Tell Anne placed .
| A. sp.~. ls~ ~ al ~ q
not expert her father to return that
night The storm was Increasing In
fury. and nov the wind was screaming
around the house. seeking entrance
through some unprotected cranuy.
II wondre-l WONDER" was the ~
frsin u Anne's thoughts ail through
'hat "s,rly dsy-"i wonder n b. 10 all
right"
Anne Brllrw wss MAJ thinking Of ben
father. Nhe knew that he wus safely
lsossned n t;Iliu,an's. hat there WAS ~.
sshsr. Jim Wallace. who hsd only .
ysar hesore taken ap claim 90 the
edee Of the government tract Wallace
had worked hard CLEARING hla place snd
had develosssi frVm = psle city bird
man Into great sun lwOwnesi pt,0ees
She had sren Jtm walls~s asauy
tlms~ b~fosv they mrt. and SITTER that
lima wo0lns had l,s~'n vssy shors and
sweet ~ veil. sOe Anne loved him
There wouIdn'i hsvs tssn ssy story
10 write N Anne and lin, had p0a quar-
resed one sutumn day. snd slsce ehra
shrv~ Wonths hsd lssaasd By wishous
word sgsOksN bstwssu them.
II w0ndss-l woosles u Jl0 = on
ri9ht." Anns went IN thlnklag. and ae
last bes Thoughts found reitee 10 ac.
tl0u. L was ! U'slUrk wheu she -
sussh slsl b suas - ~ esensVs
rIo'hIng. mush ton isrss for hsr. bot
.'osns0rtsh,y warm sssssthe,esa
lIr~vins the lamp In Tho wiudoW. shs
rent out Into the storm. bse6lng hee
eea6 10 ths pIerrlng hlssl
Turnins naethwurd. she faced IT,
tattss b,s.l. snd ussssp thss onre she
wss sssnlsssl e. ~ issck o. tue warn
svmsod NJ tn ksssse. tot Q gsssmUai
sioS VI dsMsss to Jim wslisre poaasns.
~ W. ssd she f0ught ssuriily shssl.
u wss avs aslses u the wallssv
.lalm. fsstMs the wind every Isch ~
the way 4 snau wwuDA have su6eepd
keenIy. bst sUmse Inward essleatjus
kelN the hind slnglas lhruust Asses
veins snd hse ssvt slspfwsd 0ut besse
y. and lses fse sl0sssi hsnds we're %
warm ~ W. test)es hsst
Hhs wss esins 10 llm Wallars's I,la~s
n ~ u ~ VIEW alive I'D we'll. and