The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1915-09-02
HIS MOUNTAIN GIRL
BY RONALD ROSS.

Marvin was in his later thirties.
College bred, he had gone West after
making a failure OF his life. Hsshad
10 ties. Nobody In the world cared
for him. He wanted only to bury
himself in the heart Of the forest ana
to forget,
One DAY. as Marvin rode through
the woods. he came upon a sltp OF q
mountain girl bending over. T. brook.
Her bare feet were as brown as Der
i1es, her arms nut brown, her face
flushed with confusion al shs raised
it to his.
They fell into an easy conversation.
Her father was q small sheep rancheT
living in the valley, She had no 9TH
or relative OF friend except-Jim.
Jim was her lover, Marvin gathered,
He rode on. vaguely disconnected. The
thought Of the girl required to him
again and again.
He met her once more. tWice-thel
the day came when he rode down to
the valley to buy his supplies. Aud
he saw the girl at the door OF tho
ranch building.
Joe Cooper's GAL" the storekeeper
told him. "She's sort OF queer. Old
Jim Bates Is crazy to marry her. but
he's in his fifties and the gal don't
care for an old man. Guess her father
will make her, though. He's eager to
get rid Of her-shiftless lot. them
Coopers."
Marvin. returning, saw a group Of
three at the door Of the house. The
two men were arguing angr1ly with
the girl. Marvin thought he saw
tears On her cheeks. He pulled in his
horse; then slowly rode away. 1t
was no business Of his; he could not
Interfere.
But the days hung drearily on his
hands, and he felt a vague longing to
see the forest girl again. About q
week later his wish was gratiaed.
She was coming along the trail,
sobbing, and when she saw him she
stopped dead and hid her face In her
hands. Marvin was at her side in q
minute.
You are In trouble" he said. what
car l do to help you?" Then In sud.
den realization. you were coming
to me?"
She nodded dumbly. II can't stand
for it in the valley" she said. Il
won't marry Jim Bates. l won't. /
hate him. Ali my life / have wanted
to live ia the mountains. away from
folks"
This stammered. foolish words were
almost i%narticulate. Marvin under.
stood the passion behind them, tho
soul longing for freedom, cropping for
refuge from the petty tyranny Of life
He placed his arm around her. 6ha
looked UP st him. and their lips met,
Il, too. love the mountains" he said.
Would you come and live with me
l mean. if we were to be married?"
She nodded. They strolled together
along the trail, and at last both had
found happiness. Before she left il
was arranged that she was to meet
him and they would ride to the near.
est town and find q minister.
That night he dreamed that he was
pursuing Laura through a vast. smoky
land, a wilderness with no other liv.
ing being in sight; yet she was run.
ming from him toward some unknown
danger: ana ne pursued: eager to save
her.
He gasped and sat UP. Through
the window OF his cabin he saw a
lurid light that seemed to fill the sky:
The room was filed with smoke,
He hurried into his clothes and raj
to the stable. This horse was whinny,
ing. fearful of the nre that seemed t1
be creeping neare Marvin saddled
him and rode at a gallop into the
woods, At the edge Of the crest hd
saw that the whole valley val ablaze,
He tethered his horse securely and
ran down the valley. He saw slnoi
dering homesteads, fallen trees
blackened rooftops Of deserted houses
Then he was At the Cooper ranch
The house was still blazing.
He ran through the little irrigated
patch and hammered turtously at the
door. 1t fell crashing beneath his
blows. The interior was empty,
Thank God for that!
The girl must have joined the fugt
ttves In the mountains at the other
end of the valley. There was no mofs
to be done. Marvin turned slowly
away-and then he was aware Of the
girl c%rouching beside the little trickle
Of water. as she had crouched by the
brook that day. She was crOuching
weeping. and In a moment he had bel
! in his arms.