The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1917-03-01
KINGS REST
BY A RAMSAY.


Halt way to Rodney's Tumble It
stood, a ramshackle. lOpsided claim.
staker's shack, half leaning against
the mountainside. Old King had lived
In II for over IS years.
Jean drew rein In front of It. She
was dead tired with the long ride up
from Castle Crag. The captain had lit
orally fallen In his tracks as soon as
they had reached their own cabin, and
Jean had started out to forage. Fresh
water was the greatest need. with
night coming IN.
King came out at her hail and
stared at her.
I'm Jean Hartley" she said cor
daily. captain Hartley's daughter.
We're your new neighbors down the
gulch. and we just got home. Fathers
all tired out, but I'm hunting a spring.
DO you know where there is one?"
Did he? He carried the water for her
clear down to the cabin. and they found
the captain, genial and optimistic, ready
to talk his head of over prospects in
Lost Horse Gulch. King nodded his
head.
THE COLDS here, and the days got
to dawn when some of us find 1t. That's
ALL"
Jean used to recall those words dur
ing the months that followed. She
knew the mining game. Hadn't she
been born up In u mining camp Is
years before. high in the Nevada
mountains? Then the captain had
struck luck. and they had gone
east to live. the baby and the slim
young mother. back to the civilization
where they belonged. And after years
Of comfort and surety the two blows
had fallen almost together. the pass
ing of Jeans mother and the crash of
the captains fortune in rash specu-
latiOn.
But don't you mind. honey GIRL
he had said cheerily. well go back
to where 1t grows in the mountains"
Once In a while she wondered why
Stanley had never answered her let.
ter. breaking their engagement. 1t
was right. she felt. after the financial
crash. not to hold him, but she had
thought he might have answered.
One morning old King stopped with
ews His face was nglow with eager
ness.
"Davy's back holne," he announced.
Hes my boy, not by any blood ties,
bu ! took him when he was q little
shaver after his paw died and brought
him up. He's been away to school, min-
Ing school, or school of mines, and he'll
be home tomorrow. You folks'll like
him."
But even that did not prepare Jean
for Davy us he was. She rode early the
next morning over to where the cap
tain was at work, and half way down
the trail she met him-tall. brown-eyed,
b%ure-headed, his shirt open at the
throat. with a tame gray squirrel on
II shoulder and a dog at his heels.
He had walked down to the main road.
he said, to get the mail sack when the
stage e by. And he handed her a
letter from Stanley. She opened and
read 1t after the big, brown-eyed boy
had gone up toward Kings Rest.
when 1 began to miss you and real
lied how lonely you must be | felt
like q dog not to have answered your
letter. but it staggered me at the time,
of course, and | admired you for your
stand. Now I've wakened up Jean, and
by the time you get this I'll be on my
way West, to you, dear. patient,
brave little girl"
Jean stood and smiled thoughtfully.
Dave was the only person who could
make Matatao smile. Her brown,
wrinkled face would crinkle up every
time she saw him, and her slow black
eyes followed his figure lovingly. Once
she came upon them both, standing on
the trail high above the timberline at
shutdown o. Lookout rock. Dave leaned
toward the girl longingly. his face
aglow with love, his lips framing
quick, broken words of pleading, and
Matatao stood like a statue watching
until she saw him take Jean in his
arms. when she slipped out of sight
back into the u%nderbrush.
1t was night when Stanley came up
to the cabin. He was spent with the
long ride and out of humor.
"How are you, captain, and You.
Jean? rode down some old Indian
woman on the trail. 1t was dark and
the horse was stumbling. She's down
there now"
He got no further. Jean vas out, Of
the door and flying down the trail.
She knew every step of the way even
In the dark. Matatao had dragged her.
self out of the path into the bushes
like q wounded animal.