The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1920-01-01
KINGS REST
BY ELEANOR RAMSAY.

SthkcrS snack, nnlf leaning hgulnst
the mountalnslde. Old King had lived
In II for over 80 years.
Jean drew rein IN front OF II. 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, aud
Jean had started on. to forage. Fresh
water was the greatest need, with
night coming on.
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
guIch, and we just got home. Fathers
all tired out, but I'm hunting spring.
DO you know where there is oneW
Did he? lie carried the water for her
clear down TO the cabin, and they found
the captain, genial aud optimistic, ready
10 talk his head ofr over prospects in
Lost Horse Gulch. King nodded his
head.
"The Colds here, and the days got
to dawn when some OF us find II. 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 II mining camp Is
years before. high in the Nevada
mountainsY 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 aud 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 cheerlly. "We'll go back
TO where II grows In the mountains"
Once In n 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
news. His face was aglow with eager
ness.
| "Davy's back home" he announced.
Hes my boy, not by any blood ties
hut took him when he was n 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
he home tomorrow. You folks'll like
him."
But even that did not prepare Jean
for Davy as he was. She rode early the
next morning over to where the cap
tain was ut work. and half way down
the trail she met hm--tall, brown-eyed.
bare-hended, his shirt open at the
throat. with II tame gray squire! on
one shoulder and n dog at his heels,
He had walked down To the main road,
he said, to get the mail sack when the
stage went by. And he handed her II
letter from Stanley. She opened and
read II after the big. brown-eyed boy
had gone up toward Kings Rest.
"When began to miss you and real
ICED how lonely you must be felt
like u dog not 10 have answered your
letter, but II 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 aud smiled thoughtfully.
Dave was the only person who could
make Matatao smile. Her brown.
wrinked face would crlnkle 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 tlmberlinc at
sundown on Lookout rock. Dave leaned
toward the girl longingly, his face
aglow with love. his lips framing
quick, broken words of pleading and
Mntatao stood like statue watching
until she saw him take Jean in his
arms, when she slipped out of sight
back into the underbrush.
II was night when Stanley came up
To the cabin He was spent with the
long ride and out Of humor.
"liow are YOU, captain. and YOU,
Jean? ! rode down some old Indian
woman on the trail. II vas dark and
the horse was stumbling She's down
there now"
lie got no further. Jean was 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 a wounded animal.
ME go fast" she whispered. "fcll
Davey old--under-Klng's Rest"
As old King said afterward, II was
just like an Indian to get humor out
df seeing you grub stake for ~ years
after gold, and not know you
had built your shack square over
the vein. Dave and he buried Ma
tutao on Lookout Point. and the day
Stanley heard from Jean that his trip
| unS fnn lufa nuNa ctru.l tha N.in .,f