Year: 1872

WY now,' said Sims, whats the use?
Sich things amt uncommon,-come on.


You can go alone, ii you think best
she answered


Before he could reply she was gone,
and, irritated by what he considered a
useless panic, he doggedly continued his
| Journey toward the post The sight of an
indian trail eight miles from home seemed
poor cause for fright, even in q woman.
Sims thought as he continued his journey:
and it was not that which caused her TO
retreat; it was to avoid being questioned
further upon the topic he had broached.
Gurus critters is wimminn he said to
himself as he logged on. Sims spent that
night, unconscious of its horrors, happy
drunk in the post guard house.


An apprehension which she could hard
ly understand, filed the mind of the girl
as she urged her pony toward home. Her
fathers talk added to her excitement, and
she thought of what Tom Harris, strong,
daring and handsome, would do at such
time. His tall figure, cherry face and
handsome dress, as he sat on his horse at
her fathers door, blithe and fresh after
his ride of 40 miles for her sake, came Wv
idly before her. Even in the midst of her
anxiety and nervousness she felt that she
|
could do anything in this world Such
were the strong woman's thoughts of a
man whom she loved because he was
stronger than she. Two miles from home,
and the riders heart sank at the sight of
column OF smoke on the verge OF the fa-
miliar horizon. Frightened indeed, now,
she urged her pony TO his utmost. and at
the crest of the hill that overlooked the
nook in which stood her home, the truth
burst upon her that while her father had
talked to her of her lovers. and while she
was yet specializing upon the footprints
In the sand, the Indian torch was being
applied, and now herds, house, mother
and sisters were all gone. Amid all the
conflicting griefs and terrors of the mo-
ment, arose an overwhelming sense of ut
ter loneliness and helplessness. The beau
tiful and subtitle strength OF woman NAV
guide, but it can neither guard nor revenge.
There seemed no help, and the girl wished


in her heart she had gone with the rest
But she was not so entirely alone, for as
she came nearer she saw the tall figure of
Tom Harris, newly alighted from an all
night ride, standing by his painting horse,
so entirely occupied with despairing
contemplation of the smouldering ruins
that he had as not yet noticed her ap-
proach But when he turned and recog-
nized her, his grim face took color like
flash. In truth, Toms paleness was not
pallor of fear. Words were inadequate
to express the tone in which he had cursed
the Apaches, by all that was holy and all
that was evil. as he stood contemplating
the burning house. and thinking with
pang that penetrated his very soul that
she was among the victims. But when he
har all
thenceforth fair and serene to Tom Harris.
With a frontiersman's quick perception of
circumstances and situations, of this kind,
he understood and asked no questions.
The Paches are clear gone with every
thing, Miss he said. They must a done
it in ten minutes. Come, git dowE now,
won't yee That pony's about done for,
and-w'y, now, Miss, 'taint no use
grieven.' Ye can't bring 'em back, and ye
cant catch the Injuns,-not to-day. I'll
be even with 'em if l live, but I've
knowed many sich thing in my time,
and"


Tom stopped, for he had a sense of how
tame and meaningless his rude efforts
were to the silent and horror stricken wo-
man before him, whose whole soul seemed
engrossed in a struggle with the calamity
which had beiallen her. The weil-mean-
ing fellow went some distance apart and
waited. And while he waited, the white,
despairing tace grew still whittier, and she
slipped helplessly from the pony and lay
limp and hfeless heap upon the ground.
This was the time of the frontiersman's
utter despair. In all his liie's vicisitudes
there had been none like this. But all his
endeavors We're the sensible oneA of a
practical man. He knew nothing of what
he ought to do for the restoration of lost
consciousness and was afraid to try. But
with the celerity of habit he stripped the
thick blankets from his horse and the po-
ny, and hurriedly spread them in the shade
by the bank-side. Then he made pillow
to his temples, and thrill that went to
his fingers ends. he lifted the girl, and,
strong as he was. fairly staggered under
the burden, laid her upon the couch he
had made. He took his own soft serape,
with its crimson stripes, and spread it for
a covering; filled his canteen and placed
it near her; and then sat down afar off
and picked holes in the ground with his
long knife, and whistled softly, and sighed
and groaned within himself. Tom loved
the woman who lay there and because he
loved her he was afraid of her. Most
men experience the same feeling once in
their lives.


But there had been another and an un-
seen spectator to all this. We cannot tell
by what peculiar conjunction of the plan
cts things fall out in this world as they do.
But while Tom was executing his plans OF
comfort the ''slick lookin' feller from Max


Wells was watching afar of. He came
no nearer, because he did not at first un-


derstand the situation. The burning


building suggested Indians. and ne want


ed no closer acquaintance with tnem,
: should they still be there. But while he


watched he saw and recognized the two
persons. and pang of jealousy entered
his heart. Then he stayed away because


he desired to husband for future misrep-


resentation and use the circumstances to
which he had been an unseen witness.
and finally rode away, bafiied. pondering
in his heart some scheme which could
harm his formidable rival.


The afternoon passed slowly away. and
tCONcI Vnrn rnrvpru