The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, January 26, 1902, Page 6

6 THE SUNDAY CALL. 1901, by Bret Harte.) PART 1 i Dead Flat stage & before the sta arrens mail wagon with it was long transfer passen- had relapsed into the humors of 2 drummer—and assenger—which had began to eerfulness of gu!cnshly. “Thank you very much— ut they’re really not worth keeping—I am going to throw them away. There!" she added, tossihg them impatiently, in the dust. But she had not reckoned on Boyle's perfect good humo: That gentle idiot stooped dowm, actually gathered them up again and was following; She Lur- ried on; if she could get to coach first, ignoring him!" But a vul man like that would be sure to 1 them to her with some joke? Then lagged agaln—she was geiting and she could see no sign of The drummer, too, was also lagging behind—at & respectable distance, liks a groom or ome of her father's troopers. Nevertheless, this did not put her in a t tall hat, alf of the station, g. On one side waste to the stunt- es in the .distance, s ens”; on the other an ! much better humor, and, halting until with darker he came abreast of her, said impatient Iy: “I-dom’t see why Mr. Foster shoul the scars of sary to send any one to nk it nec look after m. “He didn’t,” returned Boyle simply. “T got down to pick up something.” “To pick up something?* She returned tncredulously. “Yes. That” He held out the card. t's the card of our firm.” Miss Cantire smiled ironically, *Yoy are certainly devoted to your business.” “Well, yes,” returned Boyle, good humeoredly. “You see, I reckon it don't pay to do anything halfway. And what- ever I do I mean to keep my eyes about me.” In spite of her prejudice Miss Can- tire co see that these necessary or- gans, if rather flippant, were honest. “Yes, I suppose there lsn't much on that I don’t take in. Why now, Miss Cantire, there's fancy dust cloak you're wearing—it isn’t in our line of goods—nor in anybody’s line west of Chicago; It came from Boston or New T - AN e S | I g you with Al e agent charged irm could have de- 2 37 and thrown in. Suthin’ —with the toler- York, and was made for home consumg P L tion!’ But your hat—and mighty prett a ’ A% } it is, too, as you've fixed it up—Is o - here suddenly regular Dunstable stock, which we could put down at Pine Barren for four and & half cents apiece net. Yet 1 suppose you pald nearly 2 cents for it at the agency.” 0Oddiy enough, this cool appraisement of her costume did not_incense the young lady as it ought to have done. On tk contrary, for some occult feminine reas it amused and interested her. A look of child pocket, it K bat- borigine. “There! “Are you In the habit of giving this in- - E igin here! formation to ladies you meet in travel- ing?” she asked. and when 4 “Well, no!” Just where yo open. Most of it's no use agsravatin tomer. But you are not Miss Cantire was s was not of that kind, but sh quire his indorsement. She for some moments & he hailed her. urned impat g{u was carefully examining the rc oth sides. “We have elther lost our way,” he sa rejoining her, ‘“‘or the coach has turn off somewhers, These tracks are nc fresh, and as they are all going the sam way they were made by the up coach ! pight. ey’re not our tracks; 1 thought it strange we hadn’t sighted the coach by this time. hter which e coach was westward kor r firm will do the ‘Great about half » Washington.” ers came hur- e's eomin’,” i t just behind ad : “And then s Cantire impa- tiently. “We must turn back until we find them again.” The young lady frowned, “Why not keep on 1 we get to the top?” gaid pettishl 'm sure I s stopped sudden his grave face S “Why can't we go on &S We ar “Because we are e cted to back to the coack d not to the mit merely, These are the ‘orders,’ you Know you are a s s daught e laug o spoke, but there cer b is ma When added, “We must go back and find arned off,” she obeyed after a pause, where the tracks without a word. They walker searching for for some time eagerly gns of the missing ve- . hicle. A ¢ interest and a new re- \ liance in Boyle's judgment obliterated her . previous oyance and made more natural. She ran ahead of him with youthful eagerness, examining the ground, Tollowing a false clew with great anima~ tion and confessing her defeat with a charming laugh. And it was she who, after retracing their steps for ten min- . utes, found the diverging track with a ?vxmsh ery of triumph. Boyle, who had ollowed her moven s quite as inter- estedly as her discovery, looked a little graye as he noticed the deep indentations made by the struggling horses. Miss Can- tire detected the change in his face; ten minutes before she would never have ob- served it. “I suppose we had better fol- low the new track?’ she sald inquiringly, as he seemed to hesitate. “Certainly,” he sald quickly, as if com« y eyes, with an parkle in their evebrows and ; wn ter ! seemed to In% th' a prompt decision. “That is : x e =g safest. *Snbapsd s 'm‘i’;{h) the “What do you think has happened? isted around her neck The ground looks very much cut up,” r ch In her sober she sald in a confidential tone, as new ) him l,,dm\. evoked ;’c‘; her as her previous observation of e dreadful dust e . i s b “A horse has probably stumbled and hoagpemig by, x5, 4ot 2 el they've taken the old trail as less aim- ¥ 1 h ver. cult,” sald Boyle promptly. In his heart gh hi . he did not believe it, yet he knew that n her eyes rested if anything serious had threatened them e e the coach would have waited in the road. she sald “It's an easler trail for us, though I sup- T it's a little longer,” he added pres- ently. . “You take everything so good-humored- ly Mr. Boyle,” she sald after a pause. o ¥ to do business, Miss Can- aid. “A man in my line has to hed he hadn’t sald that, but he' returned a little archly: “THE LO OX OF JOYFUL SURPRISE WHICH CAME INTO HIS FACE CHANGED QUICKLY AS SHE COCKED THE PISTOL AND LIFTED IT INTO THE AIR.” examine a trail, the smooth, Inward-toed had certain prejudices of pos nd o . Sxomio e ot SR ot Jm s o ftion, and up a small object, “Look at thatt D_d trall belng less steep though more wind. She gathered a few wild flowers and some morp dense and’ difficult as be went on, 2 P 8! A e R R the card I gave that Indian four ing than the regular road, he concluded berries in the underwood, inspected som had thelr wives yet he seemed to glide thioughiits Yensity 'f. ;m::xeqj‘r]:‘?fagompanflxmr s gg;xghter P T e e b T Pt i R, Dirds: ness ith a healthy youthful cu: the you dy 1 3 i et T " 2 an ordinary peddler. v e would regain the- h iosity, vt - g lady and darkness—an obscurlty that now So Dick Boyle was obliged to amuse Look yer, sonny,” retorted Foster more and await it 28 Ol e A O R A L o A meemed to be stirred by other moving obe hirsself wione o the pack oes wnl ihosy Eravely, “ef 'ver wantin’ to get out and donme this, the two men stéod up on the hair with something she took f om the jects, dimly seen, and as uncertain and liberal powers of observation which na- hang round Miss Cantire, why don't yer DoX, and. with an anxiety they tried to small reticule That Dung coquettishiy T S a say so at onct? That story won't wash!” conceal from each other, looked down the from her girdle. it was, indeed, somg prices. believed I would Dunstable the wholesale intangible as sunlit leaves thrilled by the ture had b v TN CORTERRA 63,57 v v : v the ture had given him. On entering the can- *Fact!” continued Boy. t's canyon for the lagging pedestrians, 4 it > e elened by distanc er blushed with pleasure at the wind, yet bearing a strange resemblance yon he.had noticed the devious route the the same card I 1ed Boyle, eagerly avs “I hope Miss Cantirs HAN't Dooh stam- ihe toad Romies th welisle BAd coiently R et o Rl g et ine srn e am.” he laughed, to human figures! The woods and under- coach had taken to reach it and had al- the greasy mark In tho sorner. How tne Peded from the track by any skeer like disappeared in a turn of the long, wind. floated above them! e wboll b lGndler - coskh had tiken o restti N munRatial P le LTINS e that,” said the mail agent, dubiously. ing ascent, but just ahead of her was , “There said Miss Cantire, eagerl “Do nket,’ over there,” pointing to the as he ha v e parallel w s ente: res: _Better ax him,” said Foster, grimly o b ; She w: t vain, b pointing to the had moved, in a line parallel with should enter the depression at the point X Mo gt » BTIMIY, gapg for that, unless that drumm: ‘r hez mer.” was T 3 ; er he: er. he was not vain, but she made wh s walking stolidly away the vanishing co i T “ef he's anywher: " o intion. “Soustl Dgiian o s the opemngf aaf;:}edsmgjlt;flfis ;;:;%ugh v\Lerx:‘e the Indian had already (unknown “Byt, I s};y_ ng{g;m‘i‘ don’t like the ¢aught up with her and unloaded his yarn no doubt he was waiting there for her. she might not ques- o’ their boots. And yet he’s got inside his crest of feathers, or resipyrndd Yol to him) plunged into it, and had con- look of this' at alll Miss Cantire is &about that kyard.” There was no avolding him, but his com- nued with anima- b s DRt & s Erhtienn . M S s Lo e WE WY eVl sual Shroups (he SORE I Su alone, and—" They were the last words the men spoke. panionship could be ‘made a brief one. . - s visible, but nothing more. that would shorten the distance by some , But @ burst of laughter from Foster and for two rifle shots cracked from the ghe began to walk with ostentatious a with a quick laugh, hty quick—we'ra er push on.” er back with your veling for the big And yet only a few hundred yards away. 2 ¢ Co L 3 y : 3 y, ‘miles. He had figured it out and belleved thS,Mall agent interrupted nim. “That's TiiGke besig Lo foad; two shots atmed STIOESS, : & Co. of Chicago"—he in- stretched the Qusky, silent plain—vacant that it “would pay.” But by this time i said Foster, " “Thats your best Nolt! 12 oo two michs mortally sirlcbose no. secretly. Teieved t this, began (o walk g sudaesly to The Tomtl of sownd o saotion, e Dedirtt 5 Keep it up! You jest tell her that! Say, that the two men, mortally stricken, col- Secretly relieved at this, began to walk podhedly do Mt Dikmdl st mmtor poliont' T g FE s g the somewhat steep thar’s another Injin skeer on; that that lapsed where they stood, hanging for a fcrward briskly, too, without lookin: T e o porcanwhile the Sage Wood and Pine and difficult ascent of the canyon on the ihar bloodthirsty ole “Fleasin-His Blan; briefmoment over the dashboard befors around. antire was not prepared y skelpin’ was to be Barren stage coacn, profoundly oblivious, othor side. The vehicle had not crawled ket’ ez on the warpath, and youwre geln’ they rolled aver on the horses' backs. for this; it looked so ridiculously as if ;- —after fhe masuei human invention many yards before it stopped. Dick O shed the last drop o' your blood ~de- Nor did they remain there long, for the "She, were GEhow As” she was: meaer = % 5 3 ng but its regular function, Boyje glanced around. Miss Cantire was Geng aay Th?" R e L L L A s Sbieast of him she Was' bliged 16 kech accepted the introduction L"’leu d';fln)- out of the higher plain and getting down; she had expressed a wish to m%rfeblixgrs':sattm ty(?“f well!d G‘lgng!; gozen e B B ST o s olite but _ began the grateful des a wooded s g : e ey o thick : o h polite but gool ab- beEan the srateful de scent of a wooded walis.the rest of tho ascent and the coach ter's whip, leaving Boyle standing there) u?asmxckgt.thf\hhC:xtr-gaazcef' Srepsd int I think you do well to hurry, M1 3 x s minal- was to wait for her at the top. Foster half inclined to join in the laugh against dozen other shadows fitted and swaemej Cantire” he said as she passed.’ “T've epeated in gen- you gentlemen carried one. th your gospel 1 forward into the INE point of the depression just d 2 y % ‘mere oloud 1 the siowly advancing, hardly a mile In the gianced & Nitle longingly after her grave, NS discovery. He resolved to remain on Semed 0 e possessed, covered and hid 4, the Summit B Nikvea plsto ou Know. that dust for a mo. Tear and flank of the vehicle. Miss Julia ful figure, released from her cramped po- the road and within convenient distance den by them, swaying and moving with Miss Cantire did not like this any bet- Captain " hia the Tndien, weae. Cantire, who had faced the dust volleys Sition on the box, as it flitted youthfull of Miss Cantire, until she returned to the thefr weight, like hel, ter. To go on beside this dreadful s track, but he emerged ©f the plain unflinchingly, as B volley fn and out of the wayside trees; he would Sors bumie,Copid not be far away. With neath a paci of ravenous welves. Tor Scrambling breathlossly atter the stage— gle, with a quickeneq Soldier's daushter, here stood upright and 1k¢ t0 have dotned ner in the woodland in purpose he walked slowly” on, halt- even while this seething congregation was ~ontimentsl Wworld like an absorbed and ting ot Yo g shook herself—her pretty head and fig- Lomos Ggaimse her IndiForences At tios i oceasionally to look behind, | ) » 8t its greatest, at some unknown signal swas really. 100 much. -Porhaps It yen o A e 2 e = proof against her indifference. At a tur: ~ it as suddenly dispe as 3 erhaps if you sustained that in an UF% e;uerg:lng li]f‘e adgodde,s from the en- in the road they lost sight of her, and. as gul;‘:s‘::‘e::. a difficulty made greater by gisappeared, l!e,avlng {g:d-cc:zglsehed[and ran on and told them I was coming as hed & ringe ot 2B veloping silver cloud. At least Mr. Boyle, the criver and mall agent were deep in g nervousness of the horses, 1C¥ficclaton on the roadside. | - fast as I could” she suggested tenta- erto invisi al & 477 2 bR that, only with grea v and. som: herto invisible througn Telegated to the back seat, thought so— iscussio out the Indistinct track, objursation from the. trouble and some "An hour later there was the sound of ' ‘it would be as much as my life i n’ 2 . 3 o 1s t carry far enough. les of the apparently jew, aithoush her conversation and attentions BOyle lapsed into his stlent study of the prevented from hurrying hoofs and jinglin - ¥ level pithoueh her conversation and attentions Ty Euadenty he ttered a sHERt 6rs Drevn Srcommy’ THng [Lrom e FeEUlar meiits, Snd out of the plail swept a Squad Jou. No. SAd IAUSHINEIY. - Xowve oy bt S OBy emectve at o icule and showed a pistol. The look of into’ his face you might want { to which he plunged and disap- 3 and mall agent. Once, when he had light. Cemation and guietly elipped from the from some point of cavalrymen bearing dow. 4 - he tof point of the thicket beside n upon the de- to hurry on a little fas 3 ol i The fringe which received hi heartedly addressed a remark t6 her 1t BaC action wes. However, quicklsound them that the coach completely lett the serted vehicle. - For a fow moments they, °Jiui the Joung lady resented this belng walked o5 il fre o 1 be o £ u m Was had been received with a distinct but un- by the driver, who promptl ,’fi noted track on the right. Lucknpy it was a dis. too, seemed to surround and possess even .driven by & ‘drummer.” Sh s belng walked on. But re noticed this, the Tim of a Sepression quite con- promising politeness that had made hie oh the brake and punednu%.p“wg:'um:; B e e T avay, aatte: B s e s Qs venetiat- - Iax. Neprésniug: Dex Dretty brows omi- at frst produced {15 Soncern when - plain, gesist from further attempts now?” he growled. ve them their heads, satis- cket beside it. And nously. S yraducad & 1 his co e t followed for s , yet without h fied of his al en as suddenl o ¢ R she was about t a uselessly. o tdaciy rbijxfieu:r;iles thgm“gh abatement of his cheerfulness or resent= BD“.E ?11%“0,' reply, but ran back a few road when ngéle!gart;. r?gut‘t;lokm:or;?‘z‘xx]g :‘:vepfi forward fzflg&s‘;m?ne tg‘:n;}mihe’; Bn’:‘leel ?{ee ;2?’ ytfutl “fi“"‘ A0 She e & S BUT ala o Stoni S ke bottom of 1ow ment of the evident amusement his two SLohe, PeEAD searching eagerly on the ments for him fo recover complete con- the destroying shadows. i st iy 1 Reliag a0 b Lo o st thie atranuens. = o o : T L Lo etover D oo . Mise Cantire WOk SUIl advshtasn ot hs - shart Lo T, Dossgny at /Dy smo tine oo badd sl Sitipa The Indian, trot- male companions got out of his “snub.” - “Lost suthin’'?’ asked Foster. on, paused only to Indeed, it is to be feared that Miss Julia “Found something, their nervousness having abated with suggestion “not to hurry” in her walk, “No! No!"” she said in hurried horror said Boyle picking /their distance from the thicket and the with certain feminine ideas of its latitude. at this new suggestion of their com- Concluded Next Week.