The ~- 2 J he rl | | | | | | | 1 | | | | | | J -N Tw. ~~ RLY “Oh, this is grand!” exclaimed George Casey, as he paused for a few moments to enjoy the embracing air and scenery. All about him the mountains lay in tumbled heaps, farther away the foothills sloped gracefully downward, and still farther down in the valley and out over the mining camp he could see the old trail that stretched away to the westward. He was new to these scenes, having recently come to Wyoming from his home in Boston, and he was drinking in the atmosphere of the new life to the fullest. “*Y-a:8.’" drawled the girl ag sheovertook her compauicn; “but I'm a thinkin’ as how we bettor start fer home. It's a-gettin’ purty late, an’ we're some twelve miles from town. We can't much more than git there by dark.” “Two-bits,”” said George, tauntingly, ‘1 believe you're a coward. Here you were born and raised in this country, and you're scared about being out in the hills after dark. Now, I'm a tenderfoot, and yet would'nt be afraid to wander all over these kills from now until morning.” George Casey was indeed a ‘‘tenderfoot,” but this was not the worst of his failings. Raised in ae wealthy family, he had beep given everything he wished, and had ruled his father's house to suit himself. That he was the most important portion of the family, he did not for a moment doubt, and it was his greatest desire that others should share that opinion with regard to him. When he found that he was to spend the summer in Wyoming looking after some mining interests, he determined that of all other things he would show the people there that here was one tenderfoot that was not so tender after all. The few friends whom he had made on first arriving at Cold Springs, had soon tired of his lordly ways and the only one who cared to accom- pany him on his various journeys over the hills was Two-bits, who followed him around like a faithful dog. ’ Nobody could tell where Two-bits got her name. She was a rough, uncouth girl of fourteen years, born in the wilds and true to her birthplace. The high cheek bones and swarthy features told of Indian blood—a fact of which she was prowd. No two characters could possibly have been more opposite than those of George Casey aml _Two-bits. She had alvays been accustomed to associating with roughly- dressed, brown-featwred, bow-begged cow- boys, who treated her Eke one of their own kind, amd sometimes enjoped teasing her for the amusement of the gong. An admir- ation had been awakemed m her for thiss smooth-shaven, well dressed, polite young gentleman who had come from the Mand of which she had heard such wonderful stories. She had dreamed of such individ- uals but had never seen one before. He appreciated the fact that she admired him, and since no one else in that immediate vicinity seemed to share the feeling, he gladly allowed her the monopoly of it. : So ‘the two had formed a sort of soclail system all thelr own, wlth just two classes --master and vassal. “N-a-w,” she drawled, “I ain't no.coward, neither. But I tel you, we can’t go back the way we come, fer it's too long round. We got to go straight back toward the Springs, an’ it’s a good four hours’ walk. Mebbe yer don’t know thet them there hills jest above the camp has got fire all under em. They is great big cracks thar, thet is so warm yer can hardly bear yer hand in em. Mebbe yer wouldn't like ter fall down one of 'em inter the fire.” “Ho, ho, ho!” laughed the tenderfoot; such a ghost story. Now Miss,” he added, “do you see that big pile of rocks yonder? ‘Well, that’s the highest place there 18 around here, and I’m going to go there.’’ ‘‘Huh!” muttered Two-bits. “Yer kent neither. ‘ A while back yer thought this was the highest—her yer are, an’thet’s the highest. It'll be the same way when yer git thar; the highest will be just beyond. 1 tell yer, it’s time to go home.” ‘Go home, then, if you want to, and are afraid. I'm going on. It isn't more than a’ mile farther.” “It’s all of five miles!" she declared; but the master started along, and the faithful slave followed obediently. If he were going, there was nothing for it but that she must accompany him. They trudged along in silence for haif an hour, and still the peak seemed as.far away as ever. “Coufoind it!’ said George, at last, ‘if _we¢ had not stopped so long to talk about it, ~ we could have been there before this. I suppose it’s too late to go any farther.” Had Two-bits been more cultured ana learned, it is likely she would have said, By . H WALTER BURR . we come ter the Burnin’ Hils. Peers as though I could feel the heat right now, There! Look yonder!” They were now on an eminence command- ing a good view of the lower hills, and as they looked down into the darkness they could see distinetly long lines of glowing red, streaking the earth like the trails of flery serpents. The redness pulsated like a thing of life, and as it did so the very. ground about seemed to heave up and down. Then suddenly al! was darkness again. “Yer see,” she continued, “I may be a coward, an’ all thet. Mebbe so. It may a bin all a ghost story, too. But there it is, an’ we got ter cross thet place. The brave young man was getting really scared. He had never before been out in the mountains in the night time, and the awful stillness, broken now and then by unpleasant sounds peculiar to the mountain country, awed and frightened him. His teeth were fairly chattering. b I=l=Wi oe had sfarted back sogner,” e manage 0 say. “l—I—ha it was so bad." 4 bo lee Yer might a had a purtygood idea,’ she enswered; “but it ain't a-goin’ to do no good ter git scared now. Come along faster.’ By this time they were nearing the dreaded place. Suddenly, as. she reached forward her foot to take a step, she realized instinctively that it was not Rading a solid, footing as soon as it should. A sudden and uncommon warmth came upward, and In another instant the faint glow was seen, showing her a chasm, with the further brink some three feet away. Leapingacross she called to her companion, ‘Mind yer eye!” They had changed places—she was now the master and he the slave. “What Is it?" he asked, as he neared the place. Just then he took the fatal step, and felt himself falling. But the girl was quick. Suddenly reachiig out her arm, she grasped him by the hand and fairly drag- ged him across the chasm. , y “Well, I never!”’ he exclaimed in fright. ‘That's something awful, don't you know. I say are there many more like that?’ “Come on, an’ quit yer talkin’,” waspthe pre-emptory order. ‘But I say, 1wo-bits, it isn’t safe, is It?" he called after her. “I ain't afeard,” she answered; “If you are, why stay where you are, or go back an’ find the highest peak.’’ “Blast the little imp,” he muttered. “I wonder if she's going to go away and leaye me out here. all alone. Perhaps it would serve me right, for I suppose it's all my own fault. But, really, I had no idea there was any truth in what she said.” Hello, Two-bits! Don't run away and leave me all alone!” And there came into his throat something®very like a sob. . “Look out there!” he heard her call; and in the darkness he saw her some five feet Shes oF i. ont try to walk thar, or ye a n, sure. 4 y Tr and it's | Iu, Shr t's wide, I tell yer, “Well, what will 1 dq?” ke "1 can’t stay here all night.” he asked, Mebbe yer could jump acress. I did— but I'm only a coward.” She was becoming sarcastic, but not without purpose. The child was beginning to see that the young man would need every incentive she could offer to get him to put forth his best ef- forts. She had no doubt of her own ability to clear all theschasms, but she was quite sure that her companion was not accus- tomed to such tricks. Now, he stood like a scared child on the opposite side of the ditch. If the situation had not been so serious, 1t would have been comical. “Well, yer comin’?’ she, asked, im- patiently. He stepped back for a run, but when he came to the edge again he stopped short and looked ruefully at the red glow beneath him. He held out his hand and drew it back suddenly, as he,felt the intense heat. hen what little courage he possessed for- Sook him, and he began to whimper. “I just can’t make It, Two-bits. Whatever shall I do?” . “W-a-11,” drawled the matter-of-fact girl, “1 s’pose I could go ahead an’ git some of the fellers from town ter come out an’ help yer across. They'll, make no end of fun of yer, though.” “Blast the fun!” he cried. “Hurry up and get me out of this, most anyway.” “All right. Stay where you are, and I'll be back after a while; and she hounded away like a deer, leaving George Casey sitting there in the night alone. Minutes dragged like hours, and the dark- ness seemed to grow thicker every moment, except when it was penetrated by that un- “I told, you so.” But she only turned as canny glow from down below. Then, as he SHE CAME TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE GULF. doggedly as before, and followed him back toward the camp. The sun had gone down, and soon the close, a cyote was heard far out over the hills, and in another direction the answering note of its mate. The echo made the whole region take up the sound, until it seemed that the two sone travelers must be In the midst of an drawing to a howl o was the long twilight Now and then ae pack of the creatures. Twonits; and iy she pisid her way He had calle show him that she was not one, He willingly took his place behind he He gecretly wished that he advice and started home sooner, would not admit it to her, oll hef ter hustle / tema ced, “er it'll be all up with us A orsaaay as well let me take the lead.” Se, WoL ; not waiting for his ahead of him, her a coward, and she would he le, for he felt safer when he knew that suk had taken the responsibility of leading. had taken her but b aster'n thet,” she ith when even. He could imagine ran into the ‘‘Last Chance,’ hilarity told the boys how she of a chasm on Burning Hills, most hear their loud Ia pared to come in search of him, It wavered, Yes, In a ent in the distance. lost, and appeared again, lantern, anc it was was? No, that would only add pleasure thelr huge Joke, €| even at tell them some yarn about Then he remembered that she had not been in the best humor, and decided that she would probably enjoy the sport as much as any of the others. “Hello!” called a volce, “Where are yer, Mr, Casey?’ It was the voice of Two-Dits, and it was sweet music in his ear. “Right this way, Two-bits,’’ he answered. “Have you brought help?” he came to the other side of the guif, and thrusting a stout plank out toward him She drawled: *X-a-s. Thet's er help. Did yer think I was a-goin’ ter give yer away ter the gang? Yer would never a-heard the last of it. guess we ken make it all right with this here.” Then, making sure the plank was resting securely on either side, she ordered, *‘Now, git spry, and don't waste no time. Hop across, 1 tell yer!” As they came to the last crevice where the board was necessary, George paused. “W-a-ll,” drawled 'Two-bits, as she waited, with arms akimbo, ‘this is the last one. Yer goin’ to give up now? If yer do, I'll leave yer fer good, dead sure.” “Pwo-bits,” said George, and there was considerable pathos in his voice; “Two- bits,” he repeated, “will you forgive me for calling you a coward? You are the bravest girl I ever knew, and you've been real kind 0 me to-night. Will you forgive me?'? “Aw, come along with yer,” said the girl, greatly embarrassed. “It's my ‘pinion® yer fellers in the east jist talk ter hear yer heads roar half the time, and don’t mean what yer say.’ They neared the town, walking side by side. The. board had been thrown away, and from their appearance no one would have known that anything out of the ordinary had occurred. As Sie left her at her own doer he pressed her hand tightly, and said: 3 - . ““You are a brave girl—a regular little heroine.” Next day she foundea pony tied to the post in front of her mother’s house, and on the beautiful saddle which it bore, was pinned a note which read: “This is Nickel, a present to Two-bits, the brave little girl who was goed to a coward.” eer Coenen TO ENTERTAIN LONGWORTHS. Ambassador Reid and Wife will Pre- sent Young Couple to England’s Court. The Longworths will be guests, while in London, of the American - ..a- bassa@®r and his charming wife. Refreshed by her long vacation, Mrs. Reid has returned to the Court of St. James with her hands full of prepara- tions for King Kdward’s first drawing EET 2 Gn) Lis MRS. WHITLAW REID. room of the season, to be held May 25, at which she will present many Amer- ican women, some of whom will be her guests. Naturally, the presentation most im- portant to the American colony in Lon- don this season will be that of Mrs. Nicholas Longworth, President Roose- velt's daughter. During their stay in London, Mr. and Mrs Longworth will be the guests of the Reids at Dor- chester House, where the suite oc- cupied by the ambassador and his wife will be at the disposal of the Longworths. To add to the attract- iveness of these rooms, some choice boudoir furniture has recently ar- rived from Franee to lend a fresher bridal beauty to ther. ree pee rem Exiled Queen Ranavalo. 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