A Waif of the Plains

kened and burnt in an irregular circle, with a shred of newspaper, an old rag, or broken tin can lying in the ashes. Beyond these always a low dark line

surroundings, the same people, the same bedclothes, and the same awful black canopy dropped down from above. A chalky ta

ren from the hooded depth of an emigrant wagon, above t

he unvarying picture. One of the wagons bore on its canvas hood the inscription, in large black letters, "Off to California!" on the other "Root, Hog, or Die," but neither of them awoke in the minds of the children the faintes

simplicity that bordered almost on rudeness in their domestic arrangements, and a speech that was at times almost untranslatable to him. He slept in his clothes, wrapped up in blankets; he was conscious that in the matter of cleanliness he was left to himself to overcome the difficulties of finding water and towels. But it is doubtful if in his youthfulness it affected him more t

uiesced in by the boy himself. What consideration had been offered for his passage he did not know; he only remembered that he had been told "to make himself handy." This he had done cheerfully, if at times with the unskillfulness of a novice; but it was not a peculiar or a menial task in a company where all took part in manual labor, and where existence seemed to him to bear the charm

vagant customer, was purchasing of the boy, who sat behind a counter improvised from a nail-keg and the front seat, most of the available contents of the wagon, either under their own names or an imaginary one as the moment suggested, and paying for them in the easy and liberal currency of dried b

h," said the boy, rising and leaning on his fingers on the counter as he had

," said the girl, with the intuiti

the boy. "I won'

presented the desirable sheeting falling on the wagon floor. It apparently suggested a new idea to the former salesman. "I say! l

d at once with that perfect forgetfulness, indifference, and irresponsibility common to all young animals. If either could have flown away or bounded off finally at that moment, they would have done so with no more concern for

," said

turning his head,

going to be?"

e?" repeate

growed," ex

Carson, he had decided upon the career of a "scout," as being more accessible and requiring less water. Yet, out of compassion for Susy's possible ignorance, he said neither, and responded

d have things giv' to me. Baby clothes, and apples, and apple sa

l in her lap. He could see the curve of her curly head, and beyond, her bare dimpled kne

resident's wife,"

could

if I wa

uld

ld n

uld

hy

long silence. It was very hot and dusty. The wagon scarcely seemed to move. Clarence gazed at the vignette of the track behind them form

'No,'" s

ide the slowly turning wheels. Without quickening his

a'u

ooke

ke

let the lumbering vehicle move away from them, as it swayed from side to side as if laboring in a heavy sea. They remained motionless until it had reached nearly a hundred yards, and then, with a sudden half-real, half-assumed, but altoge

sy-look

considerable distance. Between it and them, crossing

zy! But as they looked at it more intently they saw that the grayish hair of its back had a bristly ridge, and there were great poisonous-looking dark blotches on its flanks, and that the slouch of its haunches w

d Clarence excitedl

nt laugh. "Et tain't no do

had shown her superior knowledge. He said quickly, to hide his d

y, shaking her sun-bonnet

and remained at the same distance as before. They repeated this onset three or four times with more or less excitement and hilarity, the animal evading them to one side, but never actually retreating befo

ns, he

ng haunches. He snapped and gave a short snarling yelp, and vanished. Clarence returned with a victorious air to his companion. But she was

usy, with a hyste

el

agon's

dust that usually marked their distant course by day was nowhere to be seen. The long level plain stretched before them to the setting sun, without a sign or trace of moving life or animation. That great blue crystal bowl, filled with du