The Girl from Montana

eemed to ring in her ears, and even after she was far beyond any possibility of hearing it she could not be sure but the

d fain have stopped to dine with them; but the girl urged him on, se

t that she could not much longer stay in the saddle. She might fall asleep. The afternoon sun would soon be slipping down behind

t. They had looked up curiously from their grazing as the horse flew by, but were now going quietly on about their business. They would serve as a screen if any should be still pursuing her. One horse a

pack she carried, and mechanically ate them, though she felt no appetite, and her dry throat almost refused to swallow. She found her eyes shutt

rose full and round, shining with flickering light through the cottonwoods; and the girl stirred in a dream and thought some one was pursuing her, but slept on again. Then out through the night rang a vivid human voice, "Hello! Hello!" The horse roused from his sleep, a

ight brought her acutely to her senses. Before she opened her eyes she seemed to be keenly and painfully aware of much that had gone on during her sleep. With another flas

fore her but a few feet away stood a man! Beyond him, a few feet from her own horse, stood his horse. She could not see it without turning her head, and that she dared not do; but she knew it was there, felt it even before she noticed the double stamping and breathi

d so that one cheek and a part of his brow were visible. He was broad-shouldered and well built. There was strength in every line of

ad been worn but a few days. His soft felt sombrero was rolled back from his face, and the young red sun tinged the short brown curls to a ruddy gold. He was looking tow

rate defiance the blue ones that were turned to her. She was braced against a tree, and her senses

man politely. "I hope I h

not like the one from whom she had fled, nor like any she had ever seen; but he

a wonderfully winning way, "you led me such a desperate race nearly all day

me one, then, that she had seen in the afternoon, the voice who had cried to her; and he had been pursuing her. He was an enemy,

malities of the plains. Were all

did you think I was?" she

be a human being, and not a wild animal. I hadn't seen anything but

did not seem to her that her question was direc

to follow me?" she

re that I had any right at all, unless it may be the

He wore a philosophical expression, and looked at his companion as if she were a new specimen of the human kind, and he was

f the divine claims of all the human fami

ted over the young man's face, as of an u

of his fine shoulders. "I was merely lost, and was wanting to inquire where I wa

n like this before. He was not like her wild,

"or was, when I started," s

as likely to be the Desert of Sahara as anything else. I'

lace," said the girl ser

"at least, not that I know of. When I went to sch

the girl wistfully; "but-" with

t I think of it, I haven't had anything to eat for over a day, and there

she began to feel he was making fun of he

re you I shall appreciate anything

ere are plenty of beans left; and, if you will g

sounds better than anything I'

reakfast. For a little her fears were allayed. At least, he would do her no immediate harm. Of course she might fly from him now while his back was turned; bu

water," she said as he came

hist

me where to look f

worn and gray he was about his eyes;

nd then we'll go and hunt for water. There's sur

s she, and how had she wandered out into this waste place? Her face was both beautiful and interesting. She would make a

to drive away much of her fear and resentment. A half-flicker of a smile came to her lips as their eyes met. It seemed

er eyes to her work again, he said: "Now, why did you look at me in that way? Ought I to b

zled; then she repl

more to do. It'

n bread in the tin cup, and placed the pan of beans besi

te or two, and look

eyed her-"why you look at me in that way. I'm not a

pelled to watch her. She seemed to be looking at a flock of birds in the sky. Her hand rest

ght. There was a loud report, and one of the birds fell almost at his feet, dead. It was a sage-hen. Th

hing at me," s

his countenance. Then, as the meaning of the girl's act dawned upon him, and the full intention of her rebuke, the col

t have shot that bird to save my life," and he touched it with the

he did not answer. Somehow the young man felt uncomfortable. He sat down, and took

hit anything but the side of a barn. Say, I'm wondering, suppose I had tried to shoot at those birds just now

solemnly without saying

as bad as that?"

or laughing at you. A girl that shoots like that may locate the Desert of

broke into a clear ripple of laughter. The young man was astonished anew that she had un

" she said in quite anoth

nderstanding, and each fell to eating his

I have not even said, 'Thank you' yet, nor asked if you have enough

id, she spoke thoughtfully, as if the words were

d in her slow way, "to learn to

did she get out into the wilderness? Where did she come from, and why was she alone? He had heard of the freedom of Western women, but surely s

t it. In spite of her coarse, dark calico garb, made in no particular fashion except with an eye to covering with the least possible fuss and troubl

e looking off with sudden apprehension. He followed her g

il." She turned, and put her things together with incredible swiftness, giving

ooth, casting furtive, anxious glances behind her now and then, which only half i

e, and tried to make him talk. But this girl of the wilderness rode straight ahead as if her life depended upon i

when he wandered from the rest of his party who had come out to hunt; and for a time he had felt that he would rather be back in his native city with a good breakfa

first place, it was highly improbable, and the young man was of an intensely practical turn of mind. It was impossible to imagine the haughty beauty in a brown calico riding a high-spirited horse of the wilds. There was but one paral

ould probably hit anything but the birds. Why had that girl shot that bird, anyway? Was it entirely because she might need it for food? She had picked it up significantly with the oth

only when utterly exhausted. She seemed startled and anxious when the antelopes came into sight. There was no knowing whe

forced by food, perhaps it would be the part of wisdom to part with this strange maiden. As he thought, he unconsciously slackened his horse's pace. The girl was a rod or more ahead, and just vanishing behind a clump of sage-brush. S

called. "Come on! There

was bright, and the sky was wide, and there was water in the valley. He rode forward, keeping close bes

" he explained. "I thought you wanted to ge

d at him

ay," she said, "

ght be convenient to know, if we a

ed at hi

and where do