The Girl of the Golden West

he place by the main door. In a coarse, blue skirt, and rough, white flannel blouse, cut away and held in place at the throat by a crimson ribbon, the Girl made a pretty picture; it w

h her, goes without saying. But, although she accepted their rough homage as a matter of

oreover, she knew to a dot what was meant when someone-bolder than his mates-stretched out his arms to her. One such exhibition on a man's part she was likely to forgive and forget, but the wrath and scorn that had blazed forth from her blue eyes o

had been on her return to see the boys of the camp and hear their boisterous shouts of welcome when the stage drew up in front of The Polka, she had to acknowledge that her home-coming was not quite what she expected. It was as if

no question that at first she felt that the chances of her ever setting eyes on him again were almost negligible. All the more bitterly, therefore, did she regret her folly in not having told him where she lived; particularly so since she assured herself that not only was he the handsomest man that she had ever seen, but that he was the only one who had ever succ

ely ignorant. Of a truth, then, it was something far broader and deeper that had entered into her heart-love. Not infrequently love comes as suddenly as this to young women who live in small mining camps or out-of-the-way places where the men are practically of a type; it is their unfamiliarity with the class which a stranger represents when he makes his appearance in their midst that is responsible, fully as much as his own personality, for

listening to the stage driver's long-winded reminiscences and anecdotes concerning the country through which they were passing. But, although she made a brave effort to appear interested, it did not take him long to realise that something wa

his figure had of appearing before her at various times of the day and night, when she never failed to compare him with the miners in the camp, and, needless to say, unflatteringly to them. There came a time, it is true, when she was sorely

he took to seeking out the most solitary places to dream of him. In such moods she would climb to a high crag, a few feet from her cabin, and with a reminiscent and far-away look in her eyes she would sit for hou

eath the ferns into a pool, and seating herself on a clump of velvet moss, the great sugar pines and firs forming a canopy over her head, she would whisper her secret thoughts and wild hopes to the gorgeously-plumed birds and saucy squirrels sca

*

was to her satisfaction, the Girl greeted

s everythin'? Gett

had been the first to reach the coveted position opposite the Girl, although Handsome,

humour not to see Sonora's attempts to make himself irresistible to her. Nor did she fail to observe t

strolling up to her wi

came from the G

floundered about in their minds for something to say; at leng

me a prairie oy

he was reaching for a bottle back of the bar, a terrific whoop came from the dance-hall, and ever-watchful lest the boys'

had about

bidding, the Girl picked up an egg, an

s apiece. Only two hens left-" She broke off short, and turning upon Handsome, who had been gr

away, H

d over Sonora's countenance, and comical, indeed, to the Gir

he egg-I'll

rt duration, for the next instant Nick, stepping quickly

of Blon

impudence. It almost immediately gave way to a paroxysm of chuckling; for, the Girl,

hat it hit the sp

old of the dance-hall he paused, hesitated, an

w kind words, Girl

ye. However advantageous might be his method of working up trade,

you N

tly to his feet. Despite his size, he was remarkably quick in his movements, and in no time at all he was standing befo

nts of We

en while she shook the prairie oyster:

put in Sonora w

ked Ashby, at the conclusi

eye upon Billy Jackrabbit, who had quietly come in and was sne

nd while he was helping himself from a box of Rega

hreatenin' to shoot

the Girl, returning the cigar

man W

hoot,-he's g

the dance-hall where old man Watson w

e cries of the men; what did concern her, however, was the fact that the

e exclaimed sharply, causing that generally imperturbable

re as stolid an expression

ch married

had slid up to the bar, and she had extracted from his pockets a number of cigars which she knew had been pilfered, she added: "You git up to my c

e Girl; and then turning to the Sheriff and speaking to hi

er without even a glance at her

ear the slate out of it. She was in the act of taking the sack when Nic

in there wants to know if w

urned the Girl with a show of

re

think we're ru

asked for

ns here. We got pickled oysters, smokin' tobacco an' the best whisky he eve

idad with a nod, as Nic

ions, opened the counter drawer and brought

Mr. Ashby,

ly to throw it instantly back

ribbon at The Ridge-com

r, but her manner showed plainly that it was not an unusual thi

nd went over to the counter where, pointi

nd then with a significant glance towar

ess, while her eyes rested upon the ubiquitous Nick, who had entere

hat both his and Ashby's attentions to the Girl had gone far enough was ma

y cy

ad, Ashby raising a warning finger to the Girl, went on to a

nt Ramerrez should drop in

Sonora; while Trinidad bro

cie in an empty keg now. But I've took to bankin' personally in my

the fireplace and joining the little ring of men about her. "It makes me sort o

shby with a start, his quick and trained ea

offer 'im a drink an' he'd treat me like a p

!" was Sonora's comment, while Nick took

, her hands already on the assortm

Nick's laco

t time the sound of the galloping hoofs; startle

this, I

poken than a voice outside in

el

voice, which the Girl recognised a

at The Forks!" the firs

veral voices outside

h ominous word all, including Ashby, began t

mer

mself into their midst and announced that The Pony Express had arrived, ha

ly, as he watched her sort the let

on the trail!" rang out warning

proceedings; and then without looking up and after the manner of a man spea

him,

formed with amazing correctness and speed considering that her knowledge of the science of mathematics had been

. "But you, Trin, I'm sorry you ain't got no

t that moment; whereupon, Ashby rushed

and had been heard he retraced his footsteps and fo

got a newspaper,"

ng's two months old," retu

just in time to see the door flung open

their nerve. He wore a sombrero, a buckskin hunting-shirt, tight trousers tucked into high boots with spurs, all of which were weather-beaten and faded by wind, rain, dust and alkali. A pair of Colt revolvers

ttlement?" inquired Ashby in his

the young man; and then volu

e newcomer closely b

here named Nin

ss had time to reply the

er!" And with that she started to leave the room, stopping on her way to clap both Trinidad and Sonora playfully on the back. "

nstructed Ashby who, with the Sheriff

ent later there being no further orders

ned his atten

xpect to see this Nina Micheltore

r raised a

died carelessness. "Well, the boys had better

him a look

five thousand reward fo

by leaps and bounds though he

he's aft

horn. While putting them on he came face to face with the Girl who, having merely glanced in at the dance-hall, was returning to take up her duties behind the bar. "Well,

rl's parting shot at him as

fully conscious that she was to be asked to give him an answer-she whose answer had been given many times-the Girl stood at the bar in an attitude of amused expectancy, and fussi

, Gi

r her lashes, all the while smiling a wise, little smil

lled to her ov

ay,

hich, apparently, he did not hear, for again a silence fell upon them. Finally, unable to bear

, will you

he Girl with a sau

. Looking fixedly at her with his ste

Orleans-or so the mountain bre

Throwing away the cigar he was smoking

e of them ci

ehind her the Girl p

your kin

led it slowly, leaving out one cigar which he placed between his lips. When he had this

tuck o

s parted a lit

nk y

r two in silence, and then with

ng to ma

d to relight his cigar, it having gone out, she plumped both elbows on the bar and lo

ave remained with elbows almost touching and looking into each other's eyes it is difficult to determi

for the box containing the choicest ci

breath to Rance; "there's Handsome with two wives I know of somewhere Ea

" he to

good cigar when he's smokin' it." And so saying she put the choice cigar back in its plac

kled and

u-" The Girl broke off short and laughed in his face

r him while he stood quietly looking on, grinning from ear to ear. For Rance's weakness was known to him as it was to every o

t the Girl, and passed

water," returned N

ture the Girl put the b

no fancy drinks he

Nick, though there was a twinkle in his eye. "He's a f

arms and declared in

e it strai

ew, many a man had been disciplined by the Girl. So, with his eyes fixed upon her face, he was already revelling in the situation by way of anticipation, and rejoicing in the coming requital for his o

" commanded the Girl. "I'

no time in delivering it. A moment after he disappeared, Rance, who had been toying with a twenty d

pot for a kiss," which offer met with no respons

invite bei

shrugged h

he, flinging the gold piece down o

dly commented the Gi

ied anot

culating through The Polka. You need a man behind you." All this was said in short, jerky sen

rry me," agai

op

won't k

op

ere, there'

. She had made up her mind that he had gone far enough; a

irl saw the action and her eyes flashed with anger. The next moment,

Jack." And so saying she came out from behind the bar and went over to the

in his steely grey eyes when he advanced towards her, but although the Gi

ittle wepping"-and with that she touched significantly the little pocket of her dress. "I'm independent, I'm happy, The Polka's payin', an' it's bully!" she wound up, laughing. Then, with one of her quick

om came into

ay anything

ointing to one that was just beyond her reach. But when Rance handed it to her and was moving silent

he Sheriff in a voice that

ode of hardened convictions, but was tender to sentiment, a

an' I ain't forgot it-a home up over our little saloon down in Soledad. I ain't forgot my father

n him. Now his hands, which had been clenched, opened out and a new light came into his eyes. Suddenly, however, it was replaced by one

Mis

irly flew o

kitten, under the table sneakin' chips for candy. Talk 'bout married life-that was a little heaven! Why, mother tho't so much o' that man, she was so much heart an' soul with 'im that she learned to be the best case-keeper you ever saw. Many a sleeper she caught! You see, when she played, she was playin' for the ol' man."

re that table an' The Polka with any man-unless there was a

ompletely vanished; dejection was plai

were right; I am a Chi

Girl was a

otested, speaking as tenderly as

r voice. Now he leaned over the end of the

hing but Jack, Jack, Jack Rance. By

Girl was her sa

d her manner

p to Sacramento and Monter

l started, which Rance's qu

e man?" h

into a peal of laughter. It wa

mento shrimps!" he burst out gruffly; then he

k shone in the Girl's eyes, an

?" And then as the full force of the insult was borne in upon her she stepped out from b

ghed disc

's all right!" And so saying he

p still more at t

peak she murmured an "Adios, Jack," and took up her position behind the bar where, if Rance had been looking, he would have seen her start on hearing a voice in the next