A Voice in the Wilderness

of strange profanity. The girl shuddered and began to think a wild beast might be preferable

up thar? D'j'yeh

he point of that stubby chin that she shrank from inexpressibly. He was not a pleasant man to look upon, and even his voice was u

station, and before I discovered it the train had

nd on th' plain while you was gal

"I am on my way to Ashland station. Can you tell me how far it

e chin. "The walkin's good. I don't know no other way from this p'int at this time o' nigh

t, remembering her

d and looked up at her impudently. Sh

l yeh want o' me? 'Cause ef 'tis I got t' git on t' camp. It

lone in the night again took possession of her. This dreadful man fri

re not going to leave me up here alone, are you? Isn't

hat's what you mean," the man leered at her. "You c'n

may, wondering what her mother woul

ain't no highflier like you. We mostly don't hev ladies to camp, But I got t' git

adder step by step, primitive man seated calmly on

suit-case in her hand. "Well, h'ist yerself up thar; I

th rider. Did he actually expect her to ride with him? "Cou

man replied, indiffere

he trail. The man, oblivious of her presence, rode contentedly on, a silent shadow on a dark horse wending a silent way between the purple-green clumps of other shadows, until, bewild

eety?" he jeered at her, foolish

n she was seated and started on her way she began to wish she had stayed behind and

hey proceeded on their way. Margaret remained silent, growing more and more frightened every time the bottle came out. At last h

ips before we go another step. D'yeh hear, my sweetie?" And he turned with a silly leer to enforce his command; but with a cry of horror Margaret slid to

until she disappeared. Then sticking his chin out w

gait an' l'arn yer own lesson." He st

elt now that man was her greatest menace, and to get away safely from him back to that friendly water-tank and the dear old railroad track she would have pledged her next year's salary. She stole softly to the place where she had heard the suit-case fall, and, picking it

ose and stumbled into the door of the log bun

es driven high in the logs cast a weird light over the company, eight men in all, rough and hardened with exposure to stormy life and weather. They were men with unkempt beards

ould not be utterly hidden. They called him the Kid, and thought it was his youth that made him different from them all, for he was only twenty-four, and not one of the rest was under forty. They were doing their best to help him get over that innate f

rs at the table when the man came in

hed-room when the man came, and obediently set about getting

ee 'er, but she got too high an' mighty fer me, wouldn't take a pull at th' bottle 'ith me, 'n' shrieked like a catamount when I kissed

ere is she now?" he asked, quietly; and all the men in the room looked up uneasily.

b'longin's after 'er. 'Ain't got no use fer thet kind. Wonder what they was created fer? Ain't no

two horses pass the end of the bunk-house toward the trail, but no one looked up nor spoke.

her, her breath coming short with exertion and excitement, when she heard a cheery whistle in the distance. Just an old lo

esert I co

with eager eyes and frightened heart. Dared she risk it again? Should she call, or should she hold her breath and keep still, hoping he would pass her by unnoticed? Be

ok you up after the old man got home and gave his report. He was pretty w

against the wide, wonderful sky: broad shoulders, well-set head, close-cropped curls, handsome co

so glad you have come. I was-just a little-frightened, I think." She attempted to

girl!" he commented, looking down at her slender height as she stood beside hi

ightened, to think I made such a blunder as to get off the train before I reached my station. You see, I'd made up my mind not to be frightened, but when I

ly. "Well, you needn't worry about him; he's having his

argaret. "Isn't there some other place? Is As

for you. She isn't much of a looker, but she has a kind heart. She pulled me through once when I was just about flickering out. Come on. You

ed and lifted her easily to the saddle of the second horse, placed the bridle in