CLEMATIS KNOWLTON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10133, 16 May 1896, Page 3 (Supplement)

CLEMATIS KNOWLTON.

[BY i. 0. TOWKSEND.I

CHAPTER I.

The sun had just sunk behind tho distant horizon-lino of the prairie, The homely, irregular ranch-house, the long, low sheds, the sheep corral, and sunken straw-stack and the wide-stretching prairie were ingulfed in waves of glorious purple. In the distanco was seen the large herd of sheep, followed by the herder and his dogi-alow-moving spots of gorgeous colour.

Standing near the ranch-house was a girt, with a face so pretty withal that Titian would have loved to paint it, there was so much warmth and colour in it. Clad in a neat-fitting gown of some light colour, her full and graceful figure made a brave silhouette against the dark side of the house. A handsome man stood beside her. He was nearly thirty years of age, dark of face, eyes and hair. He was pleading with the girl to be his wife, with the rude and simple eloquence of sincerity. " Bub I have loved you, senorita, ever since you were so high," measuring the height with a gesture of the hand, " and now you have come so tall and beautiful, I cannot keep my speech." " But you would not wish me to marry you, unless I loved you, Lon," said the girl, surprised at the persistence of the man. "Cm you not love mo a little, senorita?" replied the man, with a passionate hunger in his eyes, " A sister's affection; yes, Lon, I can give you that." " I want not a sister's feeling," said the man, with angry but eloquent gesture. "It is not the loaf I ask, only one little orumb," , his tender manner returning. I " But suppose, Lon, there was someone else

The girl determined to treat him with Candour, though her cheeks flushed wibhthe revelation of her secret.

" Ah I" said the man, with deep respiration. " Eos it the Senor Alfred 1'

" Yes, It's Alph," said the girl, blushing divinely, her eyes up&n the ground. But when she raised her eyes the girl noticed that his dark face grew ashen in colour. There was an expression in his face she had never soon before; and his hand grasped nervously thehandle of his revolver at his side.

*' You would nob shoot a woman ! Sfou would not shoot me, Lon ?" She put her hand on his arm and looked him bravely In the eye. Never was she so beautiful as she stood there, her exquisite little head thrown back, her largo dark eyes flashing her courage and her scorn. "No, senorita, I cannot shoob you. I could die for you," The man's voice grew low and tender, and the deep yearning came back into his eyes. \ " But you'll not shoot Alph, will you, Lon J Promise me you will not." A great fear possessed her. She was all woman now.

The look of lia-to gleamed again in his eyes as the man laughed loudly and unnaturally. "Do not you be frightened; I will not shoot the senor I"

"Oh, Lon, I love him so 1 Do not hurt him for my sakel'' The man's glance softenod a little with her pleading. " Let not fear be In your heart, senorita," said the man again; "bub strength seems hot mine oily more." The herd having now come up with tumultuous bleating, the man turned and walked slowly away into the illuminated prairie. The girl noticed a look in his face as if he wore aging, and his tail form seemed to stoop and totter, Alonzo Menlico had come to this Kansas ranch several years before the time of this meeting, with a gang of shearers from New Mexico. Of his former history little was known. In point of education he was superior to his follows. He remained on the ranch a good part of the year, sometimes working with vehemenoe; at other times he spent weeks in idling or dreaming. It occasioned, no surprise when he came or went, for lie came and disappeared without, warning. He was unusually good-natured, and Ills anger was slow to' coming, but when it did come f his Spanish blood manifested itself in prolonged sullen and revengeful moods.' 'So while nob 'quarrelsome, lb came to be considered prudent not to make an enemy of Lon. ' ~", . ~, , 'Ib was' observed that ,Lon , was extremely fond of Clematis,' the only daughter of Mr, i KnowltbnV'the owner of the sheep ranch j

but as she i was but) ? phild when he first came to the ranch, and he nearly twice her age, nothing was ; thonght of it by the family; Often Lon used to say- to Clem, as they all called her, in his polite Spanish way t '~„ „•■• 'v .';,;>«! !'Bu- i. ■/; i> /' ■J\ You shall be toy' wife some day, senorita," "' ' .' ' Clem would reply, laughingly: ' • '_' "If my hero does not come • along I will, Lon," ~...( ;....,..-.• But suddenly there had come 'to Clematis Knowlton that marvellous transformation into the fulness of womanhood; the prairie flower had bloomed into wondrous beauty, and with that transition Clem found thab her hero had come, and she gave herself to him, with all the confidence of her young

and ardent nature. The declaration that Alonzo Memlico made came to her with surprise and pain. She had never thought of him as a lover, and the manifestation of his passion filled the breast of the lovely girl with strange forebodings, She knew something of his sullen and revengeful nature. That laugh of lion's when he promised not to shoot Alph still rang in her ears with a horrible dissonance.

She determined to walk out on the prairie, for it was not quite dark, to meot her lover, whom she was that evening expecting. The solemnity and greyness that fell upon the wide expanse of prairie corresponded to the vague feeling of trouble that possessed her. She felt that she must at once inform Alph of the danger that threatened him.

Alfred Long was a young man who had oome from Ohio several years before to make his fortune on a Kansas ranch. He had commenced with a little flock of sheep, and by industry arid good management his herd had grown until he was one of the largest flock-masters in the country. There was that about Alfred Long that marked him for' manliness and honour. He was modest, quiet, brave, and possessed the confidence of his neighbours in an unusual degree. His ranch was near that of Mr, Knowlton, so that he early met Clematis and naturally fell in love with her, and in the last few months they had plighted troth to each other, but their engagement was nob known outside of the family of the Know!tons.

Clem saw a black speck moving swiftly along a distant) undulation of the prairie. She walked toward it, and soon found it resolve itself into Alph on his pony, who was hastening to keep his trysb. He threw himself from the pony, and the lovers were in each other's arms.

" Why, darling, what makes you tremble so!"

"Oh, Alph! I'm so afraid of you." She kissed him passionately. " 'Fraid for me ? What is it sweetheart ?" "It's He told me he loved me and I can't forget the hate I saw in his eyes when I told him I was going to marry you, Alph," said the girl, sobbing and shivering. " liow, don't, don't, little one. Lon will , get over this," said Alph, kißsmg her tears away. " Would you got over it, Alph ?" said Clem, archly, smiling through the radiant drops. " Heavens! Clem, If you put it that way —but I'm not afraid. I'll make it all right with Lon."

They had now reached the ranch, and Alph, throwing the rein of the pony over a post, went with Clem Into the house. But another eye had seen this meeting on the prairie, and Lon shook with rage as ho saw the tender embrace.

"Curse ye, curse ye," he hissed, "ye sneaking wolf, come to steal my pretty lamb!"

In the morning Clem found that Lon had gone away without warning, but her father said he would be back for the shearing. The girl was relieved by his absence, but could nob entirely quell the haunting dread that oppressed her.

The time soon came for the shearing of the herd, and the gang of shearers was at' work. There was heard the "click," " click" of the swift-moving shears, intermingled 1 with the bleating of the lambs separated from their mothers. Lou had come back and was working busily, albeit it was noticed bow sombre and gloomy he looked.

" Yor'd think Lon'd lost his last friend on arth," said one of the shearers. "Guess his gal's gave him the grand bounce," chuckled another. To their good-natured sallies Lon made little reply, only clipped on the faster.

Alpli was also among the shearers, as he had clipped his own flock early, and there was no faster shearer, no one more popular than the young Ohioan. During the week of the shearing Clem was accosted by an old man, a herder, who had been for many years on the ranch. " What is it, Joe ?" as Bhe saw he had something to Bay to her. " Clem," the old man gave an embarrassed cough, for he had guessed her secret, " I don't want to make you oneasy, but I don't like tho look o' Lon's face when his eyes is on Alph. It kinder makes me grow cold !"

"Oh! Joe, you'll watch him. You'll not let him hurt Alph, will you?" said Clem, pleadingly, all her fears returning. "I'll keep my eyes on him when I's 'round, but the sarpiut may bite in the dark."

"Oh 1 Joe, I've that feeling, too—that Lon may strike Alph in some unguarded hour. Oh 1 what shall we do ?" said Clem, sobbing. "Don't cry, Clem. Ef old Joe doesn't keep hie eye peeled, it's 'cause he's sleepln'." One night, shortly niter this conversation, Clem was sitting at the window in her little room, her heart filled with strange and indefinable foreboding?. She bad blown out the lamp, and all was silent in the house, when suddenly she heard a footfall on the prairie outside. Her eye, at the same time, caughb sight of a figure which instantly disappeared in 'the shadows. Somehow she felt it was Lon, and that he was going •in tho direction of Alph's ranch. To put on her hat, place her rovotver in the pocket of her dark gown (for Clem was an expert shot) and steal softly out of the house, was quickly done. Her determination was to follow the retreating figure and find his destination. Softly calling her faithful dog Jack, she followed on the trail of the man who had disappeared. There was no moon, but the stars wei a unusually brilliant. Fur off glowed a great red planet glittering like a jewel on the bosom of the night. The air was sweet with the faint perfume of the spring flowers. The silence was weird and oppressive, save when broken by the cry of the coyote, the bleating of a sheep* or the call of a disturbed bird. But Clem, a child of the prairie, was not afraid for herself, but felt sick at heart as she thought of the danger that threatened her beloved, Walking rapidly but noiselessly, with a whisper of quieb to Jack, she had not gone more than half a mile when she came in sight of the figure moving before her.

CHAPTER 11. Would he go down the "draw?" she thought, for that led directly to Alph'a oabin. The man, without stoppings commenced to follow the windings of the "draw" which cub into the prairie a deep, irregular gash. Clem's heart was beating fast now, hut she kept the man in sight, keeping Jack by her side. The dog was quiet, save at intervals giving out) a low whine. Evidently he knew the man whom they wore following. They were now near the ranch cabin, for Clem could hear the gurgling of the springs that gushed out of the aides of the " draw." ' When the man came as far as the spring he stood perfectly motionless long time. : lb seemed an age to Clem, She could not, from where she was crouching in one of the niches of the sheep-shed, distinguish his features. Suddenly the man lifted his arm and shook his fist in the direction of the .cabin, then turned and came so neat Clem she . thought he could heat the beating of her heart, She pressed her hand over the dog's mouth, and the intelligent animal divined he was to be j silent.

As the man passed, Clem got a fair look at him, and, dim as the star-shine was, she saw it was Lon. He never looked around, however, bub hesitated a few moments, and then slowly and softly; approached the cabin, where Alpn and' his herders were, as she, supposed, sleeping. Lon, haying reached the cabin, crouched in a corner where the darkness, was clinging in deep shadows. What his object was Clem could nob determine, as from-her place of concealment she. watched him' anxiously. Suddenly in. the, distance she heard the sound of wheels. 'What'' could it mean' Then she remembered that Alph had talked,of going to I town for some supplies. " f He" often, drove I in after the day's work was .through,' '.Her I heart was beating violently. What 'should

she do? She must worn Alph in some way of his danger.*' Some three hundred yards down the draw narrowedto i few feel. if. only "she could reach lb unobserved, she could stop Alph and warn him. Calling Jack with a mate sign, she passed rapidly round the corral, and entered the bed of the little stream., ran ."down the draw. There was nob much water hi ib at this time of the year, and t as the cbiinnolwai deep, Clem kepbhersolf concealed below the banks until/ she was a hundred yards beyond the cabin. Then she ascended to the level and ran swiftly toward the coming waggon— she reached the narrow part of the draw just as Alph came' up with the ponies. They shied affrighted at the apparition. ' **Alph, Alph, stop '."shecried. _' ! Alph knew her voice, and in an instant sprang from the waggon and was •at her side.

" Why, Clem! What is the matter f " Oh, Alph 1" cried Clem, shivering and sobbing. "It's Lon.'' "Lon I"

" Yes, yes, at the cabin waiting for you. 1 ' "At the cabin!" *' Yes, I was sitting by the window— could nob sleep, I was so troubled—l saw him stealing over the prairie, and I followed him—Jack and I, and he went down the draw and hid himself in a niohe in the cabin, and is waiting for you. Oh, Alph, I'm so afraid 1 He wants to kill you, I'm sure."

"Well!" said Alph, /'ib does look as! though he„meanb mischief, but," kissing j her tenderly, " you stay with the ponies, and I'll go down to the ranch and interview the fellow." " No, no, Alph; nob for the world would I let you go alone." " Well, what then ?'? " Leb me go with you—Oh,'do, Alph." " Well, Bweethearb, if you must." Alph fastened the ponies and they went hand in hand for the ranch, followed by Jack. They kept in the shadow of the bushes that fringed the banks of the little stream for some distance, and then de-

scended into it, stooping so as to conceal themselves as they silently threaded the tortuous tunnel. When they came opposite to the cabin Alph took a look through a rent in the bushes, bub in the dim star-shine he could not discern Lon's hiding-place. All was quiet, save the musical tinkles of the tiny stream, and above their heads was the peaceful sky, glowing with the brilliancy, of innumerable stars. After waiting a few minutes Clem finally consented to leb Alph work his way round the corral. This he did, and came back to Clem down the bed of the stream and reported that Lon was nowhere to he seen. " Suppose I send Jack out," whispered Clem. "Very well," assented Alph, " Go find Lon, jack," said Clem in a low

tone. The intelligent dog started and followed Lon's track 'to the cabin, and then ran down the draw and disappeared, Clem pressed Alpn's hand, for Lou must have gone towards the waggon. Bub presently Jack returned and asoended the draw,

showing that the trail went in that direction. In the course of a few minutes the dog came back and crouched at Clem's feet with a low whiue. •' Lon has gone home," cried Clem. * " Yes," assented Alph, " and now I must see you there." "No, I can go alone. I'm nob a bit afraid for myself, bub, oh, Alph, my heart is so heavy with fear for you." " Jon must not worry so, sweetheart," said Alph, kissing her tenderly. " I shall be on guard now. But let me saddle a pony for you now and take you home." "No, Alph,"said Clem; "Lon may be concealed somewhere waiting for us and he would hear the pony. We must walk." " Weß, I shall let you have your way this time," replied the lover. Arm in arm they ascended the draw to the open prairie, Alph scrutinising _ every place where a man might conceal himself, but he saw nothing of Lon. When they came to the house, Clem clung to Alph as though she could nob let him go. Alph kissed her again and again and bade her good-night, saying that Lon and he musb have an understanding in the morning. " Oh, Alph, if you only could go away for awhile."

"No," said Alph, firmly," I couH nob do that."

Clem watched her lover until his form

disappeared in the darkness, and then went upstairs to her room without being observed, but she sat long at her window, and the dawn begat) to stain the east before her eyes were closed in slumber. When, sometime in the forenoon, Alph came to the ranch, he was met by Clem, who told him that Lon had disappeared and left no word. Alph was naturally courageous and unsuspicious, and he made light of Lon's nocturnal journey. " Now, sweetheart, you must promise me not to make any more tramps at night. Lon could not sleep, and he walked to make himself drowsy. If he intended to injure me he would have done it ere this. These jealous passions wear themselves out. Now you must not worry any more, darling," said Alph, hopefully. " Oh, Alph," and he felt her tremble in his arms, " I have such forebodings. If I only could plead with Lon, but he gives me no opportunity to speak to him, and, oh, the look'l saw in his face when I told him I was going to marry you, and his conduct last night— it makes me so fearful." " Nonsense, Clem. You know I shall soon take yon away, and then Lon will look out for someone else." Clem's face was suffused for the moment with a happy blush, but the old fearsoon returned to her. If it were only some tangible trouble she would find some means to fight it, but howcould she forefendagainsb a suspicion, a shadow? Yet Lon surely meant mischief when he went in the middle

of the night to Alph's Cabin in that stealthy way. lb bad been agreed between Clem and Alpli that they should be married immediately after the shearing. And preparations were now making for the simple wedding in the ranch house. The plain weddinggown was made, and in the preparation for the wedding feast Clem's time was taken up, so she had no time for brooding. Lon had not returned, and her fears, while not dispelled, were not so active. The wedding night came, guests and minister arrived, and all was bustle and joyous confusion, Clem was clad in her soft, snow-white gown, and all said she was the prettiest bride they ever saw. Indeed, Clem was a fairy, who made every spot enchanted ground. Several times Clem's eyes caught sight of her revolver lying in its accustomed place, but she thought it would be foolish to carry it when she was going to be married; but finally, she could not explain why, she picked it up and placed it in the pocket of her dress. " How Alph will laugh at me," she thought. Shortly after this the simple marriage service was proceeding in the little room, Alph and Clem standing in front of the guests, facing the minister, '' Alfred, wilt thou have this woman to be thy wedded wife?" " I will," said Alph, in a firm, Clear voice. " Clematis, wilt thou have this man to be thy wedded husband'." "I will," said Clem, in a low but audible

tone, "Then I pronounce you husband and wife."

"Leb us pr—" The minister did nob finish the sentence, for the startled guests and friends saw Clem turn with a revolver in her hand, and then heard two almost) : simultaneous pistol shots. ', There was screaming, shouting, and wildest confusion and terror in the bridal room. It was noticed that Clem clutched Alph convulsively, and then fainted, The forebodings that had filled the heart of Clem had been verified in a strange and awful manner. As the marriage service was proceeding Clem's eyes were drawn, by a strange attraction, to the old mirror which hung a little to the right. It was quite large and valued as an heirloom, having been a present from her maternal grandmother. She observed that she could see in it the reflection of the open window on the opposite side of the room, for all the windows Were raised, the evening being very ; warm. The guests could not see the mirror, as it was behind them. !, When, the minister began to says "..let us pray,'(Clem's eyes were fascinated, her heart ceased to beat, the blood forsook her j face, for, there in the glass she saw Lon's i face and extended hand, and in that band a revolver pointed at Alph, .;. ... If, the pistol had been pointed at herself, Clem would .have been. helpless, bub ; when she saw it directed her lover aH the latent, tiger-mother feeling was aroused in her.. i'.; Not longer did it bake the pendulum'in. '.the old clock to make its lazy swing, than was Clem in seising ; her revolver, turning and firing. >' :! "/-j"" "

mmmmmmammammmmmmmmmmmmammmmMm ;■"■■■» ■;.■;. Then; she clutched ; and fainted.; : : Alph caught her as she- was fallings and ;■. carried her and laid her on the lounge. •■■.; ..: When, after a time, she came to conScfqusness, Alph.was-iiolding her hands and;; bending oyer her, tho big tears' tanning down his face.' ;: ' •'•'"••• J*'* *■*''' "' "■ ■'.. < " Oh, Alph, are you hurt ?" .i-ek."- ,/. \ ~ Not a scratoh.'dearesb. Be quiet nowi for-a little while." ... ,„.{- \ "THank God," and there was a long sigh, *' And Lon," she said, after a time. .i < " He will never trouble you again," said AlfahV ■ Indeed Clem had shot the would-be assassin, through the heart, and he died before Clem came to consciousness, with a "curse him" on his lips. \ The ball shot from Lon's revolver, diverted by Clem's shot, struck the old mirror, and bored through it a tiny hole, from which radiated long lines of cleavage, It was the unanimous verdict at the inquest) that Clem had saved her lover's life. Ib was months before Clem regained her cheerfulness, bub time and love triumph over all things, and serenity and peace cama batik again to Clem's heart. Now there is no one more happy, and certainly no one more beautiful, than the mistress of the Long Ranch in far western Kansas, [the END.]