THE MINERS' WELCOME.
Harding drew up promptly at the call of Doctor Dick. He had heard the
voices of the two within the stage, yet not what was said, and he was
anxious to know how Celeste took the news of the disappearance of the
man whom she had come to the wild Western frontier to see.
"Do you mean that I shall mount to the box, sir?" asked Celeste, in
answer to what the doctor had said after the coach halted.
"I do, Miss Seldon, for the men will wish to see you, and within ten
minutes more we will be in the valley."
"Of course, I cannot refuse, sir," and Celeste sprang out of the coach
and mounted to the box, taking her seat by the side of Harding, while
Doctor Dick settled himself upon her trunk upon the top of the coach.
"Now, miss, we'll make 'em hum," said Harding, and he cracked his whip
in a way that sent the team along at a splendid pace.
As they neared the turn into the valley, Harding took a bugle, in lieu
of a stage-horn, and played in a skilful manner the ringing notes of
"Annie Laurie," intending the sentiment to apply to Celeste, Doctor Dick
from his perch the while taking the reins.
The notes of the bugle ringing out, the touching air brought tears to
the eyes of Celeste Seldon, who, however, was startled a moment after,
as the stage came in sight of a hundred horsemen drawn up in two lines,
one on either side of the trail.
They were a wild, reckless-looking lot of rough riders, but the cheer
they gave when they saw Celeste on the box came from their hearts.
Their hats were doffed, and as the yells burst from their lips they
closed in behind the coach, four abreast, and came dashing along as an
escort.
Celeste waved her handkerchief vigorously, her beautiful face flushed to
crimson and her lips quivering, her eyes swimming with the emotion that
almost overwhelmed her.
"Three cheers for the lady of Last Chance," came in the deep voice of
Doctor Dick, from the top of the coach, and they were given with savage
earnestness.
Along dashed the coach, Harding lashing his horses into a run and
driving with marvelous skill, while behind them thundered the hundred
horsemen, yelling like demons in their glad welcome to the first lady to
visit their wild camp.
Celeste saw the cabins along the canyon valley, perched here and there
upon the hills, and at last discovered the group of buildings that
marked the settlement the miners were pleased to call the "City" of Last
Chance.
Gathered there was a vast crowd of men, and when the stage came in
sight, and three persons were seen on top, with the mounted escort
hastening after, the yells of welcome began.
The roar floated down the valley, and reached the ears of Celeste
Seldon, and she muttered in a low tone:
"How kind they all are. This is, indeed, a welcome to be proud of, and
never can I forget it."
"They mean it, miss," said Harding and he felt just pride in his
frontier home at the reception, and the manner in which Celeste received
it greatly pleased him.
On flew the horses, and up the hill they dashed, to at last come to a
halt before the hotel.
The din was now terrific, for the voices of the horsemen joined in with
the miners about the hotel, who, with one accord, drew their revolvers
and began to empty them in the air.
As there were hundreds of miners, and all were armed with a couple each
of revolvers, the rattling of the fusillade may be imagined.
Celeste bowed right and left, waving her handkerchief, until Landlord
Larry aided her to dismount and led her into the hotel, and the welcome
was at an end.