THE WEST SHORE
870
ZARINA, THE SPIRIT OP THE MOUNTAIN.
The Romanoe of an Unfinished " Hood."
I. THK STAGE FIIOM THE BOUTII.
1T1I smoking horses and mud-
Kl splashed wheels unit box. Into
in the fall of 18C-, the stiigo
from the south came thunder
ing down First street, Portland,
and with a sweeping turn drew
up at the curbstone in front of
a once famous hostelry at the
foot of Stark street. The future
metropolis was then, in many of
its ohnraoteristics, only a big and
thriving village, and the arrival of
the overland mail and passengers
evoked the usual crowd and stir of
excitomont at Cosmopolitan corner.
The hard-driven horses snorted and
stamped and rattled their harness, as an attache of tho
hotel opened the door of the heavy " thorough-brnoe "
coach, and the passengers, six in number, slowly craorgod
from the dork, leather-scented interior, and sttxxl for a
moment grouped upon the sidewalk, giving directions
for the disposition of thoir baggage, and shaking the
wrinkles of the long, rough ride from their clothes and
tempers before they entered the hospitable doors of the
old caravansary.
Two of these passengers, a tall, slender, handsome
young man, with dark hair and eyos, and the sallow faoe
and languid air of an invalid, and a little girl four or five
years of ago, comfortably envohiod in a warm traveling
cloak, whom he took tenderly in his arms when he
alighted, wore noticeable as being somewhat different
from the usual class of persons who traveled by stage
over the barbario highways of the Northwest The clear
cut features, brunette complexion and somewhat embar
rassed manner, icod by a shado of hauteur, of tho young
man, suggested at once to the casual olworvor that he
was either a foreigner of Spanish or Italian extraction,
or an American Southerner. His slouched hat of fino,
soft folt, and the military cloak he wore, aided the im
pression. With the child nestling, half asleep, opon his bosom,
he made his way, with some difficulty, to the clerk's
desk.
"I shall require two rooms connecting with each
other, one for myself and one for the child," ho said,
with a pure American accent "Have a fire made in
them, please, and send your housekeeper to me at once,
aa I shall need her assistance, when our baggage is
brought up, in attending to my little charge here."
" Very well," replied the young clerk, with slight
glance of deprecation at the traveler's burden, as though
he suspected it of being contraband of war. "Let me
ee," turning to the key board, " I can give you twouty-
one and twonty-two, which will suit you perfectly, as
they communicate, and one stove answers for both."
Then tho stranger registered his namo: "Paul Don.
ham and child, a F." in a delicate hand.
" Here, Johul " called Uie olerk to tho porter, "show
this grntlemnn np etnira to the sitting room, and lmvo a
fire made in twouty-ono and twenty-two, and tho rooms
aired."
The littlo sitting room into which Paul Deuhain was
ushered by tho porter was wholly unoccupied at tho
time, but a brisk fire in tho grata stove, and tho dark,
rich color of Uie carHt, and substantial furniture, gave
it a cosy, home-like apjcarauoe.
" Well, Leda, wo aro at homo, now, and will have
nice dinner, and not rido in tho old wagon any more,"
ho said, ooaxingly, to the child, as he put her on the
sofa, and proceeded, with deft hand, to remove her cloak
and hood. When this was done, ho bent forward and
kissed her warm, pouting lips with tho tenderness of a
mother, and she answered him only with a beautiful
smile, pathetic in it utter love and trust Then she sal
vory quint, her dark glunce roving about Uie room with
grave, childish wonder, replying only in soft monosylla
bles to his playful questions and kind assurances.
In the course of halt au hour the houckcoier, a
motherly, middle-aged woman, apoarod.
" What a dear little girl it isl " she exclaimed, as she
came bustling forward, as if tho caro of waifs was her
chosen occupation, and Ixigan to caress and smooth the
child's rumpled tresses. The latter shrank a little, but
was iustantly reassured by tho kindly face and tone of
tho woman, and reached out a dimpled littlo hand lu to
kou of amity and confidence.
" That is right, darling! " exclaimed the housekeeer,
accepting tho proffered tribute and kissing the child af
fectionately as sho took her In her arms. " The rooms
are quito ready now, ami we will havo a 1ml h and dress
for dinner."
"Her namo is Ioda," said the young man, Mining
forward with a pleasant smile, as if glad to be freed
from a perplexing situation. " We are, unfortunately,
alone, and it is great relief to me to be assured, by
your manner and apearauco, that she will he kindly
and procrly cared for, after the hamming travel of tho
last few days. Here is the key to the larger trunk, in
which you will find Iter apparel, Please l guarded in
your conversation with her, so as not to recall anything
that is past"
"1 think I understand you, sir," said the woman,
with a sympathetic glance at the rosy little faoe, who
features so strongly resembled those of the man Imfora
her, "and your wIsIips shall be followed. Will you
have your dinner brought to your Mom?"
" Yes, thank you," be replied, " that will be lwt on
her account Afterwards, If you are at leisure, I should
like to consult with yon alsmt finding a proper borne fi
bur, as I shall remain in your oity during the wiuUr."
" I shall be glad to assist you," she said, with the
faintest tint of a blush on her yet eom!y cheeks, "and