The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1878-10-10
RIDGWAY, COUNTY, Pa, THURSDAY,


six feet, had heavy beard, and was a
pretty fine-looking feller."
"Did he have his thumb and FORE
finger on his left hand cut off ?" asked
"Yes, yA; come to think of it," he
replied.
Jim thirsted for blood; 80, seeing his
chance, he bore down upon his enemy.
he, this feller has been lyin' all this
evening. Now you see I know Hand
some Jack"
DO youG" broke in Miss Smith,
quickly.
"Yes undo you?"
so, no, no." she replied, "but I've
heard of him."
"Yes ,'um; I know him." he went on,
"and he was one of the best-lookin' fell
lers ever see,"
eyes" said she.
eyes, 'um, he's about five foot six. "
Then turning to Bill. "And he amt
got his thumb and forefinger cut off,"
After pause, he continued:
eyes, 'um, and I'll jest tell you all
about it. He was 'spected of KILN the
sheriff; they caught him, and he had his
trial; everything looked purity blue for
him; the jury went out, and when they
came back the next morning-they was
kept locked up all night-they brought
a verdict of. Not guilty."
The fair face before the speaker grew
still winter as he spoke those words
which have made SO mahy hearts leap
for Joy, and then she arose and looked
him in the face, and with trembling lips
she asked:
"And he was saved %
"That's more'n 1 can tell," said he;
"'cause when we was let out in the
morning the bird had few."
"When who were let out ?" she said,
quickly.
"Why, the jury. I was foreman of
the jury that acquitted him." he re-
piled.
"Thank God," she said. The fair
head fell back, and she would have
fallen had not the strong arms of Jim
Marshall caught her.
At the same time there was sound
from the adjoining room, like sigh of
relief; then the inanimate form which
and soon the ids rose from the blue
eyes, a smile fitted across the sweet
face, and Jim, much agitated, and for.
getting the presence of any one else,
kissed the white brow of the lovely girl.
She soon revived sufficiently to sit, and
Jim, after putting some water to her
lips, excused himself, and, followed by
Bill at distance, moved away from the
cabin. Strange were the thoughts that
passed through the minds of the two
men that night and the next day. They
felt that the mystery Of these two per-
sons was daily increasing, growing
deeper and more insoluble. How do
they live? Why do they live here ?
Where did they come fremp And many
other questions, equah \mystifying, ar
rayed themselves defiantly before their
minds.
The next evening, at the Nugget, the
incidents of the previous evening were
fully detailed, for, sure enough, Bill
Turner had told the whole thing, includ-
ing the kiss, and it was with much
trepidation and misgiving that Jim
Marshall ventured to face the frequent
ers of this rendezvous but when he
entered, the excitement in the immedi-
| ate vicinity of Bill Turner was so great
that he slipped into his place almost un-
noticed.
In few moments, Sam Noyesc anne
running out Of the back room, into
which he had just stepped, and cried
"Where's Jim Marshall ?"
Seeing him at the same instant, he
beckoned him into the room which he
had Just left, and the men waited breath
lessly for his return and, in fact, some
of the more curious followed him, and
then they saw sight that made the
blood of at least one of their number
boil.
But what was it? Through the win.
dow of the cabin down in the chaparral
they saw the sweet little Miss Smith,
with her head lying affectionately upon
her waist, while he imprinted kisses
upon her upturned lips. 1t was toe
much for Jim he rushed out through
the saloon, and down toward the cabin,
with pistol in hand.
"Foller him, boys, foller him." cried
Sam Noyes, fearful lest the infuriated
man should commit a rash deed.
The saloon poured forth it's occupants
Bill Turner heading the crowd, and who
reached the cabin at almost the same
instant that Jim did, and in moment
the cabin was full of breathless, pant
ing men. Standing at one end was &
fine-looking young man, supporting the
trembling form OF the frightened girl
In his hand he held a pistol, ready tc
shoot the first man who made move
No one seemed to know the stranger
His eyes were fixed on Jim Marshall
who in return glared at the intruder like
a panther, and was the first to speak.
"Handsome Jack F" said he.
"Jim Marshall | was the reply.
"Who is she? gasped Jim, pointing
"My wife |! F." came in a firm, mani,
voice.
The next morning there were two de
serted claims over in the canon tn
cabins that the day previous had cover
cd the heads of Jim Marshall and Bill
Turner were now untenanted, and a
night, when Sam Noyes looked out o
his back window toward the little cabil
down IN the chaparrel, all was darkness
The Spirits He Smelled.
At recent trial of liquor case tn
witness on the stand was under examina