, 1878-04-12

r1r.ryri, amprg DirN Hacker sui tna
boo Ili CHus,u n him i.r his most intimate
friend Wa, u.p.t Surprising thing.
Hardly wcr, 'hc two men oIt If sight
than Ann Harden, wrapped in n shaw,
nri with U,rpi,lDi .n her belt, aui some.
thin. else IN her pocket, slipped out at
,cr them. and followed them toward the
woods. The path they intended 10 take
/ oas a direct one, and feet and wagon
wheels hat marked II plainly; but the
men were flr ahead of her, and her WON.
ans step threw her farther behind them
At every moment NJ they strobe on; for
Drk. though he limpcd, was as rapid a
walker as Jahcz. She saw the marks Of
their feet on the path, freshly imprinted
on the earth, which only that morning
had been soaked with rain, aud she
prayed that they might lead her straight
to the valley where the mill arose, but
her doubts of Dirk Hacker oppressed her
sorely. She could not believe him hon.
est. She had in her mind picture of
her husband lying on the ground, with
Dirk kneeling on his PROSTATE body,
while he riied his pockets of the money
which he held in trust. Sne knew her
husband to be brave and strong but he
was quite unsuspcious. How easy for
Dirk to linger behind a moment, and
then
"Ah, God protect him. she screamed,
in horror. "God help him, and teach me
how to save him"
She hastened her steps. She ran, trip.
ping and stumbling, now and then, over
the broken boughs that lay across the
path, or slipping on the wet leaves; but
still the newly-made impressions of the
two mems feet went on before her side by
side. Still she caught no glimpse of them.
The sun was setting. She saw it, like
a great red bonfire, low down amongst
the bushes at the western edge of the
wood. The shadows of the trees lay
black behind them. The birds were ut
terng their sweet long notes, that seemed
to be their good-nights to each other.
Nothing had happened yet. Perhaps
her fears were grouDdless, and nothing
would happen. She began to laugh at
herself now, aud to resolve that when she
had reached the verge of the wood she
would call to her husband, tell him some
thing that it would be necessary then
that he should know, and go home as
fast as she had come, or hide somewhere
that the men should not see her until Ja-
bez was ready to go himself. How he
would ridicule her fancies. Well, she
deserved it, perhaps; the HarkI what
was that2 A pistol shot-another-s cry
the voice of her husband-more firing.
Something had happened. Gathering up
her skirts and grasping her pistol as only
a woman who well knows its use could
have done, she now flew rather than ran.
The sounds grew nearer-the voices
louder; the reports of firearms sharper;
and suddenly the very picture her terrors
had pointed flashed upon her sight. A
man prone upon the ground; another
bending over him. Doubtless Dirk had
murdered her husband. Even in her des-
pair thoughts of vengeance filled her
mind.
But now she was close beside the group
and saw that there were more THAI two.
A mas lay seemingly dead upon the
ground. Another was bound to a tree,
with blood. soaked handkerchief about
his head, aud her husband, seemingly
unframed, knelt in the road supporting
the head of Dirk Hacker upon hisknee.
Amidst this group Ann threw herself,
clinging to her husbands arm.
"You here, my girla' cried Jabez.
"Well, you are just in time. You know
the way to the mill--run there for help,
they have hurt poor Dirk--killed him, /
am afraid, brave old boy. o, Dirk Dirk
All for my sakew
"What does it all mean-are these his
accompiccsl" asked Ann.
F. "Hi8 accomplices !" said Jabez, stern
ly. "Ann, Dirk Hacker has just saved
your husbands life; and in the fight for
the money those fellows have robbed me
of-twO horse thieves who should have
been hung long ago-he has been MUIR
dered, am afraid. There were four, two
have escaped with the packet. l cannot
tell you more now. Go for help. Tell
them the bad news at the mill and bid
them all come with you. Poor Dirk
Poor old Dirk! | can't think of the loss
of the money for this sight-yet that is
bad, too, Ann"
"Jabez," said Ann, "I'm going. I'll
bring help for Dirk, and if he lives I'll
make up to him for my doubts; but the
money is safe, l have it here. I doubted
this poor man 80 much that / made sure
he would rob you in the woods, so |
emptied the packet, filled it with old pa
per, and followed you myself, with the
money in my bosom and this pistol in
my hand. We all make mistakes some
times, Jabez."
Ann sped away. In rs brief time as
possible she alarmed the men at the mill
and brought help. Dirk wastaken home
to Jabez Harden's house, and though he
lay long at the point of death, recovered
at last, principally, the doctor said,
through Ann Harden's good nursing. He
was as unprepossessing as ever; but he
had hnan a hnrn / N thaf trvipCr rnnmnDt in