The Red Cloud chief., 1881-11-24

life before last highland the settlers
take me for q member OF some notori-
Gus horse-thiefs gang. II they catch
me-you know Teyas Jnsticc they'll
hang me TO the nearest tree. and try me
after I'm dead. Fo- the sake OF all
that's good. and more than all for nv
dear mothers sake and sob checked
his words. "help an innocent stranger
70 escape" 49,
! Martha looked AZ him as he spoke.
Like all self-reliant people. she formed
her Judgment Of persons quickly and
decidedly. No. he was no guilty. she
was certain. But even had he been. for
his youth, and his mothers sake. II Is
probable Martha would have done just
as she did.
9TH help you." she ss;d. "No. you
can't hide in the house." seeing his
eyes turn to it. '"There are but two
rooms. and no loft, and they'll be
through them in no time. They'll
search the barn and stable too. The
course they'll go over the whole ground
il they track y0u here"
81 got away from them about noon"
he said ..They were lying under the
trees half drunk, and asleep, and ] gave
them the slip. NY pony was tied in
the woods, and I don't think they
missed me until they walked up. But
OF course they'll track me here, or ne1
here. must lose no time"
Martha thought for a few minutes.
Il can think Of but one plan" she SAID.
You must disguise yourself. have
the dress Of a German woman who has
been at work for me for a short time.
| She was about your height and size.
! Here il is" taking a dress from a nail.
60 into the house and put it on, and
viii turn your pony loose in the woods.
In an hour or two he will be far enough
| from here.
When she returned, the young man
:yas turned into n tall. awkward woman.
Martha added to his toilet alarge hand
kerchief pinned across the breast. and
an immense green sunbonnet which
shaded his face completely.
ANY one would take you for Ber-
tha," she said. surveying him critical
ly. "She don't speak a word of En-
glish. so You needn't open your lips:
and she wore her sunboDnet even al
meals. Oh. I forgot your boots. Here,
put on this pair of father old shoes"
Don't you hear horses galloping?"
cried the youth. his face getting ghast-
ly.
Martha listened. Yes. there was no
doubt of il. Horsemen were coming
rapidly down the road. The young
man was trembling in every limb.
"It's not that I'm. afraid o. DEATH"
he said; I'm not a coward; but such "A
shameful, unjust death"-
"This won't do.' she interrupted.
"Your nervousness will betray You.
Here. take this rake, and scrape upthe
dead leaves in the yard. No one will
not &c then hat YOU trcmble so. And
Hook here, wlen the men come into
the yard. don't 90 Oh with your work
with your face turned away. That
would be suspicious. Just put your
two hands on the rake-so; and rest
your chin on them. and loUK boldly al
the people. In tlrat sunbonnet no one
a easily tell whether you're white OF
black"
He obeyed suhmissivcly, but Martha.
glancing furtively at him as four or five
men rode into the yard. saw the hands
folded over the top Of the rake shaking.
The leader of the party, a short. stout,
elderly man, she had a slight acIuaint.
ance with.
Good afternoon, Miss Willis, he
drawlcd. We'll. now. has n Young
fellow on a dun pony crossed the river
this afternoon
Martha was delighted that the ques,
ton ooh this form.
mo, Colonel Gardner; no one has
crossed the river. because. as you see,
my father took the Hat TO the other
side. and there it is now. He went t.
Crosstown this morning. and hasn't
come back yet"
"Well, let's reconnoiter. bows; may
be he tried to swim it. You johnson,
stay here till come back"
In a short time he was back again
with the rest of the party.
"NO signs" he drawled. 1--WE LOST
the track in that ar thicket, and certain
sure he amt thar"
Job Lyons and the fellars will come
up with him. | reckon" said one OF
the men. "You told 'em to meet u:
here. didn't you, CurnelP"
YES" aud to Martha's dismay the
whole party, dismounting from THEN
horses, secured them to the paling, and
leisurely marched to the house Indian
file.
"You needn't be Uneasy. Miss VIII.
lis" said the fat leader. "Jist give
us cheers out here under the trees and
Wen sOt hero and admire the pros.
pect."
Poor Martha would have given worlds
to have got them into the house and
out of sight of the fictitious German
woman, who, as if her curiosity had
been gratifed. was now industriously
raking the leaves in a pile. Having
nothing TO do, all the men gazed in.
tently at her. To take off their atten.
ton, Martha forced herself to talk to
them.
You don't often come this way,
Colonel Gardner" she said.
mo, my dear; but a COMPOUNDED
horse-thief has stole my Romus and Re.
mus two best horses-and we re
after him. you see."
"How do you know he stole them?''
Martha ventured.
know! Well. my dear. johnson he
seed a strange lad wanderin' about neal
my stable. bout nine O'clock at night.
He had come to the tavern that even
ing, and he walked about town pros
pectin', as you may say, and johnson
he says he's the moral of young Cave,
and he's the right-hand man of Amos
White, the boldest horse-tbief in this
county. Well catch up with him."
1--WE Amt sarched these premises
grumbled the dark-looking ruffian they
called johnson. Maybe he's hid in
the hen house, or somewhat"
"YOu are welcome to search, gentle
men, said Martha, rising with alacrity.
The strain was too much for her. and
she felt as il she was in danger OF
screaming aloud, or going into a hit OF
Mysteries before them.
There's pony tracks up TO this here
gate, said johnson. scowlhg at her.
Had anybody been hero to-day?'
drawled Colonel Gardner. who was
striving 30 be courteous.
20 yes" she answered readily; ''old
Mr.. Maxwell brought our meal. and
Jim Pendleton rode here to get fathers