The Red Cloud chief., 1881-11-24

sisters angry tone. bui Colonel Gsrdses
laughed approvingiy.
"You'u do to tie to. young miss'
That's the sort lie. You ga al ths
work out Of your hired people. and you
don't let 'eni shirk H. Hsilno. II bcf0
Amt Job Lyons as another MID
looking bosseman dashed saD 70 tho
gate. Got him. Jobs"
mo. Carmel, but we've got your
bosses They was a-grszing Q
Boygy Creek You brought US. Curncl.
on q wild goose chase. fur them bosses
Amt bin stole. jest slipped their hait-
ers and got away. I'm Of 10 my work"
and he gsIloped away.
Delight and dismay chased each other
over the CoIonel's bIoad face.
Wall. now, gent.emsu." he said
dcprecatingiy 10 the men who had risen
and werc preparing TO move OF. I'm
mighty sorry ! troubled you"
"You mought have got a, In 4 heap
worse trouble ef we had broken tha,
youngster s neck. a. you and Johnson
wanted" said one OF the mon siernly.
I'VE ought to thank our stars he got
away"
wall. now" said the Colonel, help
~lessly. we've bin ehasin' . fellow for
notbin'. eh?"
Looks monstrously like it." said
the man who had just spoken; land
we were within an Ace Of hangin' him
10 the first convenient limb. fur nothin'.
too. Look here. Curnei. you don't git
me out agin when your bosses git
away"
They rode of. leaving the cr~est-fallen
Colonel to follow at his leisure.
AS he rolled his portly bulk To the
gaze. Martha heard him muttering:
Wall. now, how in thunder did
them bosses break loose?'
Il WAS over the fear and suspense.
Martha had never tainted in her life.
but she felt faint and sick, and closed
her eyes for Q few minutes. When she
opened them. the young man had taken
OF his disguise and was in h9 wi
clothes, and looking at her gratefully.
81 can't thank you." he said.
you've done SO much for me that l
can't express myself. But for You /
should have been dangling to one of
those trees. They wouldn't have given
me ten minutes"
You're safe now" she said.
"Yes. But | wouldn't have showed
myself even when / heard all. because
it might have injured you with your
neighbors-for assisting a supposed
horse-thief. NY name is Burton Hair
ny Burton; and my mother will thank
you some day for this"
why did YOU leave home to wan
der around in this way?" Martha asked
curiouslv. -
Harry Burton looked a little confused.
but said:
well. the fact is. / thought I'd see
a little of the world. To tell the truth,
I've been away from home two months,
and had written my mother that | was
coming back TO look after matters on
the farm again, when all this happened
to me. l will 90 and look for my horse
now. and perhaps. when your father
returns. he will set me across the river.
I'm going to ride all night, for I'm just
wild to see home again"
Martha directed him to the place
where his pony had been turned loose,
and then sat down to think quietly.
What an afternoon IL had been! And
al these things had happened in n few
hours. Robbie was looking every
where for the supposed Bertha. who
had vanished. and wearied his sister
with questions rs to where she had
gone. and who was the strange man
who had come from behind the house.
Ii was sunset when Mr.. Willis re-
turned. He was seriously angry and
frightened at Mariha's imprudence,
and the risk she ran in shcltcring a
possible felon; but I've was proud, too.
of her bravery and presence of mind.
Never do such an act again, my
girl he said. 1T was a dangerous
experiment, | can tell you'll"
'But he was innocent, and 1 knew
it," Martha urged. Must we run no
risks to shield the innOcent?"
1t would have been an interminable
argument. but by this time Harry Bur.
ton had returned, and Mr.. Willis did
not retain his anger long at the sight
of his pale. sensitive face.
my mother will thank YOU" was
all he said to Martha, rs he shook her
hand warmly at parting. Youths Com.
Ddnt0n.