The Osceola times., 1882-05-20

and she WAS by no means Tree from the
popular estimate Of its grave nature.
"Oh, | am glad OF that !" said she.
"But-" She hesitated, and then went
on doubtfully. But then how was IL
Why did they say it was you? And
why did you run awayY 7"
at was Dennis doings their laying it
to me. He did that to clear himself.
And after that you know as well as ]
do, there would have been no use in
irving TO prove myself innocent. They
always hang horse thief first, and then
consider his guilt afterward. | had to
run TO save my life"
"Do YOU know that there is reward
offered for your capture 7"
al know the Regulators are after me-"
answered the young fellow suddenly.
They came pretty near catching me, too,
| this noon. l Just escaped them and
came down the canon by the mountain
/ trail. | have had hard run of it, and
what with no sleep or food for twenty.
four hours | am about used up. felt
as though could not go another step
when i saw yoIr house. You-you
have been very good to me- l shall
never forget"
"But what are you going to do now,"
interrupted Sacramento, You are not
safe here"
"Iknow it. But threw them off the
track at noon, and do not think they
are within five miles of me. Now, !
have had something to eat ! will take to
the woods again. | hope ! may get
away. If dont'-his voice trembled
and tears came into his eyes. "lf !
don't i shall get hanging, suppose.
Oh, what fool was not to prefer home
to this sort of thing. And yet, would
not care 80 much either, If it wasn't for
my father and mother" And then the
poor fellow fairly broke down.
"Harkw Sacramento exclaimed. She
had been crying too she could not help
it.
They both listened. In a moment
they heard the souDd of horses coming
down the trail. The girl with instant
selfpossession,
go in there Quick Quick There
is not moment to be lost Here, take
your hatw
And handing his hat to him she half
pushed him across the room and into her
own little room that led off from it,
Then she hurriedly cleared the table
again, barely finishing the task, as the
horsemen halted at the door.
There were three of them. One was
her father. Sacramento knew the other
two men by sight. They were rough,
but of the better sort of those who MAKE
up the dwellers CT Kelly Gulch. The
faces of all three were stern and forbid
ding and they evidently had been riding
hard. They dismounted together.
"Sac," began her father as he entered
the door, "hev you seen anything of
young chap, afoot or a horseback, com.
ing this way?"
Sacramento had expected the question
and was ready for it. And she meant,
if it were possible, to answer it without
a lie.
"A young chap about Is years of age
and five feet and half high, rather
good.looking, and with red-top boots
on p" replied she.
ayes Yes That's him p cried one of
the other men eagerly. Have you seen
him? Has he been here ?"
Il was only quoting from this hand
bill" said Sacramento, taking the paper
from the shelf where she had laid it.
"Then You hain't seen him at all p
asked the father. i
81 have been right here all day, and
nobody has gone by except Pete LARA |
bee. 1t was he who gave me the bill |
Are you sure he came this way, .he-the
horse. theft"
"No; but we didn't know but he |
mighter. The chances is that he sloped
off TO the mountains, meanin' ter go |
through Stovepipe Pass. They'll git
him, though, afore sundown."
ats sundown now," observed Sacra-
mento.
"Then they've got him now," was the
contentious response. "And we should |
be too late for the hangin' ef we shd go |
back. Leastwsys"-this was added to
his companions" you'd better come in
and have bite afore ye CO."
So presently the three men sat down
TO the supper that the young girl quick
ly prepared for them. And while they
were eating she herself, at her fathers
bidding, went cut TO take the saddle of
Bueno, his horse, and give him his feed,
As she approached the door once more
few minutes later she heard words which
caused her to stop and listen.
al don't like ter say anything against
thet kid o. yourn, neighbor," one of the
men was saying, "but it hes kinder
seemed ter me all ther while's though
she sorter he'd some at on her min. like.
Ye don't spose she knows anything
bout thet young feller arter all ?'
Sacramento's father laughed at this
as though it was too absur to be con-
siderei.
The other, however, was not TO be
,x,,t Of hiu auapieinpp
Fur all we know" persisted he, "she
NAV hev him hid here somewhere on the
premmysis."
ats easy enough to see," returned
the proprietor of the said "premmysis,"
testify. "Where dye think she's hid
himi In her BEDROOM"
As he said this, Sacramento, who was
now near enough to see into the kitchen,
saw her father rise from his chair and
step to the door of the room where she
had concealed the fugitive. Her heart
almost stopped beating as she saw him
push open the door and enter the room,
! followed by his companions.
well make a clus search Of il while
we're about it" she heard him say with.
/ in.
And then she stood there in terrible
suspense upon the porch, expecting ev-
every instant to hear the shout that
would follow the discovery of the fugi-
tive.
But no such shout was heard and in
stead of it a moment after, the two men
came out again, her father still laughing
at his friend.
/ What could ii mean? Had the young
man been able to conceal himself in the
room and so evade their search2 That
| ,rnr NOT t,nasiLln 1,ho,, rh., ILn,,.xh4 a