Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1882-03-31
He jumped from his horso md Comm

.
money out of his pocket, "Pll give YOU
twenty-five dollars. It's every cent |
have, and it's a matter of life and
death for me to get over Immediately.
For heavens sake, help me, won't
you?"
The imploring tone. the look of agony
IN the young mans eyes, startled
Martha. Was this mailman before
her. and she alone and in his power?
No, he did not look insane; though he
kept turning and casting wild glances
in the direction whence lie had come.
81 am sorry, sir" she said. "but the
flat was taken to the other side by my
father. who has not yet returned. Look,
you can see it from here"
"Then shall have to swim the river"
he said, turning from her.
"You must mott" she exclaimed
earnestly. "The river is swollen by
the last rains, and the tide is running
like a mill-race! Not even a strong
horse could swim it, and yours look
ing ut the tired little pony" would not
get halfway over"
He paused irresolutely for one mo-
ment. and then retraced his steps.
"YOu look good and kind" he said;
"And I'm sure you wouldn't harm me-
I'll trust you. l am pursued by men
who accuse me of q thing l never
dreamed of doing. l am q perfect
stranger-never was in this town in my
life before last highland the settlers
take me for a member of some notori-
| GUS horse-thief's gang. If they catch
me-you know Texas justice-they'll
hang me to the nearest tree. and try me
after I'm dead. For the sake of all
that's good, and more than all for my
dear mothers sake" and sob checked
his words, "help an innocent stranger
TO escaper'
Martha looked at him as he spoke.
Like all self-reliant people, she formed
her Judgment of persons quickly and
decidedly. No. he was not guilty, she
was certain. But even had he been. for
his youth, and his mothers sake, it is
probable Martha would have done Just
as she did.
"rll help YOU" she said. "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
woods back there are not safe, for of
course they'll 60 over the whole ground
if they track you 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. My pony was tied in
the woods, and don't think they
missed me until they walked up. But
of course they'll track me here, or near
here. | must lose no time.''
Martha thought for few minutes.
d" can think of but one plan," she said.
"You must disguise yourself | have
the dress of German woman who has
been at work for M for a short time.
She was about your height and size
Here it is" taking dress from a nail.
$50 into the house and put it on, and
will 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
was turned into tall. awkward woman.
Martha added to his toilet large hand
kerchief pinned across the breast, and
an immense green sunbOnnet which
SutUCu Ills AdCC COIuplctcly.
"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 sunbonnet even at
meals. Oh, forgot your boots. Here,
put on this pair of fathers old shoes"
"DOn't you hear horses galloping?"
cried the youth, his face getting ghast-
ly.
Martha listened. Yes, there was no
doubt of it. Horsemen were coming
rapidly down the road. The Young
man was trembling in every limb.
"It's not that Pm afraid of DEATH"
he said; ''rm not a coward; but such u
shameful, unjust dea'.'
"This won't do she interrupted.
"YOur nervousness will betray you.
Here, take this rake and scrape up tho
dead leaves in tn" rrd. No one will
notice then that ,oi tromble so. And
look here. when the men come into
the yard. don't 60 on 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 look boldly ar
the people. In that sunbonnet no one
can easily tell whether you're white or
black"
He obeyed submissively, 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, short, stout,
elderly man, she had slight acquaint-
ance with.
"Good-arternoon, Miss Willis" he
drawled. "Well. now, has q young
fellow on dun pony crossed the river
this afternoon?'
"Martha was delighted that the ques-
tion took this form.
"NO, Colonel Gardner; no one has
crossed the river, because. as you see,
my father took the flat to the other
side, and there it is now. He went to
Crosstown this morning, and hasn't
come back yet"
"Well, let's reconnoiter, boys; may
be he tried to swim it. You johnson,
stay here till l come back. >"
In 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, l reckon" said one of
the men. "You told 'em to meet us
here. didn't You, CurnelP"
EYES," and to Martha's dismay the
whole party, dismounting from their
horses, secured them to the paling, and
leisurely marched to the house Indian
file.
"You needn't be Uneasy. Miss Will
lis" said the fat leader. "Jist give
us cheers out here under the trees and
we'll sot here, 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 gratitied, was now industriously
raking the leaves in q pile. Having
nothing to do, all the men gazed in
tently at her. To take off their atten-
tion, Martha forced herself to talk to
them.