The examiner., 1882-01-28

| was in, and the probable dark fate that was before him, he. heart yearned with true womanly sympathy; and her feel ing found expression before she was able to restrain herself.
 ooh, how could you do it How could you do it {" she suddenly ex' claimed, her voice quite full of what she felt.
 He looked up at her in wonder; but as his eyes met hers he understood her.
 "I did not do it. Upon my honor, ] did not p he said. ''It was that man Dennis"
 Sacramento breathed great sigh of relief. Horse stealing was held in that section to be crime worse than murder; and she was by no means free from the popular estimate of its grave nature.
 ooh, am glad of that i' said she. "But-" She hesitated, and then went on doubtfully. "But then how was it Why did they say it was you? And why did you run awayS'
 'It was Dennis doings, their laying it to me. He did that to clear himself. And after that, you know as we'll as do, there would have been no use in trying to prove myself innocent. They always hang 8 horsethief first and then con- sider his guilt afterward. had to run to save my life."
 "Do you know that there is reward offered for your capture ?"
 "I know the Regulators are after me, " answered the young fellow, sullenly. ''They came pretty near catching me, too, this noon. I just escaped them and came down the canon by the noun tain trail. I have had hard run for it, and what with no sleep or food for twenty four hours am about used up. felt as though I could not go another step when saw your house. You you have been very good to me. I shall never forget"-
 "But what are you going to do now ?" interrupted Sacramento. "You are not safe here"
 "I know it. But I threw them off the track at noon, and I do not think they are within five miles of me. Now have had something to eat will, take to the woods again. I hope I may get away. If don't"-his voice trembled and tears came into his eyes. sIf I don't, I shall get hanging, suppose. Oh, what fool was not to prefer home to this sort of thing. And yet, wouldn't care so much either, if it wasn't for my father and mother" And tbere the poor fellow fairly broke down.
 Hark p Sacramento exclaimed. She had been crying, too; she could not help it.
 They both listened. In a moment they heard plainly the sound of horses coming down the trail. The girl turned with instant self-possession.
 "Go in there! Quick! Quick There is not moment to lose! Here, take your hat l"
 And handing his hat to him she half-pushed him across the room and into her own little room that led of 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 made up the dwellers in Kelly Gulch. The faces of all three were stern and forbidding, and they evi- dently had been riding hard. They dismeunted together.
 Sac," began her father as he en- ter7d the door, "hev ye seen anything of a young chap, afoot or a-horseback, coming this way?'
 Sacramento had expected the ques- tion and was ready for it. And she meant, if it were possible, to answer it without lie.
 "A young chap about eighteen years of age and five feet and half high, rather good-looking, and with red-top boots on 2" replied she.
 "Yes yes That's him !" cried one of the other men, eagerly. "Have you seen him2 Has he been here ?"
 s'I 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?' asked her father. -
 II have been right here all day. and nobody has gone by except Pete Lara bee. It was he who gave me the bill. Are you sure he came this way, the the-horse-thief ?''
 "No; but we didn't know but he mighter. The chances is thet he sloped off to the mountains, meanin' ter go through Stove pipe Pass. They'll git him, though, afore sundown."
 "It's sundown now," observed Sacra- mento.
 "Then they've got him now," was the sententious response. '' And we should be too late for the hangin' eff we sh'd go back. Leastways "-this was added to his companions" you'd bet ter come in and have bite afore ye go."
 So presently the three men sat down to the supper that the young girl quickly prepared for them. And while they were eating she herself, at her fathers bidding, went out to take the saddle off 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.
 "I don't like ter say anything aga1nst 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 mind like. Ye don't 'spose she knows any thing bout thet young feller, arter all?'
 Sacramento's father laughed at this as though it was too absurd to be con- sidered.
 The other, however, was not to be laughed out of his suspicious.
 'Fur we all know" persisted he, " she may hey him hid here somewhere on the premmysis."
 's It's easy enough to see," returned ha oF +ho co;I sS-owo-o