The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1882-01-26
very hungry. II have had nothing
to eat since last night.'

|
unkindness. She was trying to realize
the situation she was in. "Come in
and sit down."
Then she went into the closet near
by and began taking down from the
shelves milk and bread and meat. as
she slowly did so turning over the
matter in her mind. Here was this
man who had been stealing horses and
for whose capture five hundred dollars
was offered, in her kitchen. Five
hundred dollars Exactly the sum she
had been wishing for-the sum that
would take her down to San Francisco
to school and help her make lady of
herself. And this sum might be hers
if she could in some way secure this
stranger or somehow keep him in the
house until help arrived. HelpP Why,
she hardly needed help. He was weak
and exhausted, and in the drawer of
| the kitchen table there was loaded
revolver which she knew we'll how to
use.
She came out presently and set the
things before him, bringing also tea
pot from the stove and pouring for him
cup of tea. Then she went and sat
down by the window and watched him
furtively as he ate.
In spite of his caution he had taken
off his hat while he was eating. She
could better see what he was like. It
was an almost boyish face, worn, but
not wicked, with the curling hair lying
In damp clusters upon his pale brow.
In he hands, small and well.shaped,
and in all his motions and manner she
felt that she could read something of
his story. She had heard before this
how young lads in the East filled with
romantic notions about Western life
and adventure sometimes left their
luxuriant homes and for nd heir way
out to the ranches of the "acifc slope
Perhaps he was one of these.
As she looked at him, fancying all
this, and realizing the terrible strait he
was in, and the probable dark fate that
was before him, her 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 itt I" she suddenly ex
claimed, her voice quite full of what
she felt.
he Il oked up at her in wonder; butas
his eyes met hers he understood her.
81 did not do it. Upon my honor,
did not I' he said. at 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 /" 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 awsy%
at 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 a horsethief first and then con-
slider his guilt afterwsrd. 1 had to run
to save my life"
"Do you know that there is q reward
offered for your capture ?"
81 know the Regulators are after me-"
answered the young fellow, sullenly.
"They came pretty near catching me,
too, this noon. 1 just escaped them
and came down the canon by the noun.
tain trail. have had hard run for
it, and what with no sleep or food for
twenty four hours 1 am about used MP.
7 felt as though 1 could not go another
step when / saw your house. You
you have been very good to me. shall
never forget
"But what are you going to do now?"
interrupted Sacramento. "You are not |
safe here"
81 know it. But I threw them off |
the track at noon, and 1 do not think |
they are within five miles of me. Now |
L have had something to eat will take |
to the woods again. l hope l may get |
away. If l don't"-his voice trembled |
and tears came into his eyes. "If l
don't, l shall get hanging, 1 suppose.
Oh, what fool l was not to prefer
hcme to this sort of thing. And yet, L
wouldn't care SO much either, if it |
wasn't for my father and mother" And
there the poor fellow fairly broke down.
Hark u Sacramento exclaimed. Shef
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! Quickl Quick There
IS not a moment to lose Here, take
four hat |"
And handing his hat to him she
him across the room and
nto her own little room that led off
rom it. Then she hurriedly cleared
he table again, barely finishing the
ask as the horsemen halted at the
loor.
There were three of them. One was
Ter father. Sacramento knew the
'ther two men by sight. They were
ough, but of the better sort of those
Who made up the dwellers in Kelly
iulch. The faces of all three were
tern and forbidding, and they evi.
iently had been riding hard. They
lismounted together.
Sac" began her father as he en-
er9d the door, "hev ye seen anything
If young chap, afoot or a-horseback,
coming this way?"
Sacramento had expected the ques.
ion and was ready for it. And she
meant, if it were possible, to answer it
without lie.
"a young chap about eighteen years
If age and five feet and half high,
'ather good-looking, and with red-top
boots on p" replied she.
"Yes yes That's him r. cried one of
he other men, eagerly. "Have you
L l.