Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-04-26
SACRAMENTO.

"ooo Tree anu iaZlly dropped her pail into the
water.
1t ought to have been given to boy, If it
was lit name to give anybody" she said quite
aloud But I'm more boy than girl, anyway,
This fact was added rather bitterly. as she
looked at her brown rough hands and her bare
ankles. and thought of the boys work" she
had to do.
And it was hard to believe that this was the
best kind of a life for young girl like Sacra-
mentO. Here she lived alone, for her father
was down at the mouth of the canon all day.
The garden work she was obliged to do, and the
care OF the cattle fell upon her. 1t was not often
that she saw any person but her father although
now and then, in spite of herself, she came in
contact with the rude men of the mining camp
up above.
Yet Sacramento had her dream, one that she
scarcely dared to own" but it came to her
often as she went about her work.
She knew that down at Santa Barbara and
In the towns along the Coast, and far. far away
across wide stretches of continent to the great
east, there were girls who lived very different
from her life, and she dreamed Of such life tor
herself.
.'Oh, If I could only go away from hereL" she
cried out. almost as one cries out for help. ''If
| could only 90 down to San Francisco and go
to school there for single year! All, if only
had $500"
Suddenly there was step-not of man. but
a hOrse-on the bank behind her, and then some
one spoke. she knew the voice without look
ing up 1t was Pete Larrabee fellow who
lived down on HahDemanns plantation. two
miles along the trail. He sometimes rode by.
He had not heard her last words at all: yet
strangely enough his own were repetition of
them.
"Fye hundred dollars, Sac" said he. $500
in gold Dye want to earn il? Theirs yer
chance" and he threw down to her bit Of
paper crumpled into ball.
She picked it up and slowly unfolding 1t, ran
her eye over its contents:
$500 REWARD
The above amount will be paid for Information
leading 10 the arrest dead alive, of Walter SOM
erS, who has worked for some time past on Max
wells ranch. Said SOmers is about IS years old and
So feet HIGH rather good looking, with light curly
seen he had on a black SLOUGH hat, gray business
suit, with blue flannel shirt, and boots with red
tops marked with the makers name.
The name of the county sheriff was signed at
the bottom of the bill. Sacramento, having
glanced 1t through. looked up.
Hes been stealin' horses" exclaimed Pete.
SCOT off last night with four of Maxwell's best
sOmewheres. That reward won't do much good,
though. The RegulatorsiI lasso him and string
him up long fore the law'll git started They're
hayin' meetin' now up at the Gulch tell ye
they are mad They'll make quick work if they
ketch him. Yer fathers there. Ye needn't
look for him home afore night much"
Then. after word or two more. the man
rode on, and presently Sacramento took up her
pail, and with the sheriff's bill still IN her hand
went slowly up the bank and across the trail
toward the house, thinking very seriously about
the $500 all the while.
1t was some hours after this, and the after
noon sun was going down behind the tops'of the
mountains that Sacramento, having finished her
Homework, was preparing to sit down on the
porch to do her sewing, when she was met in
the doorway by young man she had never seen
before And yet he was no stranger. The girl
knew him instantly, although the SLOUGH hat
was pulled down over the f1aXen hair and blue
eyes, and the gray pants, torn and muddy, had
been drawn out of the boOt-legs SO as to no
longer allow the red tops Of the boots with the
makers name to be seen. 1t was the horse
thief
She did not. however, express any surprise as
she saw him. She was accustomed to tie sight
OF rough. evil men; and at the first glance she
had felt that this one could not be either very
wicked or very dangerous. He was not much
more than lad and had an air of gentleness
and good breeding about him that six months of
western life. and the miserable plight he was in
at that moment, had by no means destroyed.
He seemed to be short for breath, too, and was
trembling as if he had been running.
Instinctiyely he raised his hand toward his
hat. and then, bethinking himself, dropped 1t
again.
Gould You give me something to eat and
drink Z" he asked, in a hesitating voice. ANY
thing will do. l am very hungry. II have
had nothing to eat since last night"
"COme in" said Sacramento, gravely. In her
voice there was neither kindness nor unkind-
ness, she 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 milk and bread and meat as
she slowly did so turning over the matter In her
mind. Here was this man who had been steal
| ing horses, and for whose capture $500 was
offered. In her own kitchen. Five hundred dol
lars, Exactly the sum she had been wishing
fOr-the sum that would take her down to San
Francisco to school and help to make lady of
herself And this sum may be hers if she could
In some way secure this stranger or somehow
keep him in the house until help arrived. Help?
Why she hardly needed help. He was weak and
exhausted, and in the drawer Of the kitchen
table there was loaded revolver, which she
well knew how to use.
She came out presently and set the things be-
fore him. bringing also teapot from the stove
and pouring for him cup of tea. Then she
went and sat down by the window and watched
him furtiyely 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. 1t was an almost bOyish
face. worn but not wicked. with the curling hair
lying IN damp clusters upon his pale brow. In
the 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 be-
fore this how young lads in the east. filled with
romantic notions about western life and adj
venture. sometimes left their luxurious homes
and found their way out to the ranches of the
Pacific Perhaps he was one of these.
AS she looked at him. fancying all this and
realizing the terrible strait he was in, ana the
probable dark fate that was before him. her
heart yearned with true wOmany sympathy;
and her feeling found expression before she was
able to restrain herself.
''Oh, how could you do it? How could You do
it3" she suddenly exclaimed, her voice quite full
of what she felt.
He looked up at her In wonder; but as his eyes
met hers he understood her.
IL didn't do 1t. Upon my honor did not"
he said. 1T was that man Dennis"
Sacramento breathed great sigh OF relief
DEMONSTRATING was held in that section to be a
means free from the popular estimate Of its
grave nature.
"Oh, am glad Of that" cried she. "But-"
| she hesitated and then went ON doubtfuIly
But, then, how was it? Why did you run
| away"
1T was Dennis doings. their laying it to me.
| He did that to clear himself. And after that
| you know az well as do that there would have
/ been no use In trying to prove myself innocent.
They always hang horse thief first and then
consider his guilt afterwards had to run to
save my life''
"Do you know that there is reward offered
| for your capture?"
| ~ know that the Regulators are after me, "
answered the young fellow, sullenly. "They
| came pretty near catching me- too, this noon.
4 just escaped them and came down the canon BY
the mountain trail. / have had q hard run for