News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-08-21
sat down by the window, and watched

off his hat while he was eating. 81
could better see what he was like.
was almost boyish face, worn, but NJ
wicked, with the curling hair lying
dark clusters upon his pale brow. l
the hands, small and well shaped, an
in all his motions and manner, she fe
!, that she could read something of hi
story. She had heard before this ho'
young lads in the East, filled wit
romantic notions about Western life an
adventure, sometimes left their lux
!. urious homes and found their way on
to the ranches of the Pacific. Perhap
he was one of these.
As she looked at him, fancying al
this, and realizing the terrible strait h
was in and the probable dark fate tha
was before him, her heart yearned will
true womanly sympathy, and her feel
ing found expression before she wa
able to restrain herself
"Oh, how could you do it? How
could you do it ?" she suddenly ex.
claimed, her voice quite full of what she
felt.
He looked mp at her in wonder; but as
his eyes met hers he understood her.
81 didn't do it. Upon my honor ]
did not," he said. ''It was that man
Dennis" Sacramento breathed great
sigh of relief. Horse stealing was held in
that section to be a crime worse than
murder; and she was by no means free
from the popular estimate of grave
nature.
"Oh, am glad of that 7" cried she.
"But-" she hesitated. and then went
on doubtfully, "But, then, how was it ?
Why did you run away ?"
cit was Dennis doings, their laying
it to me. He did that to clear himself.
And after that you know as 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 afterward. I had to
run to save my life.' -
:'Do you know that there is reward
offered for your capture ?"
81 know that the regulators are after
me, answered the young man sullenly.
'"They came near catching me, too, this
noon- L just escaped them, and came
down the canyon by the mountain trail.
I have had hard run for it, and what
with no sleep for twenty-four hours, l
am about used up. l felt as though 1
could not go another step when saw
your house. Now-yeu have been very
good to me. 1 shall never forget"
''But what are you going to do now ?"
interrupted Sacramento. "You are not
safe here"
"I know it. But threw them off the
track this noon, and 1 do not think
they are within five miles of me. Now,
have had some thing to eat, will take
to the woods again. hope may get
clear away. If L DON'T" his voice
trembled and tears came into his eyes.
eff don't shall get hanging, sup
pose. Oh. what fool 1 was not to pre-
fer home to this sort Of thing And vet.
[ wouldn't care so much, either. if it /
wasn't for my poor father and mother. "
And there the poor fellow fairly broke
down.
clark - Sacramento exclaimed. She
had been crying, too.
They both listened. In a moment
they both heard plainly the sound of
horses coming down the trail. The girl
turned with instant self-possession:
$50 in there Qaick Quick There
is not moment to lose. Here, take
your hat p
After 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 finished clearing 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 of Kelly Gulch. The
faces of all three were hard and forbid
ding, and they evidently had been rid
ing hard. They dismounted together.
"Sac," began her father, as he entered
the door, ''hev you seen anything of
young chap afoot or horseback coming
this way ?''
Sacramento had expected the question
and was ready for it. And she meant, if
possible, to answer without lie
ga young chap about eighteen years
of age, and about five feet and half
high, rather good looking, and with red
top boots ?" replied she.
'fYes yes That's him p cried one
of the other men. ''Has he been here ?"
81 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.
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 that he came this way
the-the horse thief?"
"No; but we didn't know but he
might. The chances is that he is sloped
off to the mountains, meanin' to go
through Stovepipe pass. They'll get
him though, afore sundown."
'1t's sundown now," observed Sacra-
mento.
'Then they've got him now," was
the sententious response. 'And we
shall be too late for the hangin' ef we
sh'd go back. Leastways"-this was
added to his companions-''you'd better
come in and have bite afore you CO."
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 feed.
As she approached the door once more,
a few minutes after, she heard words
which caused her to stop and listen.
''I don't like ter say anything against
thet kid o yourn. neighbor," one of the
men was saying, "but it hez kinder
seemed to me all ther while's though she
sorter he'd some'at on her mind like.
Ye don't s'pose she knows anything
bout that 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 /
e 1, -,