, 1885-08-27
MADE IT up.
A Nephew Elopes With His Uncle's
Wife, Who Returns.
The Plot of Young Mrs. Winthrop"
in the Affair.

brayed the perils of the plains twenty
years ago was a mar named Henry Freel,
commonly kno& as Hank Freel.
Warm hearted, generous, impulsive, I'M
educated but fearless, he made many
friends. Everyone who knew him called
him Hank" on FIVE minutes acquaintance
and was his friend from that time. Hank
was one of the first men who simultan-
eously carried freight and fought Indians
along the road to the Black Hills. After
the gold excitement was over, and having
acquired some money. together with a
number of scars inflicted by the Indians,
he settled down on a ranch and has been
getting rich ever since. Several years
ago he married a handsome young lady.
or rather a girl, for she was hardly more
than a child at the time. Two little girls
are growing up on the ranch, and Il rustic
fence, not far from the cabin door, en-
closes a little grave where a beautiful
baby was laid to rest. About a year ago
Hank got into some kind of trouble and
DECIDED his property to his wife. Since
that time domestic affairs have not been
peacefully placid and the denouement
came a short time ago.
Hank had been sick for something over
a week, but one day he felt well enough
to leave the house, and so he rode to a
%neighbors' ranch some four miles away.
where he remained several hours. Sub
sequent developments showed that while
he was away from home the elopement
was planned, When he returned Mrs.
Freel was at home, but a few moments
afterwards the youngest child began cry
ing and he called his wife to attend to the
little one. Mrs. Freel did not answer the
call, and Hank, carrying the child in his
arms, hunted the premises for her, but
found her not. The time was about sun
set, and as soon as the children could be
put to bed he rode to the ranch of a
brother in-law, which was about a mile
distant, and which Mrs. Freel often visit
ed. The missing woman was not there,
but a clew to her disappearance was OBJ
tanned.
A young man named Wild Freel, a
nephew Of Hank Freef, and a son Of the
Freel who was assassinated on Horse creek
a few years ago, had called at the house
and borrowed a repeating rife, saying
that Hank wanted the gun to go hunting
with the next day. The statement was n
talsehood, and combined with other cir
cumstances caused a suspicion that the
younger Freel had gone away with his
uncle's wife. The next morning the run
away wife was trailed across a creek. which
flows near the house, and Wild Freel was
trailed to a rendezvous where the two
met ere beginning their fight over the
mountains and through the forests. These
facts are but Introductory, the preface to
the most interesting part of the series of
adventures which followed.
At the time of her departure Mrs. Frcel
was in delicate health. and, indeed. ap
preaching maternity made it seem that
she could not survive the fatigue her
flight would surely cause. 1t was discov-
cred that she was lightly clad and wore a
thin pair of slippers, while it was soon
learned that no horses had been taken by
the fugitives. A large sum of msney in
the house was untouched, but significant
ly enough all papers and documents
showing Mrs, Freels title to the ranch
and cattle were missing. Hank Freel had
lost at once his property and his wife.
There was not much sleeping done on the
ranch that first night; pursuit was impos-
slble, but in the morning men were riding
hard and fast all over the country. Luck
lily, perhaps, the excitement had caused
Mr.. Freel to have a relapse, but while he
tossed on his bed or paced the floor, the
hunt was kept up. 1t was continued all
of that day, the following night and the
next day. About Q O'Clock that night,
forty-eight hours after she left her home,
Mrs. Freel was found at a ranch thirty
miles across the mountains. Weak and
lily clad she had clambered rugged noun
tains, crawled through tangled underbrush
and forded streams. Two nights she had
passed in the forests, and when she stag.
gered to the ranch she was weak, exhaust
cd. almost dying.
1t was feared that the elopement would
result in the death of one, perhaps of all
of those most interested. Freel is known
as a fearless man who is desperate when
oncc aroused; his nephew was well armed,
and a tragedy was expected. A messen-
ger, who had instructions, fortunately
found the lady and was successful in his
efforts to bring about a partial reconcilia-
ton. Mrs, Frcel was told that her hus-
band would divide the cattle and horses
with her, and would either give her the
ranch or half of its value. '.He will keep
one of the children, - sand the messenger,
and YOU can have the other Mrs.
Freel cheerfully consented to that arrange
ment at last, and then the messenger, who
had said everything in his power to effect
a reunion, spoke as follows. But that is
not all, Mn. Freel There is a little grave
on the hill-you cannot divide that. There
lies your child and his. Can you stand
beside that little mound and bid each
other a last farewellY'' Then the poor
woman's tears began to aow-she had
shown little signs Of grief beforehand the
peacemaker knew he had conquered.
That night Mr.. Freel drove over to the
ranch and the next day Mrs. Freel re.
turned to her home. Aud the nephew
The last seen Of him he was unarmed aud
afoot making his way out of the country.
His attempt to obtain part Of his uncle's
-