The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-01-10
family, he has killed them all but one 1 little daughter. Read theseln

we ACou luS APCIS tOBCtnCh-luS good ol doctor and land we said no more about pardon for OHr friend. He must rem ain with us and die, or he would be taken to California and hung for the murder of his wife and three children You say, perhaps, that ought never to have spoken to the fellow again after learned this, but he had always behaved so well, and naturally feel for any one, even, rogue, in trouble. His love for little Nixie held me faithfully his friend to the last. That's his grave near the stockade wall with the pine-poie pen around it There is another beside it, but l will come to that directly.
 Wilson grew worse rapidly-becoming pale and hollo~-cheeked, while his eyes seemed to grow larger, more piercing and brighter, with wilder, more mock ing laughter than ever in them. He was no coward, however, and never shrank or changed couatenance when the doctor, whom many years of such experience hal rendered blunt and apparently, but not really, hard and uateeling, told him in few plain words it was time to send for any distant friends he might want to see for the last time. He made no reply te the doctor, but that nj ght he asked me to walk into town the next day and send some telegrams for him. Of course did so, though, would have lost my place had it been known, as everything for the convicts had to go and come through the captains hands. One of the tele- grams was to Mir. Louis Calvert, whom l shall speak of again; but they were ia an unreadable cipher and signed simply Twill"
 One evening, several days later when the six o'clock train came jolting in, there, beside the driver, seated on an empty resin barrel which the driver had carefully covered with some old sacks sat Nixie recognized her at glance, but was busy at the moment and could not meet her, and no one else noticed the pretty little stranger with the dark gypsy face, pretty little mouth and other features refined and delicate. She sprang lightly to the ground from the barrel top, the moment the mules stopped.
 " Pretty rough riding, little one," said the driver, who had come round to help her down.
 "You bet it was," replied Nixie, smil- ing. |" had rather ride bucking burro any day. Where's the boss?'
 Following the drivers directions she came into the commissary, and we ob- tained close view of the brave, self. reliant little creature, who in manner and conversation was already woman, though not yet nine years old, and small for her age. She was richly dressed in some dark, costly fabric, with silken stockings, tiny, richly embroidered shoes, and jaunty, elegant boys cap with gaudy feather; she had a plain, blunt, confident manner, and just faint swag- ger in her walk that was wonderfully charming in her. Every eye in the com missary was turned upon her instantly, but without moments hesitation she asked:
 "Where's the boss"
 "What will you have, miss ?" asked the captain.
 "I am Nixie Wilson, and want to see papa"
 All right, Nixie." said the captain, and then continued in a tone of levity that jared terribly on ny nerves "All visitors must be examined before they go in among the prisoners"
 " How?' she asked, gazing steadily at him.
 "They might be armed," he was say ing.
 " am heeled," she interrupted.
 " Knife or pistol2' asked the captain, smiling at the sturdy answers of the de- liant little creature.
 May be both-but you won't get either of them"
 "Well, you'll not try to rescue the prisoner P the captain continued, appar- ently enjoying the conversation more than any one else present; but his face gathered anxiously as he saw the tears slowly forming in Nixie's eyes, though her voice was strong as ever when she said: Q" CaPtain-as they call you-I am poor, lonely little girl, and l have come all the way from California alone to see papa. Do you think you are treating me like gentleman
 No, l do not, Nixie, and beg your pardon" Her face brightened as if gleam of sunshine had fallen upon it,