Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-10-30
"Whenor

| - lie wants TO have home to take her to.
| ment him.
"He wouldn't bust the furniture nor Spite the
| little letters rosTs Bill; "cuss him for white
| livered sneakr' Then off ne rode,
one afternoon Pike come up in the office. He
was as full OF business as ever, cologned up and
I've got news for you' he says to Eliza Jane,
who been sorter durnpy for IA long while, eat
| Ing little and speaking less
! For me- what?" she says, faint like, "bout
| pa and mae"
"Pshaw, ihem," he shifts; "no, but the towns
| going To build fine new school house, a brick
one, and they say you be the head female
teacher in 1T. There's glory enough in one day,
| ism it: You sell this trash and get out of
this freak and be like other women, and folks
VIII forget you ever was SD forward. You can
save money then instead OF living from hand
| To mouth. In two three years we can have
/ enough ahead TO get married and build The best
/ house in town.
"Mebbe amt strong enough for a teacher,
Orlando" she says, timid; 81 don't know much
about 'rIthmetic, and-and I'd be afraid OF the
Don't be silly, Eliza he says. sharp, ''you
| make me tired. You never will be like other
folks You don't wanter be a drag on me like
your folks"
"shut up bout my folks" she says, sharp;
] whatever they Is, my iai her thinks my mother
the best and wisest woman in the world. He
don call ner silly or having freaks"
| You needn't he mad,'' he says, seeing he'd
| gone too TAR; "you know how much l care for
| you and how good looking think you are, the
/ prettiest girl in town. I've bit of news Tor the
| paper. Wild Hoss Bill got in fight last night,
| mtuied Old Lyons pretty bad ana busted Bobs
/ saloon and we've given him notice to quit the
| town.
II kaowed that" says Eliza, quiet like, 81
\ heered the row. They say, though that Lyons
ana BOD both pitched on TO Bill first and begun
III, anu that you was at the bottom of it because
you wanted Bill drove outer town.
81 was" says Pike, twirlng his muStache;
three years ago Bill rode a boss into my store,
broke up $500 worth of stock and poured $50
worth OF drugs on me; breaking the glass on my
back"
"ic paid you for the damage saysI.
Pald me-. Pike sneered, what was money
10 the insult? He had no provocation."
only thit You was too neat and tasty for the
town, he said" laughed.
"lf he don't go, what will you do?" asked
Eliza.
This" says Pike. He drawed an imaginary
rope round his neck as he went out and made
bieve tie knot under his left ear.
Despite his threats, Wild Hoss Bill stayed in
town. lie hung round the saloon set on his
moss IN The street or lounged in the grocery
or on the hotel porch. He looked defiantly at
the office where We was and smoke cigars the
biggest ever see.
Coming home one night, think it was the
the words lie said chilled my blood. IL was
about h;ilI-paSt six. l. stayed with Eliza late,
sue n, tinS Extra work cause she was gong TO
get out a biz paper, final bust, she said. and
then was going TO rest till the school house was
finished. He'd coaxed her into it, Pike had. l
was going home to get her supper, but what
Pike said made me 90 straight to her
w mats the matter?'' she gasped. when run
painting up the steps. Shed a black gown on
ana ner Lace was pale and scared.
They re going to hang Wild Hoss Bill"
says, there's no denying he's been an awful
Pixies head OF it. They're all going to be
masked! They say they've warned him and he
wont co.
Where is hep
w no, Pike?''
NO, no, Wild Hoss Bil?"
he got a tent three mile down on the creek;
thitt where they are going" says /.
She got up from the low chair by the window
anu cHusht up her blue cape with its little
Size looked sort OF wistful at the ROOM the iron
machine, the half-set type, then she went to
the door.
Where are you going?' 1 says, stopping her.
10 tell him, to save him."
~ GU don't know where he is"
iii IND him."
hour ago; he can look out for himself. They
VIII Know ii they see you start your pony;
IL VIII rum your name for lite. This is mean
"Ill walk there, they can't see me them" she
Not alone" says ], "they can't say evil if
IN along. mayn't be as spry as some, but if
IL TO save feiier creetur from murder 1 can
get over the ground fast enough"
SO we crept down the steps along in the
shadow of the houses to the creek where we
got in the hiding of the cottonwoods. She had
derful, for amt young as l was Soon we
see the light OF his camp fire. She hadn't said
word, but she breathed hard now. He was
lying by the fire, his horses feeding nigh, no
preparations for leaving, no gun handy-both
OF EN- II in the tent. He jumped up to his feet
pale as corpse in the freight.
"What brought you here:" says he
we came to tell you they were coming to
to warn you. Get The horses ready-there is so
| little time. Oh, move; don't stand there star
| ing. Forgive me for all did to you-alI said
about you, and Tor my sake go!'
II knowed they was coming" he said, care
lessly, land beyond wishing to have one shot
at Pike, didn't care I'd rather die than live
This world amt a place fit for a dog
But there is some one cares tor you,' she
pleaded; "a a. mother, sister, perhaps wife.
"Aint a one" he smiled.
| She began to cry bitterly then
| Amt SnameQ? l said. ssfO ke ne
run way here three miles for nothing and she
! just running herself in the eyes OF the whole
village TO do it and going TO be teacher in the
new school and all and the wife of Pike VINO
| Whatever he is for meanness wouldn't stand in
| your shoes to-day"
rs she going to teach school. that frail
thing? he says, land them rough bows and
that teller let her, der marrying her and tax
/ ing care OF here"
Marry her LOT" says /, "if he knows she's
| been here like this"
That's So he muttered, land he's a Sinking
coyote if there ever was one
You'll hurry-get ready nOW!" she sots
He didn't answer but gathered up his traps
| tied them on the two pack-hOrses he had then
begun to saddle the big black brute. She went
up To him then.
"Have you no where to go to-" she says,
softly.
"they call me wel-to-do there; left the place
when my mother died, wcnt to the deyIl-she
was earth aud heaven TO me-But this is the
life Tor a man, the free one OF these plains
take my life from you, Miss, faint no value to
me, but as you care that it mightn't end-run
three mlies-oiod bless you-tO save a rough
like me, Can't throw it away"
You amt mad any more at me, WHIP" she
says.
The name startled him. It frightened me.
Her voice was SO strange, SO Intense: she
caught his sleeve. He had thrown both arms
over his saddle and buried his face, .sSay.
you're not made
He turned suddenly and grasped her arms i'm
his great hands and looked into her face.
"Mad with your he said fierceiy great tears
In his beautiful eyes. 81 couldn't hate YOU ii
wanted TO. love you'll love you mOre,n life
have carried you in my heart since I see Won
that night sleeping by the creek like a lite
child. Take her" he went ON passionateIy
pushing her 10 me, take her away, hold her
fast; II look in her face again shall blow nv
brains out and die at her feet The agony that
another man shall have her TOR his to ili-treat
or TO love drives me mad. I'm man. Amt
made of rock. II he amt good to her write
me, he cried, mounting his boss, still keeping
| his face turned from her, "if he treats her
mean-as he will-curse him,-let me know
| and I'll come from the end of the world to xiii
/ him.
"Wait, wait.' my girl cried, in that strange
intense voice. II hate him-the life-aIl-alI-
love you, only you. Lift me up to your heart
/ take me with you. The world lies before us
/ the stariit, beautiful world There Is nothing
/ but happiness there, for we love each other
With a wild cry, half a SOb but like him. all
\ IRE and nercenesS, he leaned from his saddle
and caught her in his arms like she weighed
nothing. He held her close the saddle alore
| Linn. Aiar OH heered the tramp OF horses feet
a coming towards us.
.'Ileyr cOmln1r' L cried -ba1ono