Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1886-07-14
NOLLY'S HORSE THIEF.

There's the shotgun, Molly, and
here's my revolver. Both loaded"
"Yes, Tom"
snow. mind, child, there isn't one
chance in ten thousand that there will
he a soul near you. If l thought there
was, Molly, l wouldn't le9va you. You
understand that?'
Yes, Tom"
"If any one does come. it will be a
neighbor or a neighbor's boy. The
bandits and desperadoes have all Joined
trsyelln. shows. If you don't go scar
Ing yourself TO death, you will be all
right"
"Yes, Tom"
",But there's lot OF moral support
in a shOOting-iron. and maybe you'll
feel little safer with these"
He stopped TO kiss her, feeling her
lips Iremble little as he touched them.
Bu. she smiled as she raised her head,
and her goodbye was quite steady.
"Plucky little thing" he said to HIM
self, as he rode down the trail at 4
long, swinging lope.
at fourteen Mary Allison's mother
died. Then her father, with broken
health and spirits, gathered up the
wreck Of his fortunes and went away
70 the green wilderness of a Kansas
ranch, leaving the girl III an Eastern
school. Toms college course being at
an end, he went with his father, and
presently found himself making pro-
ftable business of sheep to the remem-
bered rythm of Greek and Latin clas-
scs. When, four years later, Miss
Allison had been properly graduated
with much ceremony and white mus
lin. her father, too, had 'JOined the
Majority and she found Tom living
in a precarious fashion at the hands of
a native housekeeper, and enthusiastic
cally glad to welcome even this very
inexperienced head to his small house
hold.
That was in July, and on that radi-
ant September afternoon, Tom found
himself imperatiyely called TO the near
est town twenty miles away. The
woman who ruled the kitchen had
taken herself over the creek to visit
her kinsfolks," and the herders were
ct all ends of the earth with their
fOcks, when Ton sank out of sight
behind the low prairie swells. Miss
Allison had the whole green world to
herself as far as she could see.
The simply built house had the New
England requisite OF space within, and
the Southwestern necessity of deep
pOrches without. Somehow the empty
rooms had all kinds of echoes inhabiting
them, now that the exercising manly
presence was removed. Miss Allison
made her afternoon toilet, and took
her sewing chair and work-basket out
to shady coruer.
1t was easier to dream than to sew.
Truth to tell, Miss Allison had no spe-
eial vocation for employment for the
sake Of work. She sat now with slen-
der brown hands clasped behind her
head, and drIfted on tide of aimless
fancieS.
She aWoke with a sudden start,
broad awake, after a most unaccus-
toned fashion. All her senses came
back TO her instantly. The whole wide
heaven was aglow with sunset, an un-
broken, unlocked arch of color fading
down through every tender tint to the
cool gray of the short twilight. She
took 1t all in at glance, and against
the glory mans figure standing black
and mOtIonless.
She was on her feet at once. Not a
nelghbor nor a nelghbor's boy; some
body eoatless, bare headed, with white,
drawn face, and helpless arm swung
IN blOOd-Stained bandage.
She stood speechless, motionless, an
awful, helpless terror clutching her
heart. The moral support of Toms
sfnory was quite out of reach in the
oouse. That the man was already
~Ounded-that he looked as if the
merest push of her unarmed hand
would be too much for him, did not
matter. Such an appearance in the
leart Of that calm loneliness was not
70 be accounted for in any ordinary
fashion. lie might be the climax of
any dreadful sequence of events. If
MISS Allison had reasoned, she would
lave found herself afraid of what had
happened, rather than of what might
come.
What do you wantP" She came
forward a step to say it, and tired not
!et her heart choke her voice.
Inc hguTe put up one weak, appeal
Mg hand, uttered an articulate sound.
@uu dropped forward face down on the
grass.
MISS Allison looked about her mill
ue: All the little nashy pools In the
prairie caught the reflection from
Soo'e, and ShOne red i'll the glittering
siOom about them. A slender new
hrOcn and a single great white star
ng calm in the fading glow. She
.s sS II all, and saw herself alone with
sa aa' pFostrate figure lying black before
~ cue went toward him over the grass.
nc, nc neither spoke nor stirred. She
tlefed back her dress and touched
I'm I'm with her foot. 1t was an involun-
Sa !, Aaii-unconscious gesture; but the
W iUlian IN her reacted spontaneously.
ID. Sh Instant she was on her knees
to,.I a.le nm, touching the cold hands ard
on,. Ne has faIntedl'' she said aloud,
inr ne eoolly. There was that redeem.
ws qualliy IN Miss Allison. Her wits
~ a. hald IN an emergency.
nia .~o minutes camphor and ammo
THs 'lad done their appointed work.
w,L stranger lay gasplng feebly, but
WIN Restored nonCo;o,,,,,o.,