The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1886-07-08


upl" seizing his shoulder, and speaking
with a ring in her clear voice.
He opened his eyes again.
81 will help you bandage your arm"
The apron she had tied over her while
dress was in strips, and she was bending
| over him, her hands not quite steady,
her face pale. There was blood on her
hands and gown before the work was
done.
Il am very soryy," looking up depre-
catingly. He had lJng-lashed, womanish
eyes, and his face, if not handsome, was
certainly not rlrffianly nor coarse.
She poured his coffee and cut his food.
A man with one hand is not expected to
be expert with knife and fork; but he
ate and drank with refinement that
made his evident eagerness more marked
and touching.
Not word was spoken. Miss Allison,
behind a table, with her revolver lying
in her lap, watched him closely. All at
once a conclusion flashed on her mind
and took her breath away.
"You are one of the horse-thieves!"
she said, slowly. She was leaning towards
him, her lips apart, her eyes very wide
| open.
He laid down his knife and fork, and
looked at her silently.
And then the inconsequent woman's
| logic asserted itself. The man was a
fugitive from justice, certainly; but there
he was in her rpower-hungry-w
and-interesting. And, somehow, the
Allison blood had a trick of taking the
losing side.
She rose impulsively.
"They are after you," she said, in u
half whisper. "The whole community Is
! searching
81 know it," despondently. 81 have
been in the brush for two days. Some
body gave me this" touching his arm.
Il was starved out, worn out, and came
here to surrender"
Finish your supper" abruptly.
Then she went away, and on the porch
paced steadily up and down for ten good
minutes in the starlight. Through the
open window she could watch her visitor,
and she had her revolver firmly clutched.
He had finished his meal when she
went back.
Il don't know anything about you,"
she said, severely. Il don't want to.
Yon are a young man, and you do not
look as if you were entirely hardened in
crime. am going to give you another
chance. / don't know whether / am do
ing right or wrong" breaking down in
her moral tone. Il don't carei" She
stopped and caught her breath. Then
she hurried on, forgetting everything,
woman fashion, in the excitement of the
moment. "The eastern train passes at
o'clock. It's only signal-station. and
there will be nobody there. I'll take you
down in time for it, and that will give
you six good hours of sleep. Tom isn't
coming home, and you can have his
clothes"
She opened the door of a small room
behind her-an orderly, half-illed store
room.
"You can stay here. Nobody will
valiantly giving the information as a
warning as well as an assurance.
He obeyed her speechlessly. He heard
the lock click as he stretched himself on
the couch that waited him. And in two
minutes he was asleep.
1t did not seem much more than that
time before he woke, to find her standing
beside him.
Here are Toms clothes. You have
ten minutes to get dressed. I've ripped
the cOat-sleeve, you see; and there's a
traveling-shawl. The horses are ready"
She was waiting for him as he came
out. A slight, dark-clad figure; a white |
face, with wide, shining eyes and reso-
lutte, firmly set lips. After all, being |
clad with a semblance of order and de- |
cency, he was not such desperate-look- |
ing character.
There was more hot coffee.
Come" she said, curtly, as he put |
down his cup.
He paused at the door.
"Who harnessed?" ?"
Il did"
"And you are going alonel"
"Quite alone"
"And coming back alone?9
Eyes"
She was whittier than ever, and hv1 |
eyes filled with tears as she looked up at |
him. Anything less like heroine never
figured in an adventure.
"You poor childI" There was nothing |
but kindly pity in his voica. "You will
take your revolver" glancing toward it
as it lay on the table.
"Yes."
Hadn't you BETTER" gently, "let me
load it,"
at is loaded. Tom said So"
tom was mistaken. "See," showing
her the empty chambers"
There was the faintest light in the
room, carefully screened from outside
observation. She had sunk back in her
chair at the discovery of Toms blunder.
His face was in strong relief as, with one
hand, he did his work slowly and awk-
wardly.
"You are sure you can use it?"
Somehow there seemed a curious
change in their relations.
The swift ponies knew the firm little
hands holding the reins. The trail was
smooth as floor, and the five miles van
ished behind them. in the clear dark
ness of the west burned a low, red
light.
There's your train. The station is
just ahead. 1 shall wait here till see
that you get away" 1t was the first
word that had been spoken.
She pulled her horses down to walk.
Il hope" forcing herself to improve
the occasion, that you won't do it
again."
sect caught for a horse-thief?" pleas
antly. 81 certainly shall try to avoid it"
1t did not sound penitent. Miss ALI
son experienced a revulsion of feeling.
"You had better get down here" she
said, severely.
He aighted slowly and with difficulty.
Then he turned toward her, and she saw
his face pale in the shadow of Toms
hat.
Il do not want you to think that do
not know that you are saving my life,
and that not one woman in a thousand
would have had the nerve to do what
you have DONE" There was no question
of earnestness in his voice now.
Il hope you viii mend your ways
then"
"Win you tell me your name?" not
needing her speech.
MARY Allison"
ssThank you.n He turned and took a