The Penn's Grove record., 1886-07-03

'sI,ye eaten nothing for forty-eight
hours" he said, quietly.
Speech and voice we're clear and sort:
Miss Allison found herself conscious Oh
a glimmer of frit ndly interest.
'Can you get into the houseI" win
matter of-fact GOODNESS; II Will ma you
something to eat"
He raised himself weakly as b
turned away. Miss Allison looked up
presently from her struggles with the
cooking-stoye fire, found him standing
in the doorway regarding her out OF
hollow. sunken eyes. She had llghteu
a lamp. and Toms revolver lay within
reach,
A faint smile crossed the mans pale
lips. Miss Allison saw 1t, and a little
flash of temper sent color and light into
her cheeks and eyes.
~ need accounting for2' answering
the flash.
You do, certainly" sharply.
There's bread and a glass OF water
beside you. Drink 1t and lie down till
this coffee boils."
He obeyed her. When Miss Allison
went to him presently with her coHee,
she found HIM asleep. And from the
wounded arm a dark stream drippeo
slowly.
Miss Allison set down her tray, and
turned faint and sick. Then she reused
him gently.
"Look at your arm. What is the
matter with it?"
n have been shot," drowsily. us 1t
bleeding again? Can you-get me-
falling off into Inconsistencies, hall
sleep, half stupor. -
"Oh, dearl" desperately. HES
going to bleed to deathl You must
wake upl" seizing his shoulder, and
speaking with a ring in her clear voice,
He opened his eyes again.
~ will help you bandage your arm.
The apron that she had tied over her
white 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.
81 am very sorry" looking up depre-
catingly. He had long-lashed, woman
ish eyes. and his face, If not handsome,
was certainly not rufianly o coarse.
She poured his coffee and cut his
food. A mar with one hand is not ex-
pected to he expert with knife and
fork; but he ate and drank with a re-
fnement that made his evident eager
ness more marked and touching.
Not a word was spoken. Miss ALI
son. behind q table, with her revolver
in her lap, watched him closely. All
at once conclusion flashed on her mind
and took her breath away
"'You are one of the horse.thievesl ,
she said slowly. She was leaning to-
ward 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. This Nan was a
fugitive from justice, certainly; but
there he was in her power-hungry-
wounded, and -interesting. And,
somehow, the Allison blood had a trick
of taking the losing side.
Sle arose impulslyely.
"They are after you," she said, in a
half-whisper. 1.-The whole community
is searching"
II know it" despondently, 81 have
been in the brush for two days. Some
body gave me this" touching his arm.
II was starved out, worn out, and
came here to surrender"
'Finish your SUPPER" abruptly.
Tnen 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 re-
vo.ver firmly clutched.
He had finished his meal when she
went back.
~ don't know anything about you,'
she said, severely. 81 don't want to.
You are a young man, and you do not
look as If you we're entirely hardened
in crime. l am going to give you an.
other chance. ! don't know whether
| am doing right or wrong" breaking
down in her moral tone, 'Idon't carel'
Sic stopped and caught her breath.
Then she hurried on, forgetting every
IuiiB, nOuiou idonlOus ia tuO CASlVC-
ment of the moment; "The eastern
train passes at four o'clock. It's only
a signal station, and there will be
nobody there. I'll take you down in
time for 1t, 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-flled
store-room,
"You can stay here. Nobody will
come; and If they do, IL am armedl''
valiantly giving the information as a
warning as we'll as an assurance.
He obeyed her speeohlessly. He
heard the lock click as he stretched
himself on the couch that waited him.
And in two minutes he vas asleep.
1t did not seem much more than thai
time before he woke, to find her stand
ing beside him.
Here are Toms clothes. You hav'
ten minutes to get dressed. I've ripped
the coat-sleeve, you see; and there's {
traveling-shawl. The horses are ready
She was waiting for him as he camt
out. A slight, dark-clad figure; {
white face, with wide, shining eye!
and resolute, firmly set lips. After all
being clad with a semblance of order
and decency, he was not such a desper.
ate-looking character.
He paused at the door.
"Who harnessedp"
ST did,"
Sand are you going alone2"
"Quite alone"
And coming back alone2n
Yes"
She was whittier than ever, and he
eyes filed with tears as she looked vi
at him. Anything less like a heroinl
never figured in an adventure.
"You poor childIn There was moth
ing but kindly pity in his voice. "Yor
will take your revolver" glancing to
ward 1t g it lay on the table.
Eyes.
Hadn't ypn better" gently, "le
me load it2"
at is loaded. Tom said so."
"Iom was mistaken. See,n showing
her the empty chambers.
There was the faintest light in tn
room, carefully screened from outsld
observation, She had sunk hack i
I Fn~ all.4- NJ A. M,