The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1886-06-03
mere 20 surrender
sFinish your supper abruptly.


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.
II don't know anything about you, :"
she said, severely. Il don't want to.
Yen are a young man, and you do not
look as if you were entirely hardened in
crime. I am going to give you another
chance. don't know whether am do
ing right or wrong" breaking down in
her moral tone. II don't care!" She
stopped and caught her breath. Then
she hurried on, forgetting everything,
woman fashion, In the excitement of the
moment. 1.-THE eastern train passes at 4
o'clock. It's only . signal-station. and
there win 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
mingsshome, and you can have his
clothes
She opened thssloor of a small room
behind her-an orderly, half filled store
room,
You can stay here. Nobody will
come: and if they do, II am armed!"
valiantly giving the information as a
warning as well as an assurance.
He ebeyed her speechlessly. He heard
the lock click as he stretched himself on
the couch that waited him. And in two
minutes he was asleep.
It 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
travelng-shawl. The horses are ready"
She was waiting for him as he came
out. A slight, dark-clad figure; white
face, with wide, shining eyes and reso-
lutte, firmly set lips. After all, being
clad with semblance of order and de-
cency, he was not such desperate-look-
ing character.
There was more hot coffee.
Come" she said, CURLY, as he put
down his cup.
He paused at the door. .,.....
@Who harnessed?" 49,.
oio. IS
And you are going alone!"
"Quite alone" 81.
31And coming back alone?"
|. Eyes"
She was whittier than ever, and her
eyes filed with tears as she looked up at
him. Anything less like heroine never
figured in an adventure.
"You poor child" There was nothing
but kindly pity in his voica. "You will
take your revolver1" glancing toward it
as it lay on the table.
YES"
Hadn't you better" gently, "let me
load it?"
1T 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 facs 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 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 Clark
ness of the west burned a low, red
light.
There's your train. The STATEN is
just ahead. shall wait here till L see
that you get away" 1t was the first
word that had been spoken.
She pulled her horses down to a walk.
II hope" forcing herself to improve
the occasion, that you won't doy 4
again" 80. "
aGet caught for horse-thief?" pleas
antly. u certainly shall try to avoid it. ="
It did not sound penitent. Miss ALI
son experienced a revulsion of feeling.
"You had better get down here" she
said, severely.
He alighted slowly and with difficulty.
Then he turned toward her, and she saw
his face pale in the shadow of Toms
slouched hat.
u do not want you to think that I do
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 will mend your ways
then"
2Will you tell me your name9" not
needing her speech. ss-
1Mary Allison"
thank you" He turned and took q
few steps away. Excuse me-" diff
dently, forgetting his abandoned charac-
ter He was at her side again. "Have
you-have you" desperately Amy
money!"
"Very quietly. take this.
them" dropping purse into his hand.
sand ] wish you'd tell me-" with a sud-
den impulse, did you take the horse?"
upon my. word, no."
She bent towards him.
Goodbye" putting out bare white
hand.
He took it with frank earnestness,
held it a brief minute, and then the dark
ness swallowed him up.
Vuloo AuiSOH SdC tuu "dttcu. Lie ~"
rumble grew more and more distinct
the red light came sliding towards her
out of the gloom with an awful un-
swerving certainty in its advance. She
saw the pause-the signaling swing of
the conductors lantern as the scarce
checked motion began again, and turned
her horses head toward home.
If Miss Allison lives hundred years,
she will never forget that drive. Now
that she was free from the companion
ship of a desperate character, and behind
pair of thoroughly broken, swift paced
horses, with Toms revolver really loaded
beside her, and not one chance in ten
thousand of wanting it, she was fright
ened. The air was full of starshine; in
the east faint white glow just indicated
the coming dawn. The awfulness of the
night oppressed her beyond endurance.
She cried all the way home, sobbing con-
vulsively while she embarrassed her
ponies and restored everything to order;
after which, with her cold little feet in
the stove-oven, she drank cup of still
hot coffee, and then went to bed and to
sleep, where Tom found her at 8 o'clock
H.