The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-08-01


had encircled the brown finger Of the girl he
loved, 1t had become hallowed in his sight and
priceless In Its value. He looked at Il now with
dazed expression in his blue eyes and nerv-
GUS checking OF his breath. Then be slowly
opened out the letter and read:
Il Will never marry hangman, duty or no duty.
Until you promise me that Tom Mason shall not be
hung, never want to see you or ever touch this
ring again. can never be happy if Tom is hung.
KITTY"
The sheriff read the note over again, and then
looked long and stead4astly at the poor little
golden circles before him. Presently his hands
fell heavily on the table, and he buried his face
10 them with scarcely uttered moan, and thus
he was found hours afterwards by his deputy
Inat evening he went to the Cadwaladers, and
before ne left Kitty wore the ring in triumph
and the sheriff carried queer look on his face
The lmpetuous Kitty was so elated with her
victory that she felt she loved her silent adorer
as-sne never had before, and she kissed him
goodnight with real feeling, and tenderness
he had never seen her exhibit during all their
courtshIp She stood in the doorway and
watched him as he slowly walked across the
moonlit plaza, and kissed her hand lovingly
when ne turned and looked at her, as he disap-
peared down the street.
$50 there'll be no hanging tomorrow" she
thought as she closed the door. land / have
saved Toms life; and hereafter I'm going to be
good to dear old Sandy"
When the sheriff reached the Jail, he went
came down and relieved his deputy who was on
guard
Yer needn't come back ternight, Bill" he
said, cause don't feel rauch like sleepin'. an
III watch Tom till mornin'. Come round arter
breakfast Goodnight" and so the subaltern
had hastened away to the Mexican ball which
was being given across the river. The sheriff
locked the doors, lighted his pipe and went into
the jail.
"Tom," he said, as he sat down near the cage
ye might be lonely, an ez this ez yer last night
in Their valley | reckoned yed like ter have some
company, an flop lip over a good cigar. Wull
ye try iti" and he extended the rolled tobacco
towards the prisoner.
NO" erowled Tom surlily, II ANT smokin'
with hangmen."
Eye oughsn't ter feel tibet way, Tom," replied
the. other quietly, "cause ye know I'm only do
in my sworn duty, an livin' up ter my word an
my OATH
hev drapped We when ye come ter my cabin an
then I'd ben adoin' O. my duty"
Guess it wud hev ben BEST" assented the
sheriff; lit wud saved heaps O. trouble, sure.
I'm sorry We didn't now. but howsomever thar's
no use O. talkin' Their matter over ter night I've
got ter hang We in Their mornin' eff live, an
thars no gettin round it, though allows it amt
cheerful prospect fer you" Then the Sheriff
was silent few moments, while Tom threw
himself upon his bed. Presently the officer re-
Did ye ever hear how Comanche Bill got Their
best O. Their gallowsg
mo, an | don't want ter. Shut yer CAB, was
the surly response.
1T wuz afore yer time in Their San Luis, went
on the sheriff calmly, IAN it's real good tale.
It wuz a Thursday evenin, iist like this, an he
wuz ter be hung Their next morrin' same ez you.
Their gallows wuZ up, an all Their things wuZ
on hand fer Their circus, jist like I've got every
thing fixed fer yer show ter morrow.
oil $hare l1 l.. IL AZ
him awhile, an he sot up agin Their cage same
as be. Their sheriff's boss wuz hitched round
back o Their jail. jist whar mine ez standin' now,
an Their wuz no-one in ther hull place 'cept him
an Their prisoner Navajoe Jake, same ez we air
now"
II thought it wuz Comanche Billp said Tom,
as he rose from the bed and drew near the bars
$50 it wuz, so it wuz," assented the sheriff
quietly; my memory amt good ez it used
ter be. Wal, Their sheriff wuZ sttin, list ez be,
wuth his pistol up agin the cage, same ez mine,
an Bill wuz standin' bout as We air. This yere
sheriff wuz leetle tangled in his mind, fer he'd
promised an angel ez how Bill shud not hang"
yes" whispered Tom excitedly. leaning
closer, for he now felt that the story had an OBJ
ject
But he wuz likewise sworn to do his duty. an
his duty sed hang. Now, it did seem ez though
he cudn't do both, an so he wuz a-studyin an
astudyin' ther matter when jake mean Bill.
leans down kinder soft like an draws Their
through the bars"
AS he spoke, Toms nervous hand performed
the theft described
wall, continued the sheriff in perfectly even
tones, 'thar wuz fandago across the river in
Guadeloupe tibet night, an most o. Their Mexicans
an whites wuz thar, so that Conejos wuz
very quiet, and thar wuz nobody on ther
streets. This angel Ispoke of wuz thar-ther
purtlest bein' in the hull crowd, an she wuz
happy like" The sheriff gave faint sigh and
fnr MAN he II.
This yer Toni mean Bill. knew all these
things. fer reckon somebody he'd tole him, an
so when he got outside he jest jumped on Their
sheriff's boss an lit out south The boss wuz
good an fresh, an just Dustin ter travel Thar
wuz bag tied ter Their horn o. Their saddle, an
inside O. it wuz q bottle o. whisky, a pipe an
some tobacco, a box o. matches, fifty cartridges
what fitted ther sheriffs pistol, and 800 in
greenDacks. 1t WIZ all ther money Their sheriff
he'd or therd been more. Bill didn't lose no time,
but headed straight for Mexico, keepin' clar o.
Santa Fe an ther big towns, an picking up fresh
bosses Their ranches by tradin' an given
money ter boot. An ter this day they amt ever
caught him."
"How-how'd he git out o Their jail!' whispered
Tom hoarsely.
It dark in the room and in the cage now,
except whore a thin ribbon of moonlight came
through a narrow window and rested on the
sherifs uncovered head. He leaned over and
knocked the ashes from his pipe and then
light of the moon to the twink,ing stars beyond.
Then ne drew a long, deep breath, and said
slowly:
The keys O Their cage wuz in Their sheriff's
coat pocket, an when Bill went out, he locked
all Their doors behind him, and threw ther keys
down Their well"
"An' Their sheriff."
oval, in order to git Their keys" said Sandy, in
low even voice, his eyes still fixed on the win
dow IAN then ter git away, Bill TUX Their pistol
he he'd stolen, an putin it up ter jest behind the
sheriff's ear he pulled Their trigger. Tnet wuz
ALL"
The sheriffs eyes were on the stars. The man
within the cage was trembling. Then suddenly
he raised the pistol a loud report followed and
the sheriff had kept his word.
NOTES ON THE PARIS SALON.
Written for the Journal by Margaret r. wiseman
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