The Red Cloud chief., 1888-07-06

came suddenly shrill in its terror. Heathe
sprang forward with cn agile. cham0is-like
bound and vanished in the pines. ThedOgs
inside the cabin a well rs Out, set up q
simultaneous howl. There was no doubt OF
an alien presence near at hand. Miriam
rushed into the house and fastened the door
behind her.
I'VE know he's in there!" shouted q rough
voice.
Hes therei Give him up! We're a-goin'
to have him" chorused rougher voices.
"H'it's better tar let 'en come. Mirry.
He's done swung hisse'f in 'gaiust now"
Alb unbarrcd the d,or. and. opening II,
stepped on the threshold in cool contempls.
tiOn Of The scene. In SANITY . revolver wa
on each side Of his gray head.
"What be you after, shurfw he asked.
thrusting him aside. The men outside
rushed rudely past him.
You might As well give him up, Ab,'
answered the sheriff; they've tracked him
out here, en- it's 'gainst the law ter shutter
q criminal. Idon't want'er rest . neighbor.
The fellow goes by the name Of Heathe."
"We've got to search the premises, sher-
i'll" bristled q ferret-faced man, more than
usually energetic in his efforts.
The sheriff smiled significantly.
"Ef you kin search these ere premises,
why jes' go ahead, MI. Paxton-course, sir"
he dryly responded.
"I've followed this Heathe for . year. and
l won't be beat now. There's . reward out
for him-dead or alive-so you may rs well
tell where he is"
Tho man Paxton turned sharply upon
Miriam Is he spoke.
"Heathe is not his name, neither, miss;
and 1911 vno1ro - vvnpth vN,R xDhsln tO to11 ~
him"
Miriam heard him in silence, . set, reso-
lutte expression upon her face.
"You shall have part Of the reward"
II don't touch blood money!" she inter-
rupted. fiercely.
1T don't matter. I'll catch him vet. He's
. cold -blooded ~villain-wanted for murder"
"Murderl
The girl shivered. Her face paled into .
wilderness Alb had never seen blanch its
deep, healthy hues.
Murdered an old man for his money.
They're sure to lynch him If they get their
hands On him.. Murder and robbery. I'm
certain to nab him sooner or later" added
the detective, with the professional gustO
Of a man who had bagged human game.
Miriam listened YEARLY while they told
the terrible tale to Alb. She watched her
father narrowly. The qwaxi mOOnshiner
might condone Offenses against the revenue,
but murder!-she knew that he 4ad q SUPER
s~titiOus horror Of q man with blood on his
hands.
HE h'aint fifteen ter git of, Mirry," he
| whispered, while b search went on in the
angry t~horoughness Of threatened discom-
future. HELL fOtch US turrible luck, eff he's
done hit, en-, Mirry, he sha'n't hev you,
noways. Well git inter trouble long o. him
| eff we don't tell"
Father, I've helped en- stood by you,
hewitt Ir asked the girl, . passionate
pleading in every lineament and accent.
True nun. Mirry; you've holped me
pow'ful; but 'twur never MURDER" he re-
Joined, uneasily. 'sH'it's no good a-holpin'
murder"
mo. no! I wouldn't do it, either; but he
says he is innocent, father"
'.Innercent! Mayhap he is, en- likely he
h'ain't; likely he's jes' a-foolin' wild you,
kase he's sartin yOu'n holp him out'n his
trouble" shrewdly interpOsed All.
Father, he say he didn't murder-he says
So" she repeated; ZEN don't you tu'n
against u.s."
"Us. He sha'n't hev you"
The girl chung to him in desperate, terror
stricken violence.
mo, I won't never 60 with him till you
! give the say 30, father" she promised,
recklessly. But he didn't do it-he is in
nocent, en- I'll hold to him till 1t comes all
right"
Alb turned away-his wrinkled counter
ance had grown hard and stern in aspect.
He wished he had heard it all before they
told Miriam. or before they had come into
the house and the girl had reminded him of
the time when her vigilance and devotion
had stood him in such good stead while
''Guv'menters' hunted for the free distil-
lery.
Angry and disappointed Of the gains for
which they served justice, the detectives
came in from their futile search. They had
found the two or three brush-thatched out
houses an infinitesimal shred of the '.prem-
ises," compared with the black ravine, the
dense thickets. the great pine forest stretch
away into untold labyrinths.
'See here" old man, threatened the ferret
faced detective, you'd do well to tell the
truth. We're sure tho fellow il here, and
we're s-goin' to stay till we catch him, so
you might As well own up at once"
"Dunno but I might" acknowledged Alb.
"Hesthe was here to-day, wasn't hel"
4uCoIlOucu SuC Unus J UOAANux CAoSECI AuOu.
"Jes' 80, capting; he wur here ter-day."
Thought 80. Gimme the truth, now.
He's here now, amt her
Alb tore Of q long leaf of tobacco from q
homegrown twist, and held it in tempting
proximity to his mouth.
'Nat'rsl nun. captinR, eff he h'ain't guy
you the slip, he be heah yit."
''Confound the fellow, we might a-known
by their takin' 1t 30 cool that he had
vamooseG: curse the whole business!' an
grily retorted Paxton; but Alb had aSwH.a
the tobacco-leaf safely into his mouth Eand
laxily dropped into . chair before the fire.
His talk was over for the time.
The lukewarm sheriff and euraged de-
t~ectivegiad taken themselves OF, down the
ridge. some time before Alb said, with q
satisfied chuckle:
.'Twa'n't no lie es / tole 'em. Mirry. I
knowed them pow'ful sharp fellers wouldn't |
believe hit; but mind you, gal, you h'ain't
got my say 50 ter TEX no man 6 commits
murder, en- you'll git hit. kase he
don't mean you right. en- hits onlucky."
The girl knew her father too well to Ne |
monstrate. She knew, too, that Hea:he |
was only safe while she adhered to her |
promise not to marry him without Abs |