, 1888-12-02

OF tho wagon body,
Have you found my boy yetl' she
piped, fcebly, with eager besecching
"Oh, have you found himi"
we hain't"- began Carl Sonter
"HushI |" whispered jess. Two OK
pect TO find him soon, gran'maw. HI
knin't DO fur Off" no added, sooth
"Oh, l am so gladp tho sick woman
whispered. II was afraid that some
thing had happened to him. But you'll
find him, won't your" she went on
nnxiously.
We'll try" answered Jess.
She's clost 10 dyin', I'm afeard, - he
said, when the committee bad with.
drawn n short distance from tho wagon
FOR n consultation. "Out of her head
an dyin'r
What air we goin' to dot" ques.
toned Cal.
What we kim replied jess. shes
starvin', too, / believed"
Two minutes later one Of the emf.
grafton committee was hurrying to
wards Prairie City us fast rs his horse
could carry him.
"Mebby her boy lives somowers yer,
abouts, y suggested Carl Sentor.
Have you found hint" the faint
voice .quivored, as tho bearded faces
looked into tho wagon again.
What did you say ais name wnsH''
questioned jess. 1T sorto slipped me- "
Paul" and her voice dwelt low
ingly upon the namo-"Paul Emery"
The shaggy heads wero solemnly
shaken. No ono knew Paul Emery,
Puzzled, they withdrew for another
consultation.
I'm afeard she'll never sec her boy,
Il he h'ain't found mighty soon" said
Long Jess,
Wonder II we couldn't sorto find
him, anyhow" said Cal. 'Mebby she
couldn't tell"-
"'Twouldnt mako her no worse VI
spoke jess, an it might
Tho others grasped the idea. Again
the bearded faces looked into tho
wagon.
Know him ut first sishtP ques-
toned jess, Might have changed n
good deal"
Tho sick woman babbled ON a little
while of how she would know her boy
her Paul. Then she produced a bat
tered tintypo from beneath her pill
low.
mr9Ht is Paul "a !, my boyr' she said,
The picture dimly revealed a slender
young fellow, honest faced and beard
The shaggy heads were gravely
shaken.
Tic scar don't show much in the
picture" the sick woman piped,
weakly. THE doctor said 1t would
always remain there. And Bessie
said she nov wanted it TO fade from
his cheek, because it would always be
a reminder of how he had risked his
life TO save hers. Bessie"-
Tho committee heard no more. They
had hastily withdrawn.
III stay yere an wait fur Jerry"
Cal Senter said, after a few moments
conference was held. "Take my boss.
Wal, l reckon
The rest of the committeeman were
galloping away, and he was alone be-
side the wagon.
Looks like imposin' on the pore
woman" no muttered. but, if we
kain't find the right son we've got TO
do the next best thing. He'll look
something like her Paul when the
boys hev got through with him."
Sinks, the ~outcast, lay stretched
face downwards in the shade of a few
scraggy persimmon trees, rear the head
of u little draw" two miles beyond
the spot where the committee had left
him. There was more of despair in
his face than any citizen of Prairie
City had evcr seen there. But when,
aroused by the hoof beats, he found
himself again in tho hands Of the emf
grafton committee, the old and almost
cXpressionless mask fell over his face
again.
he made no comment when ordered
TO pile on" to Calls horse, and the
cavalcade took the back track towards
Prairie City, at a headlong speed. But
once, Long jess, close at hand, heard
him mutter:
Its all right, anyhow. NobodyIl
careln
Cal Senter, squatting in the shade of
the sick woman's wagon, saw the little
troop pass, a quarter of u mile away,
and grumbled: BLAMED imposition on
her, but it's the best we kin do"
jerry was passed by the cavalcade,
ten minutes later, on his headlong way
back to tho wagon with several pack
ages in his hands and pockets. It was
evident that he comprehended the sit
u%ation, for he said, addressing himself,
Looks like a great shame, but mebby
it's the best the boys kin do"
Sinks look of stolidity changed to
one of mystifcation and astonishment
soon after Prairie City was reached.
He was hurried into the barber shop
and thrust into a chair, and, in response
TO a stern command from Long Jess, the
knight of the razor trimmed the out
casts hair and removed his beard with
a celebrity that threatened 10 rob him
of his cuticle at the same time. While
this was going on several of the com
mitteemen were rushing about, to tho
intense mystiAcation OF the unofficial
citizens, who asked a hundred ques-
tons, and were shamefully snubbed
each time, When the rushing" re-
suited in the producing Of a misft suit
of clothes, into which Sinks was
hustled, he was in n state OF open
mouthed wonder.
AS all hands were mounting, Sinks
heard Old Man Berry inform a neigh
Dor, in q mysterious but very loud
whisper, hat it WINS his belief that the
committee had captured Sinks red
handed in some atrocity, and were ar
raging him decently that the outcast
might make a presentable looking
cOrDse- Tho nei0hhOr nodded n ron-