Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1888-05-31


to deliver 10 in person, l declined his
rather pressing offer and sat down tC
wait for the $500 train. Il came in
punctually, bringing plenty Of passen.
gers, but 90 one In search Of q sketch.
book. The 1917 train arrived. bring
ing me only another disappointment
There was no applicant for the sketch
book.
"What was l to dop / could not
offer that picture in open court as a
reason for postponing a criminal suit.
l dared not promise to produce It's
owner, or to prove any thing by her
testimony. Yet could not help feel.
ing that It would be unjust 10 my client
to neglect this clew.
81 was walking slowly up the street.
revolving these thoughts in my mind,
and trying to devise some way out OF
the difficulty. when. just rs l reached
the courthouse steps. heard some
one say, In an excited undertone:
"It isl IL certainly isl Do you
suppose don't know itp should re-
cognize it in Patagonia. Do please
speak to him, Cousin Nettie II you
don't l must.
"Looking up, I saw a pretty girl ol
eighteen. all blushs and agitation. and
a middle-aged lady. with shocked
look upon her face, both of them eag-
erly staring at the sketch-book in my
hand. The truth flashed upon me in
an instant and l became as excited as
the young lady herself. and, l have
been told, blushed as deeply.
"'This is, presume, Miss Alice
EvansP' / said. raising my hat.
"'Yos, sir said the two ladies at
once.
"'My name is McQ-.' said. 4
have the great pleasure Of restoring
Miss Eyans's sketch-book to her. and
in so doing take the liberty to ask
"Thank you,' interrupted Cousin
Nettie, taking the book and passing It
to its owner, and evidently not dis
posed to allow me the liberty of asking
any thing whatever. 1t is, of course,
a mere trihe, Of no value except to my
cousin
Pardon me, madam / replied
you are mistaken. There is another
person to whom the book is of far
greater consequence than IL can be
even to Miss Evans; and l must beg.
as that PERSONS representative
"AllOw me to remind you, SIR
broke in Cousin Nettie, sternly, that
this interview has already passed the
bounds of propriety and can not be
further prolonged II you wish the
reward offered you must apply to DR..
Evans, Of Cory Green. Come, Alice.
"'You may go II you WISH an
swered the girl. Withdrawing her arm;
i shall hear what the gentleman wishes
to say
"a few words of explanation served
to set me right and to interest both Of
the ladies' in the case of my client l
had no difficulty in pe,suading them
to ascend with me to the lobby of the
courthouse, where we could confer
more quietly. With the sketch before
us, Miss Evans recalled the Pigeon
Hollow incident. and verified the MEM
oranda concerning the day and the
hour.
"She was terrified at the idea of ap-
pearing in court, and declared it out
OF the question except with her fathers
consent and attendance.
"'But they can make you 60, cried
Cousin Nettie. and they will Now
you see the result of your imprudence
and obstinacy.'
"The result madam. said l. will,
hope, be the liberation Of an inno-
cent man, and shall cost Miss Evans no
serious annoyance. Meantime, l will
go into court and move a postpone
ment Of the case. VIII you oblige me
by waiting here till havesdone SOP
"The ladies consented, and went
my way.
Fortunately. no motion was neces-
sary. found on visiting the court
room, that the States attorney was
sick, and that the entire criminal dock
ct was postponed. l attended the la
dies to their train. and made an APP
pointmens to visit Cory Green the
next day. In passing the package
room Miss Evans stopped to reclaim a
wrap for which she held a check
"'It's all right Charley she seid;
I've found the sketch book | spoke to
you about. this morning.
"'May ask, said /. at what time
you reached the city this morning9'
"'At eight o'clock. she replied.
"'At eight o'clockl And this inn
pudent little rascal kept me here two
hours watching for you. when he
know all the while that you were in the
cityr
al didn't keep your retorted Char.
ley, Indignantly Il told you you d bet
ter give it up.
"'Why didn't you tell me that Miss
Evans came on the early tramp
"You didn't ask me nothin' about
that train'
1.-The rest scarcely needs telling.
went the next day to Cory Green,
with proper credentials and letters Of
introduction 10 DIR. Evans. We visited
Pigeon Hollow and the Indian Woods
togeter, and secured diagrams and
measurements.
"A few days later the trial took
place. The diagram was shown; like
wise the sketch, which was carefully
compared with the original Miss
Evans and her cousin made oath ~
the co rrectness Of the date and hour
mentioned; and the jury unanimously
agreed that the prisoner could not at
one and the same time have been fast
asleep in Pigeon Hollow and COM
mitting highway robbery two miles
away"
II hope the man was worth saving"
4 aafI