The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1889-02-08

rapidly decided to come this Way on
discovering awhile ago That egress
below was b;,rried. He stenltllily
crossed the room, found his sister
(slle was his sister) sitting up wide
eyed in bed, as alert us lie, as quick
to comprehend what had happened:
ready, in pursuance of u precious
plan, to help him put on asuit of her
clothes, including an ulster, and to
dress herself in the gray clothes he
wore. Not u word was uttered
meanwhile. ltmight have been Mary
only, risingbetimes and stirring nbout
as she made ready to beginh her days
work. In fact, Ms Mrs. Marshall lay
there, she wondered in the whirl OF
her excited, startled brain, weary too
with night ssleeplessness, whether she
had not dreamed that u slight, fair
man had stood u second at her bed.
side on his way through her room.
No, ithad been no dream. Thepair
went downstairs presently, and out
of the frontdoor. Then l3ettylmshed
to the window in time to see them
IL man and a womall-cross tho
parade-ground, making for the little
railroad station. which lay Just out
side the post.
"She is taking him to the cars; he
is in some trouble" Betty decided.
"Just what might be expected from
that wild west creature. What
an extraordinary resemblance be-
tween them! Poor soul! Ihope she
will get him Off
She was all for defeating the cnJs
OF justice in her sympathy for her at
tractive cook. She had u distinct
impression that the latter numbered
iail-birtls of all kinds among her
friends; this was probably one OF
them. Still, she hoped he would get
off.
They just made the train. Betty
stood by the window shivering in
her night-dress. and heard the whistle
shrill, nnd saw the ears sweep upnnd
linger an instant, and then sweep OIL
again. She watched next to see
Mary come back across the parade.
ground. She would come in quietly
and go about her work as though
nothing had occurred. Her mistress
would make no sign; in truth, her
strongest feeling was sympathy and
pity. She did wisl, that Mary had
given her her contidence; she need
not have smuggled her brother in
and out in that way. But, again. il,
would never have done to tell il the
man was II fugitive .from justice.
Poor soul! poor soul! THIS ,,r-
counted for her desmliring looks
yesterday.
But how long she was getting
back! Mrs. Marshal went back to
bed again presently. and. tired out.
lozed off to sleep, and slept an hour
i'll spite Of herself. She awoke sud-
denly, recalled the events of the past
night, and pulled herself together.
Nine o'clock. She would gct ,lp and
dress.
She hurried through her toilette,
somewhat sp,lrred by IL vague mis-
giving When she went downstairs
she found the house quite deserted,
save ortlle soldier who worked about
the house, and was known as tlei,
striker. and who on this occasion had
kinlled the Kitchen fire, and wnsnow
standing around that apartment
awaiting farther developments.
Cook deserte.l?" lie inquired. e,s-
lily. Such dcscrtions were common
enough in that region. "Seen hcrgit
abonrd the train this mornin'. Said
she was tired of working. Had her
brother along. Her twin, she said.
Like as two peas in n pod"
So the fact ofMary' sdeparture was
established. Mrs. Marshall made the
best Oft; made herself some coffee,
went int !, Green river in the midday
ambulance, secured another servant.
whom she brought back with her,
and congratulated herself that Tom
had been out of the way during this
domestic fury. Especially during
last night occupation" 1t did not
occur to her that if Tom had not
gone. Mary's brother wouldnot have
come.
That day went by. At the middle
of the next one Tom returned.
"Did you catch the burglnr.:" his
wife asked, after IL joyful welcome.
"No: lie got away from us. sec
you've replaced your Prairie Rose"
notlding in the direction of tho Irish
girl who was laying the lunch-table
in the next room. 81 brought her
back with me all the sanle-ls far as
Green river, that is.
"What do you mean?'
THAT the governor of this terri
tory has retained Mary Escadcro aus
u witness in the case of the state
versus James OLcary. They turn
out to lc brother and sister,
Mrs. Marshall stared at her hls-
band in a. 'lazed way. Then tin"
whole thing began to dawn upon l,er.
''Oh, Toni" She rapidly skctchcd
her adventures during his a1,scrr".
Ryiingo! yom are IL plnky little
soul! No screaming" no tHinting?
no hystcrics?' But. you poor little
chicken. itwas pretty rough on you"
Betty scorncl these compliments.
III was not afraid in the least.
was excited and over-wrought and
absorbed in the situation. IL did
not dawn upon me who the man WAS.
] should have turned to stone if |
had dlcnmcd it wns O'Le,ry stand
ing over me- And she shndlcrrd.
"Whcn | watched Mary walk across
the parade ground with him. my idea
was that he had done something, ot
co,rse-stolcn a horse, or forged,
Or
"Somc triHc of that sort. But
now for my story"
He had tramped over the prniries
with his escort for hours before conn
ing upon Il trace Of the man he WAS
looking for. These wnnlcrngs had
brought him to ~ part of he cnun-
try crossed by the railroad that
skirted the post and near II river. II
w;ls a rolling country, SO that the
view wns broken between short given
points. The scouting party scpara-
ted in order to command the whole
field. All ut once one OF the sol
IL 4