The record-union., 1891-12-12


still. The bar stood by his elbow. He
was thirsty.
When Frank returned home in the
gray OF the morning, it was leaning on
the arms OF two companions, to find the
light burning still in one window there.
Jenny was sitting up, watching, wonder
ing. Frank saw it, and, for a moment,
horror seizing him. The other two cast
significant looks at one another and
SUNK back the way they had come.
he'll clio now, he can stand alone all
right,o was the thought with which they
stroye to excuse their desert;on
1t was never thoroughly known in Salt
Flat what happened during the early
hours OF that fatal morning down at the
cabin by the creek; but Bill Welch and
Doc Snaggles, returning from a round
through the woods before breakfast in
search OF game, heard several rifle-shots
In quick succession down among the
foothills, and. having had little luck
themselves, took the trail leading in that
direction, in hopes that they might get a
shot at any deer being driven up. But
none were to be seen. When they came
out on TO the level they saw strange
thing. A man, hatless, pale and reeliug
unsteadily, stood among the thick TUT
grass at the edge of the foothills, gesti-
culatlng and tlourlShing smoking rifle.
Around him lay some five or six dead or
dying cattle, and close by the side of the
trail they had been following a young
bull, the pride of all Bollen;s herd of
Shorthorns, lay, his shoulder broken by
shot, struggling painfully to rise and
hlllng the air with hiSpiteous bellowings.
Even as. they stepped forward, another
bullet, striking him in the back, ended
his tortures, and the poor brute fell back
dead. At this moment the man, turning
round, saw them, and throwing his gun
over his shoulder began rapidly ascend
ing the hill. When he had nearly reached
the top he turned land shaking his clinched
fist at them, poured out a torrent OF abuse
and profanity.
Take your cursed CATTLE" he cried,
'hoofs and hides are all you will get by
me-" and he recommended climbing more
furiously than ever, the thick patches of
brush and cottonwood hiding him from
sight.
Come, mate" said Bill, shaking with
suppressed anger, as much at the mans
Wanton cruelty as at his language to
them-of which latter, indeed, so furi-
ously and indiStinctly had he spoken,
little save the end had been Ineligible
1--WE must fetch this news to camp. Let's
make tracks sharp. Who do you reckon
it wasp
Frank Menner. I saw his face as he
reckon.n
Bill whistled.
ner?o
Il calc'late she won't ave much more
to say to that skunk. Did you hear what
he gave us?"
Il heard plenty-enough for Bill.
reckon II that chap comes mooching
around Salt Flat this side of Christmas
there'n be two of us what'll have some
thing to say to him-you bet your bottom
dollar on that. Guess thar amt no flies
on you nor me-"
So in short time the little community
were eagerly discussing this new act in
the drama that was being played in their
midst, while not a few went up to the
foothills to see with their own ewes the
dead cattle and the trail Frank had taken.
Some of them, those who were best on a
trail, followed him for mile or
more, and returned with the news that
he had broken off into the dense pine
woods on the slopes of Hamlin's Peak,
where further tracking was impossible.
1t was evident that he had taken to the
woods to hide, there being no trail in
that direction by which he could cross the
range, and all that could be done now
was to hurry back to the cabin by the
creek, and see what awaited them there
There was little crowd already as
sembled round the door, and Joe Carr
held up his finger to the newcomers to
enjoin silence.
"We sent Grizzly Dan in,'' he whisp-
cred; he'll let us know if we're wanted" ;"
Silently and quickly they took their
places among the others and waited. Big,
bearded men, wild, reckless, gambling
natures-men who had most of them
heavy sins on their consciences, and who
acknowledged no sentiment, and per-
haps had never before felt anxiety on any
but their own account, stood there,
troubled, anxious and pale, waiting for
Grizzly Dan to come back and tell them
the worst. Presently he appeared. His
face was drawn and haggard, and he did
not seem to look toward them.
Doc" Snaggles stepped quickly for
ward, and when he reached the door he
dropped his hat on the ground outside
before crossing with noiseless steps the
threshold of the little cabin When he
came back at last he answered at once the
unspoken question of the crowd:
''No, not dead; she'll come round pres
entlyS If you chaps IL hurry back to the
Flat and get some brandy and timed
fruit, you'll maybe do more good than
standing around here. But Pm afraid
she's a rough time coming, poor gal. Dan
III stay and help me all l want"
So the rest OF us went back to the Flat
and sent down all the delicacies-such as
they were-that our general store"
would yield. Indeed, if it had not been
for some of the more reasonable among
us, who suggested that Jenny had "a
small appetite anyway" the little cabin
would hardly have held the miscellane-
Gus supplies we wished to contribute.
Even so, there was not a man in camp
whose sympathy was not represented in
the offerings that Harry Welch took
down to the sick girl, who, for all we
knew, had suffered grievous injury at the
hands of her fugitive husband. doc"
Snaggles met him at the door, and sign
ing to him to put down the hampers out
side. led him round to where the window
of the new room looked out on the half
frozen stream and the snow burned hills
beyond. On tiptoe they went forward
and saw Jenny lying, very pale, her head
resting on Dams arm and talking rap
idly. She was looking straight toward
them, but seemed unconscious OF their
presence. The two men looked at each
other.
Eyes. delirium. Come in; she won't
know you. When's Mrs. Snaggles COM
ing DOWN"
''She'n be here right away. Say, Doc,
you don't think she'll die, do you?"
''If it was you or Bill, boy, l should say
no; but she amt no tough 'un like U.S.
She's been bad, and she'll be burned
sight wus YETI
So they came in and began moving aim
lessly about the little room, fixing
things" as Doc said. Jenny was quieter
now. Dan sat, with his head buried in
his hands, in the silence that was more
than words. Now and again he would
look toward the girl at his side to assure
himself that this sudden stiffness was
really another interval of sleep, and not
the death he so much dreaded. When he
did so they could see how drawn and
pinched with horror was his own face.
Only Doc Snaggles knew what he must
have suffered that last hour, sitting si-
lently in the same place, listening to the
girl for whom he would willingly have