Griggs courier., 1891-06-26
out. He slipped yoke over his oxen,
and In a moment xvaa in fha West P1aina

AOUAc. 4AS AO4AS AuO uO1 SOu0 W OGus
for there was o light visible through
the open door and through the chinks
in the eabin.wall He stopped the oxen
and jumping nimbly from his old trap,
stepped inside. Sarah was there and
she voiced an exclamation upon seeing
the old man.
''Why, Uncle jim, she cried. what 6
brought you over here: Try amt hurt?''
''Well, Sary," responded tho old fcl-
low, mo, not thet, but it's crbout Try
that l came here tcrnight. !reclSon rs
it amt pleasant news bring yer, but
ter be short an sweet erbout it, Iry's
run off an gone ter Arkansaw, ter mar.
ry er widder down erbout Mountain
Home"
The girl looked ut old Burnes sternly
for q moment and then came over to
his side.
''Are yer tellin' me thcr truth?" she
asked earnestly. "Not er foolin', Uncle
Jim?"
"Hones' facks," was old Burnes' re.
sponse, ''an'I hopes ycr'n not take II
hard"
Sarah had spirit.
"Take it hard?" she echoed. "Wall,
/ guess not. thortcr heap er Try, an
he said he never'd love nobody else.
He war goin' ter marry me purity soon,
an he said he'd come tcr-night ter fiz
up things. Sce," and Sarah stood back
foot or so, ''here's the dress an Gxin's
got. an ] put 'em on ter-night for Try
ter pass on"
The girls eyes were filling with tears
as she talked, and old Burnes almost
felt mean enough to sink out of sight
through the dirt floor. Sarah dashed
the teardrops away and tried to smile
to show how little she cared, but it was
such an effort that she turned back into
the dark to hide her face from the
searching eye of the old mountaincer.
Young Tincher had not forgotten his
engagement, but he didn't have the
heart to keep it. He struggled with
himself for an hour after he left old
Burnes. walking through the woods
toward the home of the Hochstetlcrs.
At length he resolved to at least say
good-by to Sarah.
''It KANT do no HARM" he muttered,
IAN wanter do it,
He walked fast, but it was late when
he got within sight of the home of the
girl he loved. He saw light there,
and it rather surprised him.
"Funny." he muttered, "but faint
much funnier n what old Jim told me
ter-day. Keepin' comp'ny fer two years
with Sary! Oh, the hussy!''
CT ~, <1,o x1or1-,o..
the cabin. 1t was still night in the
spring, and despite the trihing fires
that were still kept up. the door re-
mained wide open. Ira pcepcd in.
Sarah had visitor-old Burnes! Tho
young farmhand's heart almost stood
still How pretty Sarah was. She had
on dress that he had never seen be-
fore, and Ira thought her nearer an
angel than he thought angels them
selves could be. He sighed-almost so
loud that the inmates of the house
could hear him. Then he put his hand
to his face and felt the struggling bits
of beard Tears came into his eyes.
and he walked away.
''Old Jim told the truth" he mur.
mered. II amt old ernuff ner good
ernuff for sech as Sary. an he is. 1
war fooled, thet's ALL
Old Burnes was not long in convinc-
ing Sarah that she ought to marry him
and before June had come with her
wealth of sunshine and roses and songs
of birds, the circuit rider was stopped
by the deacon, and the two were mar.
ried. Sarah went to the little cabin
that'old Burnes had lived in since his
first wife died. long before. and for
several months made it an earthly
Heaven for the old man.
Something brought young Tincher
back to Oregon before the year was
over, and he went to see old Burncs
and Sarah. Jim was not at home, but
Sarah gave her old flame an unexpcct-
edly warm welcome. They talked for
an hour or SO and one thing brought
on another until Ira asked Sarah-hc
just couldn't help it-why she gave him
up. The whole thing was out in ten
minutes, and Ira went away. He had
an ugly look in his eye and his sullcn-
ness alarmed Sarah. Old Burncs was
home an hour later and his wife told
him that Ira had been there. The old
man did not say word, but when
Sarah was through with her story, he
got his old gun and carefully reloaded
both barrels and gave the hammer an
oiling. Sarah shivcred and went ncrv-
ously about preparing the supper.
With every breath she admonishcd old
Burnes not to be rash, but her husband
was mum. 1t was nearly sundown
when the brush parted and Ira Tinchcr.
with gun across his shoulder, stopped
into the cleared place. The old man
did not say word, but stepping to the
door, raised his weapon and fired at tho
approaching figure. Ira did not stop.
but as quick as fash returned the
shot.
Old Burnes did not speak. His gun
fell and q second later he followed it.
He had bullet in his heart.
Ira gave himself up and pleaded self
defense. 1t was a long fight, and the
young farmhand's neck was saved, but
he got ninety-nine years.
The only reason that he never be.
came the husband of Sarah Burnes, nee
Hochstetlcr, is that Sarah lives in Ore
gon county. on the sunny side of fifty,
while Ira is spending his days within
the gray walls of a state pcnitentiarv.