San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-04-26

he had seen in the cabin entered the
room, bringing lighted candle and q
lunch of boiled beef and corn bread.
Placing the candle and lunch upon a
rough pine box at the youths side, she
turned and retraced her steps to the
door, where she paused and cast a half
stupid leer at the prisoner.
Dan saw at a glance that the woman
was intoxicated. She looked at him for
moment and then said:
Reckon you'd like to get out O. here,
wouldn't your
81 wouldn't object in the least" re.
piled Dan.
well, | amt goir & to let you out Just
yet" said the woman with a grin.
Then I'll have to stay, | guess" re-
piled the youth.
The woman was silent moment be-
fore she spoke.
Wouldn't try to make your escape
from lone woman, would your she
asked.
"Why should wish to escapeT asked
Dan.
got you prisoner" and there was pc
culiar glitter in the woman's eye.
81 don't care, just so am released as
soon as possible" answered Dan in a
careless manner. "Has your husband
gone away?"
"Who said had husband?"
mo one-I thought one of the men
might be-
"Then you'd better keep your thoughts
to yourself" interrupted the woman.
Dan remained silent.
lyon think the mems all away, DO
your" said the woman, land maybe you'll
try to eseape?"
81 have said nothing about it," an
swered Dan.
"Well, wouldn't advise you to try
any tricks on me-" and the woman laid
her hand upon a heavy pistol which was
only partly concealed in her bosom.
.'You needn't be alarmed" said Dan.
Remember, didn't say the men were
all gone" she said, a cunning light COM
ing into her countenance. Then she
hastily left the room, slamming the door
vigorously behind her.
Dan made no attempt to eat the food
that had been brought. 1t was plain to
his mind now that the woman had been
left alone at the cabin. The men were
doubtless making preparations for the
nights work and might not return till
the next morning.
With no one but an intoxicated woman
upon the premises, Dan realized that a
most favorable opportunity for making
his escape had presented itself, and he
was determined to take advantage of it.
Taking up the lighted candle he went
to the door and began to examine it..
He cautiously turned the handle, and to
his utter establishment the door swung
open. The woman had forgotten to
lock it.
Dan hastily closed it, being careful to
make no sound. He wanted time to de-
eide upon some plan of action before he
made any attempt to escape. That the
woman would not hesitate to use the pis-
toll she carried should she discover him
trying toleave the room Dan well knew,
and it was his purpose to proceed with
great caution. Aiming himself with
a heavy stone, which he took from the
wall, he opened the door noiselessly and
stole down the dark corridor or tunnel
that led to the door that opened into the
cabin. '.'
AS he drew near the door he heard the
sound of a mans voice in the cabin be-
yond, and came to an abrupt halt. He
was about to retrace his steps to the
room he had Just left and give over his
plan of escape for the time being, when
he saw CLEAN of daylight through a
crack in the door, and decided to go for
ward and ascertain if possible just who
was in the room. 7sa
Approaching the door with the great
est caution, he peered through the crack
in the boards. He saw the woman who
had left him a short time before sitting
by table in the center of the room, evi
IDENTIFY conversing with some one sitting
opposite to her. Dan shifted his posi-
ton and as he did so,he saw a man sit
ting on the other side of the table-a low
heavy set man with bushy black beard
The youth could hardly suppress the
cry of establishment that rose to his lips
as his eyes fell upon the familiar form
of the man. He recognized him in al
instant as one of the strangers who had
stopped at the inn the night before he
had left. Dan now remembered the
strange conversation he had overheard
between this man and his tall compan
| ion. and he wondered what could have
brought him to this out of the way place