Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1892-12-17

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the sapper, AMI da;-.ls tie course=of lie
meal learned that the two strangers
were officers trailing u horse thief, who
had stolen valuable horse at u ranch
forty miles east and sold it at Pickett
station, and who was believed to have
come thisway.
As she listened to the conversation a
sudden na1ne!ess fear came upon her,
making her feel Ill and faint. AS soon
as supper was over she took her shawl
and hurried home.
Somehow she was not surprised to ind
the door open. She entered hastily.
Sam was in bed, asleep and breathing
stertorously. He had evidently been
drinking, cs his clothes were scattered
about the floor, and Mat. looking ont
the back door. could see his pony stand
ing patiently where Sam had Left nm,
waiting foi. some Gle to come and feed
him.
Mat leaned over the sleeping man and
kissed him gently. her eyes full OF love-
Then She turned to pick up his clothes
and put them away. The trousers were
heavy, and something jingled in one OF
the pockets. Iustinctively Mat thrust
her hand into itand dsew it forth, clasp
lug several gold pieces. AS she did SO
her eyes opened wide, and SIZE stood us
if stunned for 4 time, her heart chilled
with the same strange fear that had
stricken her awhile ago and impelled her
TO hurry home.
She rushed to the bed and shook Sam
roughly. Sam. Sam! wake upl' she
almost screamed.
The man turned over and looked at
her stupidity ..H'lo, MMat! Yere, be
yc: Gimme kiss" he said in a dull tone.
Not twell we tells me whar We done
got these yere thingSr' Mats voice
sounded broken and shrill.
Sam sat mp and rubbed his head, look
i,S at her il drunken wonder. ''W-w-y,
tlien-them thar, honey
She shook lin 6erccly and said III
lower tone-a tone Of earnest force:
Tel me. Sam Toms, whar We done
got these yere coins! Quick now!
Fer tone partially sobered the man,
whose ewes opened wider as lie asked
ENORMOUSLY:
What N hell we so all fired fussy
bout? hain't Gone nothin.' and he
laughed in u hall drunken, half nervous
WAY.
Sam, whar did we sit emf
lie sat dumbly Staring at her.
"Sam"-hcr voice was full OF horror
..did You steal that thar hosp
No answer; but Mat saw by his eyes
size lad guessed the truth. Slowly the
coins fell from her hand to the floor;
Slowly her head bent forward until her
face touched the pillow. For minutes
she did not Eioya-r0t until Sam. who
has. been staring 1T her wonderingly,
reached out his bly, hand and laid 1t
c;,ressiugly or her head. Then she spranS
to her feet, her hot eyes glaring and her
f.vsn trembling with anger and horror.
She di,i l:o5 sneak, hut fixed her gaze on
his face ror q few seconds. He did not
EJECT i.er lock. and presently she turned
;,:l,; ran ont OF the door.
sam, almost sober now, called after
her. but she did lot answer. He got out
Of bed slowly and started to dress him
self. lie had almost finished when Mat,
accompanied by her father and the two
strangers, returned.
...ri:ar he is-ail taar's iii money" she
said, and passed on cut through the back
door without looking a5 Sam.
:: 4
There was IL Jail at the crossroads; it
was primitive affair, but solid and sub
s:,a..ial. 1t was /. dpgout in the side hill,
a1.! hal II heavy oak door and great steel
hinges and lock. 1t was plenty strong
enough to hold IL dozen mell. all anxious
10 c.caps-;ind Sam Toms did not try to
escape. Ee oaly sat still in tie low,
damp, li,rksome room and tried to un-
t.erstarl low iS.;.il happened.
It crust lie drunken dream-but, no,
he WAS almost sober, and knew where
lie was and how and why he WAS there.
Bu5-he could noS understand. Had
7Lst--was 1t really Mat WHO had given
l:m up? There niust be some mistake.
The Zig, stsons man finally began to
realize IL all. lie lay down On the bunk
;ld cried himself 10 sleep like child.
II must have been about o'clock
in the morning when some one silently
entered the house of old Bill Bum, con-
able. This some one entered by the
back door, went stealthily into the room
where Bill and his wife slept, rumlnaged
about a few minutes, and then emerged
from the house. 1t was woman, and
she had something i'll her hand.
Sam Toms was awakened a little af-
ter this by Il rafting, Earring sound.
He spranS UP just IS the big oaken
doors swung back and revealed the fig
ures of IL woman and two saddle horses.
81 come II yc, Sam" said the woman
with d SOP. Il done bring both ponies
an ou' clo'es. Les so, Sam; we en- git
'crost lii liyal befo' lnawnin. Comet
lie clasped her i'll his ;.Tnls, cid they
chung to each other t. little while. Tlen
Mat said, lnlrc steadily:
Come, Sal. Les go ovah t Mexico
an mebbo we c'n Try IN DO better ovah
thar
and they rode forth 10 the bright, free
moonlight down toward the Rio Grende
into IL Kew and better life.-R. l..
Ketchriii il Arsonaur.
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