The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1892-09-02

! n reyenoo ofIuser th't mos likely shot nj
him first, an Uncle Sam offers five hun
dred fer i'm It's tough, no Use talkin'."
And Mr.. Stiles chirped to his horse,
| which was nibbling at the branches OF
the trees by the roadside.
Four hours later Bob Stiles, deputy
marshal, rode into n little valley into
which the by-road had led him from the
main trail. He looked to his revovers
carefully, to see that they were all right
for the emergency which was quite prob
able, and decided on a plan of action.
He dismounted, aud proceeded on foot
toward tho shabby, tumble down log
cabin that stood in little clearing on
the hillside above him.
AS he reached the edge Of the clearing,
ho halted, and took note of the cabin
and its surroundings, observing, with
some surprise, the neat appearance of the
garden and yard and the unavalling re-
pairs that had been attempted on the old
cabin. "Kind O. decent, pears like"
thought tho deputy marshal, ms he
sneaked around to advance on tho house
from the rear. "Wonder whcro all tn
folks is2"
AS he emerged from the thicket at tho
rear OF the house and started toward it,
two or three scrawny ours rushed ut him,
barking fercely, but no ono appeared to
silence them. He spoke to them quietly,
and presently they drew off, somewhat
mollifed. but still growing suspiciously.
Then the deputy marshal tip-tocd quietly
up to the open window and looked in.
On a tumblcd, forlorn looking bed, at
the other end OF the long room, lay,
propped up with the bed clothing,
young woman, evidently in the last stages
of consumption. She was brcathing in
short, quick gasps-tightiug bravcly for
few minutes respite from the end that,
| Bob could see, was so near. Her wastei
hands rested on the heals of two little
children who were crying softly, in their
uncomrrchcnding way, in sympathy with
the broad shouldered man who, with his
arms about the dying one. rs II to hold
her back from the awful shadows, was
sobbing his heart out.
ooh, Sue, CANT let ye gol Don't
Moll-thcy-they-"
"Don't, Tom," came in weak voice
from the form on tho bed. "It's drctful
hard & 90 an leave you all, but it had t
be- I'm glad yc think I've ben II good
wife to n'-ron-promise me
yen allus DO good t our children
won't ye. Tom, dear2'
The man only sobbcd and nodded his
| head. The slight form his arms elapsed
| was shaken by tit of coughing that was
awful to hear, and tho deputy marshal,
whose checks were wet with unwonted
tears, murmurcd: "Poor thing; oh, poor
thing"
Then the weak voice continuedi
al know yc will, Tom. Pm only
afearei o. one thing; whatll tn babies
do cf-cf they sh'd ketch yc an put yc
in jail2 BE keerful, Tom, oh, be keer
full, f'r their sakes, won't yet Ny pore
babics-my pore babies ~
There came another fit of coughing,
more terrible than the other, during
which Bob Stiles wiped his eyes on bis
sleeve, with nervous fingers pulled the
money had won the night before from
his pocket, rolled il up and threw it on
the floor of the cabin. Then he turned,
without another look at the man he had
come to arrest, and hurried to the SPOT
where he had left his horse, sobbng all
the way-for Bob Stiles, "a bier, still
had heart, though he had thought it
buried in the grave of the wife whose
young lie had gone from her ;iit as this
womaii's was going.
1t was late in the afternoon when the
deputy marshal rode up to the house
where Hamilton de Vrics, ex-bankcr,
was staying. Mr.. de Vries was seated
on the front steps, smoking a cigar, and
looked cool and comfortable, and as
much at peace with himself and the
world as il he were the honest, upright,
Christian gentleman his friends and ac-
! quaintances, up to three weeks ago, had
| believed him. He was, as the officer
! rode up, trying to arrange with himself
| for a trip to Mexico by the shortest pos.
sibe route. Unavoidable circumstances,
unnecessary to state, hal brought him
here, aud unavoidable circumstances
made it desirable for him to get away rs
soon as possible. He was thinking how
easily he could have got to Canada, if he
had not been obliged to come hero first,
when a voice addressed him:
"Ah, Mr.. d Vries, see ye've cut of
y'r whiskers."
Mr.. de Vries spraug to his feet, pale
as death, and faced the smiling horse
man, who sat looking at him from
point near the corner Of the house,
| around which he had quietly come. MIR.
de Vres would have drawn his revolver,
but it was not go convenient to his hand
as were the weapons of his visitor, so he
tried other tactics.
81 guess you're mistaken, my friend.
My name is White-James White"
"Oh, no, it amt" said the deputy
marshal, easily. 'I've got good reasons
for callin' yc Vrics, an l reckon We
hadn't better kick none. I'll have { ask
ye, moreover, { pack up an ride over t.
Columbus with me-"
Bat Mr.. de Vries did not want to go.
lie called on Jem Whatcom, proprietor
OF the house which was sort Of board
| Ing-house used by sportsmen during the
fishing AID hunting scasons-to witness
that he was what he claimed to be- but
Jem knew the deputy marshal, and i'm.
mcdately told the bare truth, which wa,