The Opelousas courier., 1892-10-22

VA s @S~~SJ ~ VA AA =
neighboring State.
Next moraing, bright and early, Che
seputy- marshal rode gayly forth. He
had made a small "borrow," and won o
hundred or so, the night before; he
would make five hundred dollars and
some fees to-day; and these facts, to.
gether with the brightness OF the morn.
ing, the beauties of nature and the ex-
cellent breakfast he had just eaten, con-
spired to make him, if anything. more
cheerful than usual, and that was very
cheerful, indeed. There was only one
thing that troubled him, and that was
the fact that no reward was offered for
the arrest Of de Vries, whose history he
had read in the papers.
eth ideel" the deputy-marshal said
to himself. "Hyar's this high toned cuss
firm Ohio-busts a bank, robs lis %fr'en's,
an takes tn bread away firm orph'ns an
widders, an gifts away; no r'ward fl
him! Hyar's a poor moonshiner, got
nothin' but a still t. keep is family on,
an thinks he's got jest's much right t.
make whisky as anybody else; shoots
a revenoo offuser th't mos likely shot at
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 a little valley into
which the by-road had led him from the
main trail. He looked to his revolvers
carefully, to see that they were all right
for the emergency which was quite prob
able, and decided IN a plan of action.
He d amounted, and proceeded on foot
toward the shabby, tumble down log
cabin that stood in a little clearing on
the hillside above him.
AS he reached the edge of the clearing,
he halted, and took note of the cabin
aud 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. "Kindsoo' decent, pears like"
thought the deputy-marshal, as be
sneaked around to advance ON the house
from the rear. "Wonder where all tn
folks isl"
As he emerged from The thiaket at the
rear of the house and started t7ward it,
two or three scrawny ours rushe lat him,
barking fercely, but no one APPEARED to
silence them. He spoke to them quietly,
and presently they drew off, somewhat
Modified, but still growing suspciously.
Then the deputy-marshal tip-toed quietly
up to the open window and looked in.
On a tumbled, forlorn-looking bed, at
the other end OF the long room, lay,
propped up with the bed clothing, a
young woman, evidently in the last stages
of consumption. She was Breathing in
short, quick gasps-fghtiug bravely for
q few minutes respite from the end that,
Bob could see, was so near. Her wasted
hands rested on the hea Is of two little
children who were crying softly, in Their
uncomprehending way, in sympathy with
the broad -shouldered mau WHO, vita his
arms about the dying one, as it to hold
her back from the awful shadows, was
sobbing his heart out.
"oh, Sue, I CANT let ye go! Don't
go an leave me-don'tl An Tom an
Moll-they-they-"
"Don't, Tom," came in a weak voice
from the form on the bed. ats dretful
hard t. go an leave you all, but it halt
be. I'm glad ye think I've ben a good
wife to ye-an-Fe n-promise me
ye1l allus DO good = our children
won't ye, Tom, deari"
The man only sobbed aud nodded his
head. The slight form his arms elapsed
was shaken by a fit of coughing that was
awful to hear, and the deputy marshal,
whose cheeks were wet with unwonted
tears, murmured: t'Poor thing; oh, poor
thing!"
Then the weak voice continued.
~ know ye will, Tom. I'm only
afeared o one thing; what1l tn babies
do ef-ef they sh'd ketcb ye an put ye
in jail7 Be keerful, Tom, oh, be keer-
full, Fl their sakes, won't yea My pore
bab;es-my pore babies"
There came another fit of coughing,
terrible than the other, during
which Bob Stiles wiped bis eyes on bis
with nervous fingers pulled the
money bad won the night before from
lis pocket, rolled it up and threw it on
ne floor of the cabin. Then he turned,
without another look at the man he had
to arrest, and hurried to the spot
where he had left his horse, sobbing all
be way-for Bob Stiles, ga bier, still
lad a heart, though he had thought it
'uried in the grave OF the wife whose
Dung lie had gone from her just as this
Voman's was going.
1t was late 10 the afternoon when the
equity marshal rode up to the house
Hamilton de Yries, ex-banker,
1as staying. Mr.. de Vries was seated
n the front-steps, smoking a cigar, and
,oked cool and comfortable, ani as
,uch at peace with himself and the
7orld as if he were the honest, upright,
gentle nan his friends and ac-
uaintances, up to three weezs ago, had
elieved him. He was, as the officer
ode up, trying to arrange with himself
Or a trip to Mexico By the shortest pos.
BILE route. Unavoidable circumstances,
necessary to state, had brought him
ere, and unavoidable circumstances I
ade it desirable for him TO get away as !.
as possible. He was thinking how /
silly he could have got to Canada, If he !
d not been obliged to coma here first, !
hen q voice addressed him:
tsAh, afr. d. Vries, | see we've cut of
whiskers."
Mr.. de Vries sprang to his feet, pale !