Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1892-06-17

The sun went down, the stars came
out A dog whined and then
cheerful V zee said:
I'm b" k again"
Yes. he cried, land just in time
to give a soft touch to the hardest
day ever spent.
"Oh, what a flatterer you are but
you didn't steal the horse. did your"
No, little girl. I'll swear didn't"
II know you didn't know you
Just couldn't I've got news for
you"
What is iti'
Court meets tomorrow"
I'm glad. and yet I'm afraid"
You must not let them see that
you are scared. I'll sit by you durin
the trial
She did sit beside him the next
day and when the judge, after hear
ing the verdict, sentenced him to the
penitentiary for five years, she hung
her head and wept.
1t was evening and the prisoner
was taken back to his cell. A dark
night came on, and the wretched
man, knowing that on the morrow
he should be taken away, lay on his
straw bed wishing that he might
die. Hours passed. He was desert
ed The dog whined.
Keep quiet, Bose" some one
whispered. and the girl said softly:
You thought had forgot you"
Yes"
But ! didn't. | wanted the key
and had to wait till pap went to
sleep. They had a feller to guard
you, but | got him drunk. Pap's
drunk, too, " she giggled.
What are you going to dot" the
prisoner asked, almost breathlessly.
I'm goin to let you out, but you
must do exactly as | tell you and not
say a word. If you try to run away
they will catch you tomorrow, but if
you follow my plan they never will
find you. Come on. now"
She had unlocked the door. Come
round this way and don't say a
word. There's old Bose dog, but he
don't amount to anything. If he
had I'd have got him drunk too.
This way, now"
They went into the woods, where
the timber and underbrush were so
thick that they had to pick their
way along
Lets stop here and rest a minute"
she said.
Are we far enough away"
Yes, and they can't find us any
way when they're drunk" She gig
gled again.
Little woman, you are an angel"
No, simply girl that don't want
to see an innocent man go to the pen
itentiary."
God bless you," he said.
And may God bless you" she re-
piled, and bless you, and bless you
and keep on a-blessin you till you are
safe from the folks about here"
But what will they do with you,
little girl2"
They won't do anything to me.
Pap will scold and rear and pitch,
but that will be ALL"
But won't the officers of the law
put you in jaila"
1T wouldn't be good for one of
them if he was to try it. Mother
says I'm awful when | get started,
and sometimes / reckon / am. We'd
better go on now"
"All right, but don't you think
you'd better go backl'
IF was to leave you now you'd
wander about in the woods till they
find you"
What time do you suppose it isl"
he asked.
About o'clock"
And where will we be if we keep
on going3'
We'll get to the river about day
light"
And then whatl"
Il will show you"
Sometimes coming upon a place
less dense they walked briskly, and
then, entering the thick underbrush,
they were compelled to pick their
way along.
Its growing lighter" he said.
Yes" she answered, and the
river isn't very far now"
They trudged on, catching here
and there faint glimpses of the COM
ing sunrise.
Here we are at the river" she
cried.
And now what2" he asked.
She took hold Of his hand, and as
she led him down a bank, said:
We'll have to go up stream some
ways, but not very far, as l wasn't
much wrong. | know these woods
even in the dark"
Il don't understand you"
"See" she pointed to boat. You
know / was gone a long time the
other day. Well, l brought that boat
over here, me and an old negro
woman
Still holding his hand she led him
to the boat.
Row to the other side and float
down under the willows" she said,
He stepped in the boat, still hold
ing her hand.
Il must say goodby," he said.
"Goodby," she whispered, still
holding his hand and looking back
toward her home. A short silence
followed
Net" he said, II cannot leave