The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1892-12-24

OASOAAIA0 AoA0 AS CuOSC 10 De.
but he did not hasten about finding a
new job when he had given one up; not
until they were reduced to the very last
straits could Mat get him to hunting
work again.
One day Sam left home for a ranch
about thirty-hye miles distant, where he
had heard they wanted help. Two DAYS
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. no word
came from him. Mat was not a little
worried, although Sam had often been
away for two weeks at a time without
sending word to her. But this time it
was different; there was no excuse for
his net sending a message, as the stage
came by the ranch he had gone to three
times a week. If he had found work
there, as he expected, he could easily
have notified her. So, late in the after
moor of the fifth day. she threw her
shawl over her head and went down te
her fathers to find if they had heard
anything of Sam.
The old fellow was standing in the
doorway talking toa couple of strangers.
No. he was saying, 'they hain't
ben no person long yer las few days
but what b'longs yere. Mebbe. though.
he mout "a ben seed over we're t Bacon's.
Ben thar: No? WAL, my boys comm
in FIN thar purity soon, an he cin tell We.
Come in an feed; Jackll be yere right
sOon."
Mat staid to help her mother with
the supper, and during the course of the
meal learned that the two strangers
We're officers trailing a horse thief, whit
had stolen a valuable horse at a ranch
forty miles east and sold it at Pickett
station. and who was believed to have
come this way.
As she listened to the Conversations
sudden nameless fear came upon her,
making her feel i'll and faint. As soon
as supper was over she took her shawl
and hurried home.
Somehow she was not surprised to find
the door open. She entered hastily.
Sam wa in bed, asleep and breathing
~stertorously. He had evidently beer
drinking, as his clothes were scattered
about the floor, and Mat, looking out
the back door, could see his pony stand
ing patiently where Sam had left him.
waiting for some one to come and feed
him.
Mat leaned owe 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. Instinctively Mat thrus!
her hand into itand drewi it forth, clasp
ing several gold pieces. AS she did sc
her eyes opened wide, and she stood as
If stunned for a time, her heart chilled
with the same strange fear that had
stricken her awhile ago and impelled hel
to hurry home.
She rushed to the bed and shook Sam
roughly. Sam! Sam. wake upr' she
almost screamed.
The man turned over and looked al
her stupidity. "Hlo, M-Mat! Yere, b.
ye? Gimme kiss" he said in a dull tone
"Not twell We tells me whar We done
got these yere thingst" Mats voice
sounded broken and shrill.
Sam sat up and rubbed his head, look
lIS at liCI III III lilhCu WOu0tI. W-N-N
them-them thar, honey?'
She shook him fiercely and said in
lower tone-a tone of earnest force:
Tell me, Sam Toms, whar We done
got these yere coins. Quick nowr"
Her tone partially sobered the man
whose eyes opened wider as he asked
querulously: /
What n hell We so all fired fussx
bout? | hain't done nothin," and he
laughed in a half drunken, half nervous
way.
Sam, whar did We git 'em?"
He sat dumbly staring at her.
"Sam'-her voice vas full of horror
Ibid you steal that thar hoss?:'
No answer; but Mat saw by his ewes
she had guessed the truth. Slowly the
coins fell from her hand to the floor
slowly her head bent forward until heI
face touched the pillow. For minutes
she did not until Sam, who
had been staring at her wonderin.ly
reached out his big hand and laid i.
c~aressingly Oh her head. Then she sp-anp
to her feet, her hot eyes glaring and hel
form trembling with anger and horror
She did not speak, but fixed her gaze or
his face for a few seconds. He did moi
meet her look, and presently she turned
and ran out of the door.
Sam, almost sober now, called after
her, but she did not answer. He got oui
of bed slowly and started to dress him
self. He had almost finished when Mat
accompanied by her father and the two
strangers, returned.
THAR he is-an thar's tn money!" she
said, and passed on out through the back
door without looking at Sam.