Evening journal., 1892-10-04


case of a woman fleeing out into the
darkness to escape the murderers of her
husband and the abductors of her child!
The mother was near enough to hear
her daughters cry of pain and the
shouts of the man who overhauled her.
For a moment she thought of returning
to give herself up, but then came tho
thought that if Lizzie was to be rescued
and the murderers punished all depend
ed on her. She could see through the
entire plot now, but she could not be-
lieve that it included any one except the
four renegades. If she could reach the
camp ON the river the men would turn
out and hunt the four to their deaths.
The widow and mother was crouched
on the earth within thirty rods of the
wagon when it drove away. She feared
to move until she could no longer hear
the rumble of the wheels, and then she
rose and ran forward, believing she was
following the trail of the train. She
remembered it was only six miles, but
1t was two long hours before she stopped
for moments rest. She saw no signs
of stream. She had come far enough
to reach the south fork, but where was
it?
Almost like a flash Of lightning the
thought came to the woman, Il have
gono wrong-I am lostw The thought
took away her courage in a moment,
and she found herself unable to reason
intelligently.
She was lost-lost on the great plains,
and that by night!
Then the poor woman did exactly
what many a man has done. Instead Of
resting until the alarm had passed away
and until daylight should come to guide
her Alright, she rose. and ran away from
herself, or tried to. All night long she
wandered about in an erratic way and
daylight found her back within half a
mile Of the spot where the wagon had
stood.
She seemed to have aged twenty years
in a single night. Her face was pinched
and drawn; her eyes were sunken; heI
form bent as if she bore burden on her
shoulders.
"They are lostl I've got to find EN-
Daniel and Lizziev she mustered as she
faced the sun. I've called and called
but they won't answer. Coo-eei Coo-ee
No. they won't answer"
She was advancing slowly upon the
dead body of her husband.
Where's Daniely Where's LizzieY
shouted the woman. why, this il
Daniel He is asleepl Poor man, bu
he must be tiredw
She had discovered the body.
"POor Daniel, but you We're lostr
crooned the woman as she sank dow
beside the body. "You are tired an,
rleepy. Yes, you may sleep. Twill keel
very quiet. Maybe Lizzie will sool
come"
She rocked her body to and fro as i
she had child in her arms, and nov
and then she reached out her hand an,
patted the arm which lay stifiy extend
ed on the earth beside her.
The sun climbed up and up.
Would some of the trainmen rid
back TO see why Brown had not joine,
them? The fact that he had not com
up the night before would be proof tina
he was still in trouble. Would the
leave the river without knowing o
caring what had become of him and tn
helpless women? And they would ais
miss the renegades, and perhaps suspec
some plot of evil.
Higher climbed the sun.
lhs train had gone on. Il was no
like Americans-it would have been dis
graceful to heathens to thus abando-
one who had come with them so far an
met with an accident TO render hir
helpless. It was avarice-the thirst 70
gold-the fear that some one would b
ahead Of them at the base Of yonde
grim mountain.
The woman rocked and crooned an
dozed all through the long Afternoon
; A wolf crept out of his lair in the rock
and approached the spot.
) HAS Lizzie Gomez queried the watcl
er as a savage growl suddenly arouse
? her. "No, it is not Lizziel Go ava
from usl You are one of the relegad
gangl You helped to steal my clsidw
The wolf drew back. 1t was only
woman watching the dead, but he feare
her.
The deserted one resumed her lionel
vigil, rocking weakly and mutterir
vaguely. AS the sun sank in the Yves
ern sky her voice grew fainter, al
when its dying rays illumined Il
mournful scene she fell forward besiC
her murdered husband and expir,
without sigh.
rrr r,nrY,r, WV