Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1892-12-29
NUMBER 20

the door open. She entered hastily.
Sam was ia bed, asleep and breathing
stertorously. He had evidently been
drinking, as his clothes were scattered
about the floor, and Nat, looking out
the back door, could zee his pony stand
ing patiently where Sam had left him.
waiting for some one To come and feed
him.
Mat leaned over 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 Id one of
the pockets. Instinctively Mat thrust
her hand into it and drew it forth, clasp
ing several gold pieces. As she did 81
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 her
tO hurry home
She rushed to the bed and shook Sam
roughly. "5aml Sam. wake up she
almost screamed
The man turned over and looked at
her stupidity "H'lo, M-Matl Yere, be
We: Gimme kiss he said In a dull tone.
s'Not twell ye tells me whar ye done
got these we're thingsr' Mats voice
sounded broken and shrill.
Sam sat up and rubbed his head, look
ing at her in drunken wonder. .4W-w-y,
them-them thar, honey:v
She shook him fercely and said in
lower tone-a tone Of earnest force:
'sTell me, Sam Toms, whar ye done
got these yere coinsi Quick nowrr
Her tone partially sobered the man,
whose eyes opened wider as he asked
querulously:
What u hell We 30 all fired fussy
'bouts 1 hain't done nothin,n and he
laughed in half drunken, half nervous
way.
Sam, whar did We git emf
He sat dumbly staring at her.
'.Samr-her voice was full Of horror
'.did you steal that thar hossgr
No answer; but Mat saw by his eyes
she had guessed the truth. Slowly the
coins fell from her hand to the floor;
slowly her head bent forward until her
face touched the pillow. For minutes
she did not move-nOt until Sam, who
had been staring at her wonderingly.
reached ont his big hand and laid it
caressingly On her head. Then she sprang
to her feet. her hot eyes glaring and her
form trembling with anger and horror.
She did not speak. but fixed her gaze Oh
his face for q few seconds. He did not
meet her look and presently she turned
and ran out of the door
Sam, almost sober now, called after
her, but shc did not answer. He rot out
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 til money" " she
said, and passed Oh out through the back
door without looking at Sam.
Taera was W Jail At the crossroads; IA
was q primitive affair, but solid and sub
stantial iii wa u dugout i'll the side hill,
and had y heavy oak door and great steel
hinges and lock- It was plenty strong
enough to hold dozen men. all anxious
to escaps-and Sam Toms did not try 10
aseapA. He only ant Sill in tine low,
damp. darksoinc room and tried 10 UNI
derstand how it all happened.
1t must be q drunken dream-but, no.
lie was almost sober. and knew where
lie was and how and why be was there.
BHt-he could not understand. Had
Mat-was it really Nat who had given
him ups There must be some mistake.
The biz. strong man finally began to
realize it all. He lay down Oh the bunk
and cried himself TO sleep like a child
1t must have been about l o'clock
in the morning when some one silently
entered tile house of old Bill Bum, con
stable. This some one entered by the
back door. went stealthily into the room
where Bill and his wife slept, rummaged
about d few minutes. and then emerged
from the house. lit was d woman, ana
she had something in her hand.
F Sam Toms was awakened little af-
I ter this by rattling. jarring sound.
y He sprang up Just as the big oaken
doors swung back and revealed the fig
VI ures Ut a woman and two saddle horses.
Il come fr ye, Sam, said the woman
( with q sob. III done bring both ponies
an ou' clotes. Les w, sam; we en- git
'crost til rivah befo' mawnin. Gomez
He clasped IT. il his arms and they
clung to each other little while. Then
Mat said. more st aiily:
aCome, sum- Les 70 ovah Y Mexico
7 -an mebbe we en- try an do better oyga
thar
And they rode forth in the bright ir-e
moonlight down toward tie Rio Grande
Into new and better life.-R- l..
Ketchnm III ArgOlaHt.