Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1892-10-13

Infinite caution she moved down the IN
carpeted, creaking stairs. She stole
about the kitchen in her stocking feet
until she had placed the simple meal
which Joshua desired. on the table.
Cause maybe I might be prevented
from getting home, and there amt no
need for him to go hungry" she thought.
Her preparations completed, she
wrapped thick shawl about her, tied
her decent black bonnet under her chin,
and went out into the moonlight. She
locked the door behind her, although
not without bordering whether this
could be safe, since there was the risk
of fire; but there was the risk Of thieves
and murderers as well, and another door
and the windows would remain for es-
cape if the house took fire, therefore she
locked it in the end. All she carried
with her was a black satin bag lem
broidered with crimson fiower) which
had been given her by Mrs. Dwight
Inside she still kept the card bearing
the inscription, From Erminie to Luz
cetta.
4 dare say she'll think it's dretful
wicked, but 1 cayn't help it. There
amt no other way" thought the old
woman.
She stood for moment looking about
the farm bathed in moonlight. A silver
pathway narrowed over the exDanse of
wheat stubble into the horizon per-
SpectiVe. One could family distin-
guish the color of the leaves on the
poplar trees and the yellow sides of the
bullying haymOWs. A dotted line of fire
swept across the silver path, the west
bound train. ooh, dearie me, dearie mel"
groaned Judith. Il got to stop him be-
fore he runs awayi"
She had thought it all out, and, while
she shivered with fright and anguish,
she did not hesitate once.
Huddled in her shawl, she opened the
barn door and went to the colt stall.
Her eyes travelled wistfuIly to the farm
horses munching their cOrn-only her
eyes, for she knew they were too tired
for a midnight ride. Tremblingly she
united the terrible colt, distracting his
attention as much as possible by some
corn, and keeping as far from his uneasy
feet as her short arms would let her.
The colt tossed his head and dashed his
! tail, and the other horses made ugly
noises on the floor. Cold drops stood on
Judith's pale face, nevertheless she
| saddled Starlight and led him to the
! buggy, where she managed TO mount.
| The saddle was a mans saddle. Jest
as we'll. thought the rider, @I can stick
on better, and L got to stick on, cause
if get off on the prairie never in this
world can get on the critter again"
Thus she set forth, a queer little
! shape, astride her mans saddle, with
| her shawl blown behind her. The sta
ton at Delmar is small wooden build
ing with a long platform. At night it
has deserted, dreary aspect. with the
stove glimmering redly through the open
space OF window, the locked doors and
the lonely telegraph operator doing a t
| his desk. Behind the station is a fence.
! To this fence rode Judith just as the
town clock struck 10. She climbed Ia
boriously of the horses back and tied
him to the fence by knot possible only
to a woman.
sob. Lord be praised, at last I'm of
! that boss back" cried the rider. guy
myself up for lost fifty times tonight "
She walked up and down the platform
waiting for the banker, Startling. Not
until the Chicago train had gone with
out him would she CO. She had deter
mined TO see him that night; if he did
not come to the train she would 60 to
the house, but she was fully persuaded
by some mysterious and feminine intui-
ton that Startling meant to fly.
The half hour struck. It's getting
dretful late and unseemly,@ grOaned
the old wife. who had not been out
alone at night for twenty years, but ]
caynt help il.
The night air was bitterly chilly; she
did not think of her own dngling feet
and shiyering frame. but the horse. the
colt Joshua hoped to sell for S10O, he
might catch cOldi Would she better
wrap her shawl about him or walk him
around the little open plot Of ground to
exercise his muscles? In one case she
should be cold. in the other-she did not
dare to undertake the other. So she
wrapped the colts TANKS in warm wool