The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-03-27


ed and astonlsaeSll, hut he did not finish
the story. think no went away beliey-
ing that Buck was d bit touched; indeed
I am not sure but that the rest of us
shared tho opinion.
It was evident that for some reason a
radical change had taken place in him.
He went no more on his boisterous cru
sades, and on Sundays, when he was of
duty, I had found him several times try
ing to spell cut the words in the little
Bible | had carried with me in my wan-
derings.
For several weeks flaming bills had
been posted about announcing that there
was to be- a great time at Waho on
Christmas eve. However, when I mem
toned it to Upper he shook his head
slowly:
NAV, I did think some about it. but
Mrs. Buck Tupper"-looking up at the
picture with a half slnile-s'I flowed if
she was here she'd rather I wouldn't"
Seeing that I was disposed to listen he
went on: 81 never had Nc bringin up, /
reckon, but / sort O. felt from the first
as though that picture was a token, an
I says, some day you'll find that woman
herself, Buck Topper. OF course I never
could be fifteen for SUCH" signing hum
bly,, Cat ! made up my mind to be de-
cent an squar' anyway"
For more than a month we had been
annoyed by cattle thieves, but in spite of
the fact that we had been REINFORCED by
a daring company of men, they con
tinued to elude US. One bright, moon-
light night, however, we came down up
on a party of them. Our men at once
opened fire. AT first they showed fight,
but as we far outnumbered them their
leader, with a signal to his men, put
spurs to his horse and in a moment they
were ~galloping down the gorge, with
several of U party in pursuit.
They had gone but o short distance
when a shot took effect, and the horse of
OF the outlaws fell dead.
Larkins and I hurried forward to pre-
vent the riders escape, brit as we lifted
the saddle, by which the riaer had been
pinioned to the ground, the long cloak
and broad sombrero fell back, disclosing
the fact that our captive was a m
At this moment one Of the men came
galloping back with the news that Buck
had been shot. This Of course put an
end to the pursuit, and we hurried back
to the ranch with the wounded man.
O'Flaherty and / took charge of him,
while Harper was left in the outer room
to guard the prisoner. From the first it
was evident that Bucks wounds were
fatal. He was conscious, however, though
his mind seemed to wonder at times.
81 reckon I'm goin Shore" he said
feebly. 81 never was half decent; I
never knowed how; but, Jim," with a
pitiful, pleading look, .'if you see Mrs.
Buck Upper, / wisht you'd tell her
that tried"
l thought that the experience Of these
months had effectually hardened me, but
this was too much, and on the p~retense
of wishing to relieve Harper I left the
room.
1t was not until I was alone with the
woman that I looked at her. Then I was
transfixed with establishment. As she
sat there, the lamplight falling on her
cold, rigid face, it needed no second
glance to convince me that she was the
original of Bucks picture
This then was the angel of purity at
whose shrine the poor fellow had been
worshiping!
My first thought was he must never
know. And yet I reflected how much it
would mean to him to but see her face.
Going over to where she sat I hurriedly
told her the whole story.
"And you want me to go to himY' Her
face was cold and unfeeling, but there
was o singular sweetness in her voice.
eyes, only that he thinks you are
ST understand" with q faint smile.
After explaining matters to O'Flaherty
lied her to the bedside Of the dying man
and left them alone together.
When I returned some minutes later,
she sat beside him, and he was holding
her hand.
Achange that I could notdescribe had
come over her countenance. There was
a subdued light that only tears can give
to a woman's face.
you'll make a little pra'r for me" he
was saying pleadingly.
I'll an'tr'
eyes, little one" very tenderly. ~
flow you do feel broke up, but I never
jest knowed how, an the angels'd hear
such as you"
The woman turned q hunted look upon
the rest of us, and then slipping from
her chair dropped upon her knees:
Nov I lay me down to sleep;
pray the Lord my soul to keep.
If I should die before I wake.
Ipray the Lord my soul to take"
At first the words seemto choke her,
but there was something SO solemn about
it all that I do not think it occurred to
Of us that there was anything incon-
gruous in the repetition Of the childish
prayer at this moment.
Buck repeated the last words over after
her:
81 pray the Lord my soul to take.
eyes, 7 'low he WILL" and he was
gone.
OF course we could not think now Of
dealing with our prisoner, SO, after a
hurried consultation, we put her on
Bucks pony, and Harper and 1 rode out
to the trail with her, and the last we saw
of Mrs. Buck Topper she was vanishing
down the gorge in the gray morning
mist.