The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1893-01-13

as supper was over she TOOK her shawl
and hurried home.
Somehow she was not surprised TO
find the door open. She entered hasti-
ly. Sam was in bed asleep and breath
ing stertorous ly. He had evidently
been drinking, as his clothes were scat
tered about the floor, and Mat, looking
cut the back door, could see his pony
standing patiently where Sam had left
him, waiting for some one TO come and
feed him. Mat leaned over the sleep
ing 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 ne avy, and some
thing jingled in one of the pockets.
Instinctively Mat thrust her hand into
il and drew it forth clasping several
gold pieces. AS she did so her eyes
opened wide and she stood as If stunned
for time, her heart chilled with the
same strange fear that had stricken her
awhile ago and impelied her 10 hurry
home.
She rushed 10 the bed and shook Sam
roughly. sam Sam!-wake up.' she
almost screa med.
The man turned over and looked at
her stupidity. "Hlo, M-Mat! Ycre, be
ye? Gimme kiss" he said, in a dull
tone.
Not twell We tell me whar We done
got these yere things!" Mats voice
sounded broken and shrilL
Sam sat up and rubbed his head, look
ing at her in drunken won der. "W-w'y,
thcm--thcm thar, honey?"
She shook him fiercely, and said, in a
lower toue-a tone of earnest force:
Tell me, Sam Toms. whar We done
got these yere coins! Quick, now!'
Her tone partially sobered the man,
whose eyes opened wider as he asked,
querulously:
What We so alfred fussy bout?
hain't done nothin'." And he laughed
in a half-drunlIen, half-nervous way.
Sam! ,rhar did We git emp"
He sat dumbly staring at her.
SAM" her voice was full of horror,
did you steal that thar hoss?"
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 wonde ringly,
reached out 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 on his face for a few seconds.
He did not meet her look, and present
ly she turned and ran out Of the door.
sam, almost sober now, called after
her. but she did not answer. He got
out of bed slowly and started TO dress
himself lie had almost finished, when
Matt, 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.
There was Jail at the crossroads;
it was a primitive affair, but solid and
substantial. II was a dugout in the
side-hill, and had heavy oak door and
great steel hinges and lock. 1t was
plenty strong enough TO hold a dozen
men, all anxious to escape-and Sam
Toms did not try TO escape. He only
sat still in the low, damp, darksome
room and tried TO understand how it
had all happened. 1t must be a drunk
en- dream-but, no, he was almost
sober, and knew where he was and
how and why he was there. But-hc
could not understand. Had Mat-was
II It1llt hdls " no lld4 given MN ups
There must be some mistake.
The big, strong man finally began TO
realize it all. He lay down on the
bunk and cried himself to sleep, like a
child.
1t must have been about one o'clock
in the morning when some one silently
entered the house of old Bill Bum,
constable. This some one entered by
the back door, went stealthily into the
room where Bill and his wife slept.
rummaged about a few minutes and
then emerged from the house. 1t was
woman, and she had something in
her hand.
Sam Toms was awakened, a little
after this, by rattling, jarring sound.
He sprang up, just as the big oazcn
doors swung back and revealed the
figures of a woman and two saddle
horses.
Il come FIR ye, Sam" said the wom-
an, with a sob. Il done brung both
ponies an ou' clo'es. Les go. Sam; we
en- gIt 'crost tn rivah bcfo' mawnin'.
| Gomez"
He clasped her in his arms, and they
clung To each other a little while.
The n Mat said, more steadily:
Come, sam. Les go ovah { Mexico
an mebbe we en- try N do better
ovah thar.
And they rode forth in the bright,
free moonlight, down towards the Rio
Grande-Into new and better life
r. L. Ketchum, in san Francisco Argo-
| naut.