Rock Island Argus., 1893-12-12
the wooMsHuMea.s w,ee.

AZ midnight there came asuddm knock
ing at the door Of the mountainccr's cabin.
"who's thsr!"
''Open the door, Bush! I have i've men
With me, and it's NO use for you 70 resist.
II We have 20 fire into the windows, some q
your family will be killed"
"I'll come out What ails 70 all any
way!"
"It's for mooushining, Bush"
"Huhi I'm not skeart Of that. Yo' all
would a-showcd more sense to come by day
light. Rcub Bush hnin't been a-hidin from
nobody"
A deputy United States marshal and
posse on the one side, and the owner Of a 90
ecrc farm on the other. There's u still
hidden away in some gorge Of the noun
tain, but the marshal's men have spent
days and days in n vain search. Some ono
has given inform alton that Rcub Bush il
nioonshincr. however, and he is to be car
riei OF to Jail in hope that n case may he
! worked mp against him. In 10 minutes the
mountainecr is ready to go with the posse.
, He bc,rnys neither indignation nor sur
prise. His wife has few questions to ask
and no tears to she'd His three children
have bccn aroused from sleep, but they rub
their eyes and stare blankly ut the officers
| and utter no word.
who all did it, Rcub." queries the wife
IN n whisper.
Dan Msachcm. reckon" he replies.
| ''IIim went to town today on his mewl
llim's jest that oncry."
They hRndcuh him and hurry hlm away.
| The children drop back on their pillows
| and fall asleep again. and the woman blows
out the candle and seeks her bed. Dan
Mcachcm l. n constable ut the crossroads
hamlet, three miles away. The woman
could recall two or three other cases in
which he was believed to lie guilty of Civ
ing information, :.nd rs her heart hardened
she said aloud:
III they all let Rcub 60 it will I've all
right. but If they all put him in prison Dan
| Mcachcin shall die"
There was no more thinking or wonder
ing or planning. She had said she would
do thus and so. Her resolution was I'M
changcablc. Shr hoped her husband would
return that day. but he did not. DAYS
passed. and Ct the end Of q week a nc:ghbor
told her that the government had n case
against Rcub aad would hold him for
trial. She did not fling herself down and
T, weep. Her eyes were not even moist Us
she turned TO her children and said:
'Childrcn. yo'r pops gwinc ter be shet
| mp in Jail fur n right smart wk:lc, and it's
!, no use TO look fur him.
"What's jail." asked one in dreamy
way.
place fur pore folks who try to make a
| livin. Scatter of To bed now, cause yo'r
| nam wants to think"
She sat in front Of the log fire with her
| elbow on her knee and her chin on her hand
until they were fast asleep. Then she rose
| mp and reached down the long barreled
| rifle from its resting place on the deer
horns. 1t was loaded. Size drew the charge,
wiped the barrel clan and reloaded. Her
| face had worn IN expression OF sadness as
she sat looking into the fire. She had TO
sooner taken down the rifle than u danger
| ous clcain came to her eyes aud she shut
her teeth so hard TIA: l:cr breathing was
!aborc,i.
| They all mr. Gwiac tn hang to Reuh.''
she said rs She replaced the gun. ''a,ld TO.
| morrcr I'll ai:ibush Dan Msachc.n"
That settled il. sh. WAS abc,l ana :islecr
| 20 minutes later In the morning She would
| shoot the man who betrayed her husband
to the officers. Why not, An eye for an
| eye lad always bccn her maSiui. OF course
| she would shoe; him. lie no ,loub, expect
| ell her To do 40. She never slept more
| scundly than on this night. After break
fast next morning she sad to the children:
| "MaTns ;winc To the cru-sroa,.s. Yo'
| all Kin Keep tn, cabin while I'm gene
Dan Mcachcm WIS hoci.i. corn in "a field
half mile from his bbusc. At 10 o'clock,
| as he reached the wcs. end of II row and
leaned ON his hoe to lrs. for "a moment, .,
tongue of flame dar.e,l oit of the Bushes, a
| rifle cracked, ;I.il the man fell back dead,
| shot through the heart.
II said would, and Ecv." whispered
Rcub Bush's wife ;,s she stool ,ip and
| looked over the hazel bushes at the man
lying o: his back three rods away ..Dar,
was OEcry. Him give Reub up. Him de-
| served it,"
AT noon she was nome with her children.
| They were not observing children, or ,hey
would have noticed her pale face and com.
pressed lips. She had work to do. but she
laid /; aside and sat down on the doorstep
| with her pipe. She had shot IA man. She
was whiting for men to come and arrest
her for the crime. She had been seen on
the highway with the rifle on her shoulder,
ard no doubt she would at once lie suspect
cd. Very well; let them come.
An hour before sunset an officer drove up
"Howdy. Mrs. B,ish!''
'howdy. Tom.''
Got to 20 with me fur shootin Dave
Aleachcm.''
"Yaas."
She put on her sunbonnet, refilled and
lighted her pipe and was ready. The chill.
drcn betrayed no ciIriosity-asked no unes.
tions. AS she followed the officer out Il
the wagon she said:
"IO' all sh-t up the cabin mn 70 over tc
Uncle Jim's. They all is gwinc to hang
yo'r mann fur shoot in Dan Meachef, ~