The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1893-07-31
A PLUCKY WIFE.

were missing from Bin Hines drove.
Fifteen minutes after Bill had reported
his loss at the bar a party had found
the trail andridden Off toward the south
west. Presently, az they were crossing
q wet bit of land in q hollow, Bill, who
led the party, looked sharply at the
hoof prints sunk deep in the soil and
refined up quickly.
Look at that shoe mark" he exclaim-
cd, pointing down at the trail.
by guns! it's the fasteners boss
shoer' calculated Sam Pike after an in
stant's scrutiny Of the footprints among
which were several larger than the rest
and showing the clear impress Of q shoe.
The others were those of unshod horses.
Then the party scanned the marks close
ly. Then the men looked at each other
with ugly frowns.
"Wellg' said Bill tentatively at last.
No one answered for a moment. Then
Sam remarked: at locks bad for ther
e~asterner, sure! Tn hain't any one got
hoss shoes like them in tn district 'cept
him. I'm sorryf tn feller'sput his head
in q ropes end. boys. Butwen haveter
foller him up. Who'll go backP' ss esse
A couple Of the party volunteered
The men separated. Part Cd; them NOV
ed forward on the trail. The others
turned their horses at right angles to the
former line Of march and Hoped ON to-
ward the fasteners cabin.
The easterner, otherwise Jack Craig,
of whom they had been speaking, had
been in Sage Bar only a short time. He
was a tenderfoot, out and out. When
he came to the Bar he brought his wife
little woman, but they hardly knew her
in the settlement. Craig always had
been reserved. and the two had kept by
themselves in the little cabin which
stood a mile or more away from town.
So Sage Bar had com to consider the
pair a queer lot" and to designate
them as 9Th easterner an his wife,"
which was intended to be anything but
complimentary.
When the trailing party refined up In
front of Craig's cabin. they found the
object of their search sitting ON q log
before the door smoking. From his
dress, despatched with mud, it was evil
dent that he had just returned from rid
ing. The party exchanged glances Of
understanding.
Sam Pike came to the point at once.
Craig" he said, eyer wanted down ter
th' Bari"
whats that" demanded the easterner
sngrily.
Eyer wanted down ter tn Barr Sam
repeated. "For boss stealingp' he added.
Craig's face was afiame in the instant.
He sprang from his seat, throwing back
his hand to his hip. But the others had
him covered, and his hand dropped
loosely by his side again. Its q -
He" he said. land you know itT
Just then a woman's figure appeared
I'm the cabin doorway. 1t was .Craig's
wife.
"What's the natter she questioned
a~nxiously, seeing her husbands attitude.
Craig spoke up quickly: "Go back,
Dollyi They've got up a dirty story
about me and want me to 60 10 the Bar.
But I'll come hack in q little WHILE"
Sam had q great fear of women't
1ongues and tears, and immediately or
dered Craig to mount q horse which
smother man at o word secured from thu
stable near by. The woma had looked
On dumbly, seeming hardly to compre
bend what was taking place, but as sh,
INV her husband walk over toward thu
horse. she ran to him and threw botl
arms about him. holding him tight 3.
hsr. He ~unclaspsd her arms gently afte,
IN instant and mounted the horse. K
turning In the saddle waved his hand Il
hE. Then they rode away, and afte
xhey had gone q piece Sam looked bacl
sndssaw the woman still standing there
her hands loosely locked before her
watching them with wide open eyes
Shes grit ter tn backbone muttere.
that worthy and dashed his horse into
gal1op.
AllSage Bar crowded around the part
when they drew rein In town, and ther
weresome who would have strung Graf
mp upon the spot when Sam had told th
sorry. Sage Bar was In that stage q
progress where horse stealing was
capital offense and q short shift wa
granted to offenders. But Sans protee
thatinothing should be done until "a
Hines party returned was needed, an
theprisoner was put I'm an empty cabir
led hand and foot. several of the me
agreeing to stand guard.
The afternoon waned away, and evea
ing came, and tho Hines party did az
make Ito appearance. So Craig wa
given something to eat and then wa
tastened tightly once more, and the me
rolled themselves up In their blanked
= front ok tho cahin about II osclocl
fesving only 10 Stetson on guard.
Stetson sat himsslf down Oh 8 Stun
md liz i pipe, and with his rife aero.
III knees Tell to thinking about son
mavericks" he'd had branded that ia,
Presently hs imagined he heard ! =
1tsp nom the prairis. He raised b
I'D and listened Just then the moe
nkowed ! rim beyond q sailing clou,
nnd tts LIGHT fell on D fgure-a woman
aure-maEing it, way toward tho cabt
Gfetson rose 10 his fset, letting his ria
butt drop 0n the ground and c~nrions