The Hazel Green herald. [volume] (Hazel Green, Wolfe County, Ky.) 1885-19??, 1893-01-20

'N"'hhh ~ IibNt WlNUln ultN
days. lie could almost always find an.
other job easily enough. for he was an
excellent hand" when nc chose to be
but he did not hasten about finding
I new job when he had given one up; not
until they were reduced To the very
last straits could Mat get him TO hunt
ing work again.
One day Sam left home for "A ranch
| about thirty.ilve miles distant. where
he mad heard they wanted help Two
days passed-threc-fo ilve-and no
word came from him. Mat was not a
little worried, although Sam had often
been away for two weeks at "A time
without sending word to her. But this
,timc II was different; there was no cx-
cuse for his not sending message, as
the stage came by the ranch he had
gone To three times IA week. IL he had
found work there, ms he expected, he
could easily have notified her. So late
in the afternoon of the fifth day, she
threw her shawl over her head aud
went down To her fathers, To find IL
they had heard anything OF Sam.
The old fellow was standing in The
doorway, talking To- couple OF
strangers.
NO" he was saying, 'thcy hain't
he no person long ycre, las few DAYS,
but what b'longs we're Mcbbe, though
he mout ben seed over we're { Ba-
cons. Ben thar? No? Wa-al, my
boys comm in FIN thar purity soon, an
he en- tell We. Come in an feed; Jaclill
be ycro right soon"
Mat stayed TO help her mother with
tho supper, and during the course of
the meal learned that the two stran gers
were officers trailing II horse thief, who
had stolen valuable horse at "a ranch
forty miles east and sold IL at Pickett
Station, and who was believed To have
como this way.
As she listened to the conversation u
sudden namelcss fear came upon her,
making her feel faint and ILL., As soon
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 Stcrtorously. lie 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 he avy, and some.
thing jingled in one OF the pockets
Instinctively Mat thrust her hand into
it and drew it forth clasping several
gold pieces As she did 80 her eyes
opened wide and she stood a. II stunned
for time, her heart chilled with the
same strange fear that had stricken her
awhile ago and impelicd her to hurry
home.
She rushed To the bed and shook Sam
roughly. SAM sam! wake up" she
almost scrca AIMED,
The man turned over and looked Mt
her stupidity. "n'lo, M-Mat! lcrc, be
yc? Gimme kiss" he SAID, in IA dull
tone.
Not twcll we tell me whar We done
got these -1hings" Mats voice
sounded broken and Shrill.
sam sat up and rubbed his head, look !
ing at her in drunken wonder "W-wy
them them thar, honey
She shook him Gcrccly, and said, in a
lower touc--a tone Of earnest force:
Tell me, Sam Toms, whar yc done
got these ycrc coins. Quick, now
Her tone partially sobercd the man,
whose eyes opened wider rs he asked,
ENORMOUSLY:
What We SO ALFRED fussy bout" |
hain't done nothin," And he laughed
in a half-drunkcn, half-ncrvous way.
"Sam, rldr did yc git 'cm?'
He sat dumbly staring NJ 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 wondcringly, |
reached out his big hand and laid 1t
caressingly on her head Then she |
sprang To her feet, her hot eyes glaring, |
ard her form trembling with anger and
horror. She did not speak, but fixed
her gaze on his face for IA few seconds. |
lie 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. He had almost finished, when |
Matt, accompanied by her father and
the two strangers, returned.
Thar he is-an thar's tn money"
She said md passed on out through |