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

were missing from Bill 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, as they were crossing
O wet bit of land in a 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-
ed, pointing down at the trail.
by gums! it's the easterner's hoss
shoer' calculated Sam Pike after IN 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.
"Well?' said Bill tentatively at last
No one answered for a moment. Then
Sam remarked: 1T looks bad for ther
ea~sterner, sure! TIL hainat a one got
hoss shoes like them in tn district 'cept
him. I'm sorryf tn feller'sput his head
in q ropes end, boys. Butwem havete
foller him mp. Who'll go back?"
A couple Of the party volunteered
The men separated. Part OF them O
ed forward on the trail. The others
turned their horses at right angles to tho
former line of march and loped N 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
with him. She was a bright, pretty
little woman, but they hardly knew her
i'm 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 come 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 a 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
tn Bari"
Whats that demanded the easterner
angrily.
Eyer wanted down ter tn Barr Sam
repeated. For boss stealing!" 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 -
lie" he said. land you know itr'
Just then a woman's figure appeared
In the cabin doorway. 1t was Craig'e
wife.
whats the natter she questioned
~anxiously. seeing her husbands attitude.
Craig spoke up quickly: 'Go back,
Dolly They've got up q dirty story
about me and want me to go 10 the Bar.
But I'll come back In a little WHILE"
Sam had q great fear Of women's
10ngues and tears, and immediately or
dered Craig to mount q horse which
another man at q word secured from thu
stable near by. The woman had lookel
On dumbly, seeming hardly TO compre
bend what was taking place, but 10 sh.
saw her husband walk over toward thu
horse, she ran to him and threw boil
arms about him, holding him tight Il
hsr. He unclasped her arms gently afte,
m instant and mounted the horse. Il
turning in the saddle waved his hand Il
hsE. Then they rode away, and afteI
they had gone q piece Sam looked bacl
snd;saw the woman still standing there
hsr hands loosely locked before her
watching them with wide open eyes
-'She's grit ter tn backbone" muttere,
th&t worthy and dashed his horse into
gallop.
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
story. Sage Bar was In that stage Q
progress where horse stealing was
capital offense and q short shift wa
granted to offenders. But Sans protes
~thatinOthing should be done until th
Hines party returned was needed, an
fheprisoner was put In an empty cabin
He'd hand and foot. several Of the me
zgreeing to stand guard.
The afternoon waned away, and eyer
ing came, and tho Hines party did nc
make it's appearance. So Craig wa
given something to eat and then wa
fastened tightly once more, and the me
rolled themselves mp in their blankea
i front ok the cabin about II o,cloci
iesving only Jo 6tetson on guard.
Stetson sat himself down On . STUN
md liz . pipe, and with his rile aero.
his knees Cell to thinking shout som
4<mavericks' he'd had branded that a.,
Presently ne Imagined hs heard 3 u
1lep from the prairie. He raised Ii
head and listened. Just then the moo
showed i rim beyond Q sailing cloua
md it, Heht fell ON . fgure-a woman
1sure-maling it, way toward the cabt
Stetson rcse 70 his feet, letting his riA
hit drcD On the Ground. and c~rrinnsl
a.