Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-10-03
BRAVE BETTY.


 county of West Virginia, and then pris- oner was brought in by half dozen of ticers and chained to ring in the wall. l The prisoner was a broad shouldered young man, with long, black hair and piercing eyes. As he passed into the jail | part of the building Betty Rainsfortl, i the pretty wild flower daughter of Jailer Rainsford, caught sight of him. She l sprang forward with the word Jim" 1 trembling on her lips, but instantly re- strained herself and turned away with apparent unconcern.
 Jim SpringSton was a moonShiner. In other words. he manufactured liquor without government license and was ! therefore hunted by United States de ! tectives. He had still among the dark recesses of the mountains, where for years he had pursued his unlawful call ing. At last, however, he had been trapped by Detective Johnson and his deputies, but his capture was effected only after Il hard fight, in which Spring ston had wounded two deputies slightly and had himself received a flesh wound 1 in his left arm.
 Well, we've got another desperado, and the court will soon make short work of him." said Johnson 10 the jailer as he | came out from securing the prisoner l Il shall look to you to see that he does not escape" and tho officer twirled be | tween his fingers the key of the paddock which secured SprinSston, at the same | time stridinG out. After placing his 1 deputies on guard around the insecure structure to prevent rcCapture by the | prisoners friends, or to Circumvcnt any efforts on the part of the prisoner him self to escape, Captain Johnson went to tho only lodging house in the village 1 where he pat up for the night.
 The reader has already surmised that the members of the Rainsford family were at least acquainted with Jim | Springston. He was, ill fact. the affi- anced husband of Betty, who had all ready resolved to rescue her lover at all | hazards. Her father was, to say the i least, morally responsible to the law for the safekeeping of SprinSston. and she 1 knew II would be of no avail to turn in that direction for relief. In fact. she l would not have released Jim from jail if she could have done so with her own hands, as it would have brought censure l and disgrace down on the head of her father and created the suspicion that the Rainsford family was in league with the illicit distillers.
 Jim Sprlngston had been frequent visitor to the Rainsford household for the previous year or two and had won his promised bride over numerous rival suitors. but the head of the household did not know he was a violator of the law until brought in that evening. | N.,,t 1E but the moment she had learned of the arrest she decided in favor of Jim. | At supper that evening the elder Rains ford stated that, whil1Aae sympathized with Springston. he could See no way but that he would have to go to prison.
 Betty aCQuiesccd meekly, but her brain was busy with plan of her own.
 \ passing country doctor had dressed tho wounds of tho deputies and the pris- oner. Betty looked down at the latter operation. but not even look of recog- milton passed between herself and lover They seemed to pursue that course intu- itively. They were as strangers, and thus darkness settled over the quiet country village.
 Just after midnight, when the alcrtncSS of the guards was henumbed by druwsi- ness, dark figure stole to the window of the jail. A voice almost us still as the night itself called: "Jiml Oh. Jim. Don't stir or make noise. It's Betty" There was a soft answer denoting that he heard her, and she went un thus. Read this note when daytime rumes and obey instructions carefully" thrust ing the paper through the bars and into the hands of the prisoner hv means of a long stick.
 After breakfast the next morning the prisoner was taken out and mounted on horse. and the officers also mounted their horses. and the party set off for the nearest railroad station, a distance of 50 miles. Just Us the horsemen cantercd away glance from Betty to Jim as sured each that both understood the programme.
 Captain Johnson felt elated over the capture of Springstun for the reason, first, that there was d handsome reward awaiting his safe delivery into the hands of the government and. secondly, be cause the capture added another large feather to the already well decorated cap of the detective.
 IL was delightful summer morning, and as the party rode along the birds Chirped and the dew sparkled like noth- ing had happened or was about to hap pen among the lonesome mountains.
 The road was little more than a bridle path in places, and for two miles from the RainsfOrd house it bore around the foot of a mountain. forming semicircle and coming back to within half a mile of the starting point on the opposite side If the range. For long distance at this point the roadway was ovcrhung with thick branches, producing twilight except i'll the middle of the day.
 In few moments after the departure If the officers and their prisoner, a slight, boyish figure, wearing an ill fit Ling suit and a slouch hat half coQceal- ng the face, disappeared into the forest in the rear of the Rainsford residence It somewhat resembled Betty's younger brother. who was absent from home at the time. In q belt were two revolvers and winchester rifle was graSped firm } ly in the right hand. The figure hurried across the mountain by way of foot, path. and on reaching the. public road al the dark. shady spot disappeared be hind log among the laurel underbrusl along the roadside.
 ! In 10 minutes there was heard the sound of the tramping of horses feet The figure behind the log became alert ness itself in an instant. The winches ter was trained on the road, where [ small opening would reveal the passing horsemen. As they came up it could b, seen that by some means Jim Spring ston had succeeded in getting five of hi. captors i'll advance, riding single file and was talking in n cheerful tone to the one in the rear. As they came on Jim cautiously gathered up the slack of hi: