Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1893-11-18
A PLUCKY WIFE.

Sage Bar was excited. Six horses
We're missing from Bill Illness drove
Fifteen minutes after Bill had report
ed his loss at the Bar party had
found the trail and ridden off towards
the southwest. Presently, as they
were crossing wet bit of land in II
hollow, Bill. who led the party, looked
sharply ut the hoof prints sunk deep
in the soil and reincd up quickly.
Look at the shoe mark" he eX-
claimed, pointing down at the trail.
by guns. it's the Easterner's hoss-
shoe" calculated Sam Fike, after an
inStant'S scrutiny of the hoof prints,
among which We're several larger than
the rest. showing the clear impress of
Il shoe. The others were those of un-
shod horses Then the party scanned
the marks closely. Then the men look
ed at each other with ugly frowns,
Well" said Bill, tentatively, at last
No one answered for Il moment. Then
Sam remarked: 1T looks bad for ther
Fastener, sure. Tn hain't any one
got hoss-shocs like them in the district
'ccpt him. I'm sorry f tn feller's put
his head in a ropes end, boys. But
Wen have ter foller him up. Who'll
go backT'
A couple of the party volunteered.
The men separated Part of them
moved forward on the trail The others
turned their horses at right angles to
the former line of march and loped on
towards the Fasteners cabin.
The Fastener. otherwise Jack Craig.
of whom they had been speaking, had
been in Sage Bar only a short time. He
was IL 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 in the settlement. Craig always
had been reserved, and the two had
kept by themselves in the little cabin
which stood a mile or so away from
town. SO Sage Bar had come to con-
slider the pair a queer lot" and to
designate them as "the Fastener an
his wife," which was intended to be
anything but complimentary
When the trailing party reined 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, bespattered with mud, it was
evident that he had just returned from
riding. The party exchanged glances
of understanding.
Sam Pike came to the point at once.
Craig" he said, yer wanted down ter
tn Bar"
Whats that?" demanded the East
crnpr, angrily.
Yer wanted down ter tn Bar" Sam
repeated. For hosS stealing" he
added.
Craig's face was atlame in an 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. It's
Il - lie,' he said, land you know it,"
Just then woman's figure appeared
in the cabin doorway. 1t was Craigs
wife.
whats the mattcr?' she questioned
anXiously, seeing her husbands atti-
tude.
Craig spoke up quickly: $50 back,
Dolly! They've got up dirty story
about me and want me to go to the
Bar. But I'll come back in a little
while"
Sam had great fear of woman's
tongues and tears, and Immediately or
dered Craig to mount a horse which
another man at word secured from
the stable near by. The woman had
looked on dumbly, seeming hardly to
comprehend what was taking place.
but as she saw her husband walk over
towards the horse, she ran to him. and
threw both arms about him, holding
him tight to her. He unclaspcd her
arms gently after an instant. and
mounted the horse and, turning in the
saddle, waved his hand to her. Then
they rode away, and, after they had
gone a piece, Sam looked back and
saw the woman still standing there,
her hands loosely locked before her,
watching them with wide-open eyes.
shes grit ter tn backbone" muttered
that worthy, and laShed his horse into
a gallop.
All Sage Bar crowded around the
party when they drew rein in town,
and there were some who would have
strung Craig up on the spot when Sam
had told the story. Sage Bar was in
that stage of progress where horse
stealing was a capital offense and n
short shrift was granted to offenders.
But Sans protest that nothing should
be done until the Hines party returned
was needed, and the prisoner was put
in an empty cabin, tied hand and foot,
several of the men agreeing to stand
guard.
The afternoon waned away and even
ing came, and the Hines party did not
make its appearance. SO Craig was
given something to eat and then was
fastened tightly once more, and the
men rolled themselves up in their blan-
kets in front of the cabin about II
O'Clock, leaving only 10 Stetson on
guard.
Stetson sat himself down on stump
and lighted a pipe, and, with his rifle
across his knee, fell to thinking about
some mavericks" he had branded that
day. Presently he imagined he heard
Il soft step from the prairie. He raised
his head and listened. Just then the
moon showed a rim beyond sailing
cloud, and its light fell on a wOman-;l
woman's tigure-making its way to-
wards the cabin. Stetson rose to his
feet, letting his rife-butt drop on the
ground, and curiously surveyed the wo-
man, who was close to him now. 1t
was the Fasteners wife.
rs he in there:" she said, her voice
trembling bit.
Yes" answered Stetson.
Cant | see him?' she asked. Only
for Il moment" she added
Cant do it, mar'm," said StetsOn,
decidedly.
For Il moment she was quiet, looking
longingly towards the cabin and clasp
ing and unclasping her hands softly.
The man hoped she would go. He had
how long his determination to refuse
would last But they say they're go-
ing to try him tomorrow, and l mayn't
get another chance" She looked at
him so sadly, and yet so hravely with
II tl..t fats, nd Inef