The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1893-02-02

vas different; there was no e4cuse Ior
lis not sending message, as the stage
,ame by the ranch he had gone to three
lines a week. If he had found work
here, as he expected, he could easily
have notified her. So, late in the after
noon of the fifth day, she threw her
snawi over ner head ana went down 10
her fathers to find if they had heard
anything of Sam.
The old fellow was standing in the
doorway talking toa couple of strangers.
"No," he was saying, "they hain't
BEN no person long yer las few days
but what b'longs yere. Mebbe, though, |
he mout a. BEN seed over yere t Bacon's.
Ben thar? No? Waal, my boys comm
in FIN thar purity soon, an he en- tell ye.
Come in an feed; Jack'll be yere right
soon."
Mat staid to help her mother with
the supper, and during the course of the
meal learned that the two strangers
were officers trailing o horse thief, who
had stolen valuable horse at ranch
forty miles east and sold 1t at Pickett
station, and who was believed to have
come this way.
As she listened to the conversation
sudden nameless fear came upon her,
making her feel ill and faint. 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 hastily.
Sam was in bed, asleep and breathing
stertorously. He had evidently been
drinking, as his clothes were scattered
about the floor, and Mat, looking out
the back door. could see his pony stand
ing patiently where Sam had left him,
waiting for some one to come and feed
him.
Mat leaned over the sleeping 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
heavy, and something jingled in one OF
the pockets. Instinctively Mat thrust
her hand into it and drew it forth, clasp
ing several gold pieces. As she did 30
her eyes opened wide, and she stood as
if stunned for time, her heart chilled
with the same strange fear that had
stricken her awhile ago and impelled her
to hurry home.
She rushed to the bed and shook Sam
roughly. ''Sam! Saml wake up!' she
almost screamed.
The man turned over and looked at
her stupidity. "H'lo, M-Mat! Yere, bs
yep Gimme kiss" he said in dull tone.
"Not twell ye tells me whar ye done
got these yere things!" Mats voice
sounded broken and shrill.
Sam sat up and rubbed his head, look.
ing at her in drunken wonder. "W-w-y
them--them thar, honey"
She shook him fiercely and said in q
lower tone-a tone Of earnest force:
"Tell me, Sam Toms, whar ye dont
got these yere coinsI Quick now"
Her tone partially sobered the man
whose eyes opened wider as he asked
querulously:
"What n hell ye so all fired fussy
bout? / hain't done nothin," and hi
laughed in half drunken, half nervou!
way.
"Saln, whar did ye git emp
He sat dumbly staring at her.
"Sam"-her voice was full of horror
"did you steal that thar hossT'
No answer; but Mat saw by his eye
she had guessed the truth. Slowly th'
coins fell from her hand to the floor
slowly her head bent forward until he
face touched the pillow. For minute
she did not move-not until Sam, VIII
had been staring at her wonderingly
reached out his big hand and laid i
caressingly on her head. Then she spran!
to her feet, her hot eyes glaring and he
form trembling with anger and horror
She did not speak, but fixed her gaze Of
his face for few seconds. He did no
meet her look, and presently she turne
and ran out Of the door.
Sam, almost sober now, called afte
her, but she did not answer. He got gu
of bed slowly and started to dress him
self. He had almost finished when Mat
accompanied by her father and the tw
strangers, returned.
"Thar he is-an thar's tn money!" sh
said, and passed on out through the bac
door without looking at Sam.
y
There was a Jail at the crossroads;
!. was primitive affair, but solid and sui
!, stantial. 1t was dugout in the side hill
, and had heavy oak door and great ste,
!, hinges and lock- 1t was plenty stron
enough to hold dozen men, all anxior
!, to escape-and Sam Toms did not try
!. escape. He only sat still in the lov
damp, darksome room and tried to III
, derstand how it all happened.
! 1t must be drunken dream-but, NJ
/, he was almost sober, and knew whel
he was and how and why he was ther
But-he could not understand. Hs
. Mat--was it really Mat who had give
: him up? There must be some mistake.
: The big, strong man finally began
! realize it all. He lay down on the bur
= and cried himself to sleep like child.
\ It must have been about o'clot
4 in the morning when some one silent
= entered the house Of old Bill Bum, CO
: stable. This some one entered by Il
back door, went stealthily into the roo
: where Bill and his wife slept, rummag,
!. about few minutes, and then emerg,
from the house. It was woman, al
: she had something in her hand.
!. Sam Toms was awakened little 9
: ter this by rafting, jarring soun
:, He sprang up just as the big oak
: doors swung back and revealed the e
!. ures Of a woman and two saddle horse
- 81 come fr ye, SAM" said the wom