The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-05-31
ghe aahta Daily Eaee zfIorino ay a. 1893

rs he in thcre?" she said. her voice
trembling bit.
YES" answered Stetson.
Cant see lirn?' she asked only
for moment" she added.
Cant do it, mar'm," said Stetson,
decidedly,
For moment she was quiet, looking
longingly toward the cabin and clasp
ing and unclaSping her hands softly.
The man hoped she would 60. He had
hated 70 say no and he didn't know how
long his determination 10 refuse would
last. Bat they say they're going TO
try him tomorrow, and mayn't get
another chance" She looked at him
so sadly and vet 50 bravely withal that
Stcrson wavered and was lost.
For five minutes. then, no more
he said, half repentinC OF his words
the instant they Were uttered
But he unlocked the cabin door for
her, and locked 1t behind her again.
Then he stood outside the door cursing
himself Presently there was a rap
from the inside OF the cabin, aud. much
relieved. he undid the door. Bat he
kept his finger on the hammer of his
rifle as he stood aside % allow her 10
pass
She came out quickly. Stetson turned
and bent to faSten the door. As he did
so, he felt tingline-cold metal against
his head, and heard in her voice, now
without tremble:
Put up your hands and DO it quick
ivr' The order was 50 distinctly put
and so emphatically backed up by the
cold metal. which Stctson knew only
too well was the dangerous end Of a re-
golver, that he did not hesitate. As he
threw up his hands. the door was
pulled open from the inside and man
dashed out and melted in the darkness
Of the prairie. A moment more and
the hoof beats of q horse came back,
sounding clear and sharp on the still
air
The men who had been asleep till
now, awakened by the noise, sleepily
raised themselves on their elbows. The
woman had not moved the pistol from
Stetson's head. But she now dropped
the weapon quickly and started to run.
In an instant Stetson was after her,
and wild at being outwitted, had run
her down and caught her before she had
gone fifty yards. As he grasped her by
the shoulders the hoof beats were dy-
ing on the air and the woman looked
into her captor's face with an exultant
smile.
Stetson brought her back TO the cab
in and in half-shamed way told his
story. The woman was quiet ana did
not seem to hear what they said. De-
spite their chagrin at having been
wcrsted by n woman, the men could
not but admire her pluck and skill.
Then they argued as 10 what they
should do with her, and finally decided
to take her into town as soon as il was
light. They locked her in the cabin
and then sat up and talked the rest of
the night They felt that it would be
useless to attempt to trail Craig In the
dark. and, TO tell the truth, they were
Just a bit fearful that the woman would
escape them unless they kept a sharp
lockout.
When morning came a big party set
off in pursuit of Craig. But they had
scant hope Of overtakinr him with a
horse under him and his many hours
start. The easterper's wife still re
manned locked in the cabin. Sage
Bar for once found itself non
plused. Law and order had been re-
versed by woman and the town had
the offender in custody. But smoke and
ponder as it might. Sage Bar was at
loss to know how to proceed. an the
laws of the settlement. unwrittcn
though they were, had sprung from an
acute sense Of frontier needs. and re-
ferred to men. There was an undctna-
bic feeling among the Sage Bar solOns
that these laws could not be applied
with prOpriotv 10 women, and 50 they
talked much, smoked and drank much
more, and did-nothiur. When the
Hines party came in. tired. hungry and
empty-handcd TO solution 81 the diff
Guilty presented itself, and So, with ad-
mirablc judgment, the town decided 20
free itself of further rcsponSIb iuty by
setting the woman AZ liberty. The
casterner's wife was pale and evidently
worn out when they brought her out Of
the cabin; but she said not word
when they told her she might 20. and
walked of in the direction of her home
with a smile. half OF defiance. half II
satisfaction. That night tho party
which had gone IN pursuit Of Craig re-
turned, having made q fru!tlees search. 7
Two days later, Just as Sage Bar was
preparing is evening meal, two Iuou
were seen riding over a swell from the
northeast. live horses were driven
loosely before them. when the men
got nearer the town one # them was
recognized as the casteruer. Hc was /.
riding bare-headed. and beside him rode I
another. dark and syvlrthy- bis arms /
bound 20 his sides, his horse led hy /
Craig. All Sage Bar assembled about I
the partr. viii e Craig told tho story II +
how be had ridden away that night. .
lad struck the trail # The horses. and .
following IL had brought The Mexican.
thief 20 terms with q shot from his .
rife. and then came back. And when 4
he had done there were cheers for the .
easterner such as thc town hadn't had .
3 chance - relieve iteelf = for long
while, and 70 this day there is not
man il Sage Bar bnt touches his slouch
hat u the easteruers wife. whom 10 7
Ste+eon declares Is ''ta' sandiest 4.t-le +.
woman u tn west~'-Kansas City
Times