Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1894-09-06
,er. appeared in the doorway.

ner, appeared in the doorway.
What in is all the row?'
he said, angrily. ''You must keep me
up all night anG wake me in an un-
earthly hour in the morning. What
do they want?"
''Mr. de Restaud's wife is missing
They desire to search your house.
Here, gentlemen, is a campbell, a
trunk and one chair. The lady is not
here. Shall we keep on?"
Craig lay back on the bed and drew
his traveling-rug over him.
They have my permission" he said,
sleepily. There's a cellar underneath,
and one small barn. Look well under
the hay. So your wife has gone, Mr..
De Restaud? Perhaps her only rela-
tive has had feeling enough to save
the poor little thing and has taken her
from your guardianship. l fancy you
would not care to have that looked
into too closely; and If l were you,
speaking now as lawyer, would not
advertise this affair too widely. Your
wife might, you know, be persuaded to
come back
The doctor, fearing the consequence
cs, slluJ Tic NOOI udSlAlN anu leu Ills
visitors away. They searched the
premises closely but, not knowing of
the blackboard, did not miss it, and the
Mexican's good little beast, lather of
foam, was hidden in grove of pines
quarter of mile away.
Shortly after his guests had mounted
their horses in sull1y silence and gal
loped away, Oliver, newly shaven and
carefully dressed, came out in the sun
light. He was ghastly pale, and stag
gered as he walked.
I've had Mike make me some cot-
fee" he said, sinking in chair. Cad,
I'm played out. / wasn't five hours
coming back; and I'm a heavy man for
the horse. I'd like to own him. |
can't sleep; too tired, suppose. Be-
sides, was little worried. Where is
our friend?'
Gone" said the doctor, laconically.
"And now, Craig, as questions are in
order, where is the Troublesome lady?"
"On her way to Maine, hope"
''If you are not honest in the matter
that man will kill you"
81 have lived long enough on the
frontier, doc, to know that threatened
men live long-are safe. did help
Mrs de Restaud escape; you'd have
done the same. She came with great
purple marks on her throat, in pite-
Gus state of terror. She is as innocent
as child, utterly ignorant of the
world. Only such woman would have
stayed here so long Any ranchman
here with daughters of his own would
have helped her. They know what he
is, and they are chivalrous men. She
came to me because-because-
Craig, it's the old story. don't
doubt you're in the right this time
I'd have helped her too-but you had
to say sweet things and make love
to her You needn't shake your head;
you can't help it."
"On my honor, DIR. John, all that
long way thought of her as of my
own little sister sleeping in the old
graveyard of the village | left twenty
years ago. The man who remembers a
child sister would have thought only
of her, of the purest things, with little
Minny. She has your embroidered cap,
old chap, and you win treasure it as a
relic of lovely woman if ever she re-
turns the loan"
But you're not a married man,
Craig" said the doctor, plaintively,
"and women can be aggravating, es-
pecially little ones with red hair, as
Mike says she's got. There must be
something on the Frenchmans side"
"Lunacy. There is my coffee at last.
Wen go for elk tomorrow instead of
to-day; hear there are some on Sisty's
peak"
But, Craig" said the doctor, as the
other stretched out his tall length and
walked wearily to the house, there's
the Mexican who will bring back your
team and whose horse you had; he
might tell"
81 have bought him at good price"
said Oliver, carelessly. "Still, if he
does tell, il the Frenchman pays more,
why then the Frenchman and ! will
settle it. If one is put to sleep to-day
or half century hence, what matters
It? I like life, but am not shirking
death"