Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1894-09-27

-daSA hter' she's the prettiest girl in
the tounty, and when take the
horst, reckon III take her. too She's
a wild little thing, and can be had for
the asking. no"
t. But he never finished Frank Bar
rett had sprung forward, and Selling
the horse by the bits threw the ami
NAL back upon its launches, while
with the stick which he held in his
hand, he rained shower of blows
upon Mr. Jasper DarlIe's face and
shoulders.
"Nou cowardly villain!7 Frank
painted between his set teeth, "to dare
speak of her IN that insulting manner.
l give You three minutes to get out of
my sight, or it will be the worse for
you! Col"
The man seemed quite cowed. He
snt neekly in the saddle, and. turning
his horses head in an opposite direc-
tion, rode swiftly away. a few rods
distant, he turned and glanced back.
In his eyes an evil expression was
lurl1ing-he looked dangerous.
II am going" he said in II low tone,
hut Frank caught every word that he
spoke. But l intend to pay you bucls
for eisenhower you are-if l die in
the attempt"
"rapul What do you think? Belle
is gonel I'm afraid she has been
stolen. Oh, what shall do?"
"Gone Belle gone? Why, Nora,
that's out of the question. She was
locked in the stable last night. No
body has access to the key but myself
and--yes-Franl<! Go ask Frank about
your pony lie may have taken her
out to exercise her. She's II dainty
bitof horsehesh, and well worth the
three hundred and fifty | paid for
herr
but papa, can't find Frank! No
body has seen him this morning. oh,
dear! I'm afraid that something has
happencdw
Frank not here? Why, where can
he be, l wonder? Nora, didn't like
to say anything about it before but
received an anonymous letter, yester-
day evening, warning me against this
Frank Barrett. You know he is
stranger to us, after all! The letter
adds; Watch your stable well, for
Barrett is horse-thiefr You know.
Nora, how horse thief is considered
here in Texas"
The same as murderer" she
answered, de ectedly, land they string
up a horse-thief just as though he had
taken n human life. But, papa, it's
simply absurd to think even of such
thing in connection with Frank Bar
rett The man or woman who would
write an anonymous letter, vilifying
the character of another, would stab
Il man in the dark
Bravo! my dear! And, Nora
rather think you arc right concern
ing Frank. like the boy. | will go
and make irquiriea in regard to him!"
That very day, Mr.. Jasper Darlse
rode over to the Neville farm house,
with the intelligence that the horse,
Belle, was really his own property,
but had been stolen from him and
sold to Mr.. Neville
They say" went on Darlle,
eagerly, that the thief is caught,
however-the man who stole Belle
from you, Neville. Shall we ride
over to Laredo9 The thief is there
or near there, am told"
with pleasure" rstue.toa rom
Neville, grimly. "Whats the matter,
Nora, child9"
81 am going with you, papn-that's
all. Don't say a word against it. |
can ride Selim, and-I-want to gol'
Out of place though it seemed, Tom
Neville could never refuse his child
anything that she asked. So, a little
later, the three set out for the eight
mile ride to Laredo,
Near the Neville farm, they over.
took a. elderly man, riding leisurely
along. At sight of Neville he refined
in his s:eed with a courtly bow,
81 am Judge Strong, from Dallas"
he said, aourteously. Il am looking
for young man named barrett
Frank Barrett
$50 are Wei interposed Neville,
sternly, Then he related the story.
Judge Strong's face grew grave, Then
he smiled
~ think you are mistaken" he re-
turned, quietly. "However, we viii
ride on to Laredo AMI learn all the
particulars.
But the end came sooner than they
expected. In the woods, halfway to
Laredo, they came upon dreadful
scene. A group of rough bearded men
gathered about a tall pine tree; from