Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1894-02-05
"He's he.e. bovs hid somewheres.

| Ao-c, wy 8, hiu poIiS" ASN So,
to those behind him: then to Grace,
cts boss thief we've been chasin'
all day. He gave us the slip this
morning. Don't be skeert, miss:
you're safe, now; an we'll git him
an take him away safe an quiet.
bob, you stay here with the lady
she's sorter skeert-while we hunt
through the place"
The agony of those moments Tho
mad panic of fright and horrible un-
governable apprehension that pos
sessed her, while she built that fire,
Farris peeled potatoes and "Bob"
stood leaning in the door, watching
her idly and expectorating tobacco
juice.
Suddenly the leader came to the
door, and looking past her said:
'Could the old woman get US a"
Grace interrupted him, deprecat-
ingly, her voice almost failing her for
terror. 'She she's old and little
lame--and she don't understand any
English what is it? Anything /"
and she clutched at the table in the
extremity of her agitation, though
Farris plainly tried to reassure her by
turning his head half way round, Sc
that only the sunbonnet edge partially
hid his face, and handing her some
sliced potatoes very naturally
80, no, miss. You just tell us
where" but at this moment there
came shout from the gate:
Come on, boys Quick
HHo'c hon m, o,ona wbiIa pp1,aIy
wuz hyer. Here's his huff tracks to
the corral an out agin at t'other gate,
an up the trail I"
Jump on yer hosses an git" said
the man who was speaking to Grace.
well leave you, miss. You needn't
be Uneasy. fer he's on ahead. Well
git him safe enough; an he won't
trouble nobody after we onct git our
hans onto him !"
And in minutes time they were
gone, every boot, spur and six shooter
of them.
Grace scarcely dared breathe till the
last hoof-beat died into silence on her
ear. Then she sat down weakly in a
chair, and they discussed what should
be done.
1t was decided that Grace should
change her habit for her usual home
dress, end Farris remain as he was,
as the men would probably come back
when they found the proofs of theiI
horse thief having been drowned IN
the Punta de Aqua.
Supper was all got ready and they
waited, Grace hoping the boys would
come.
They did not, but just at dark the
horse thief hunters were heard coming
back, down the trail. They stopped
and hailed, outside, and Grace went
to the door.
"We thought we'd jest stop an tell
ye not to worry bout thet hoss thief,
miss" snid the spokesman; "hes
perfckly safe. Tried to cross the crick
down thar. It's on red rise. an
drownded his se'f-pony an all. We seen
the hoss, ketched agin mess O. drift
a mile below. He warn't nowhere
about. TIL amt nothin' nowhar fer
him to hide in-jest open plains-so
he's drownded ez safe ez If we'd
strung him up, though t amt near SO
satisfactory.
Then they rode down tho trail once
more, and Grace went in.
Since the day OF these exciting hap
penings there has been wedding at
the J-T, by which it lost it's mistress.
"There's an enterprising girl, my
friends" says Jack Pendleton, when
he wakes facetious over his sister and
his new ther-inlaw, "an enterpris-
ing girlG'
"Despairing of getting man at
home in the effete East, she came to the
wilds of West Texas, where they were
reported to be plenty, and easy of cap.
ture. Failing to find one in any Of
the ways ordinarily employed, she res
cued fleeing malefactor from the
halterl Yes, sir; snatched from the
hands of pursuing vigilantes, and
married horse thief A common
horse thief Washington Star.