Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1894-08-08

ing to try him tomorrow. end l
mayn't get another chance" She
looked at him so sadly and yet SO
bravely withal that Stetson wavered
and was lost.
'tFor five minutes, then, no more !"
he said, half repenting of his words
the instant they were uttered.
But he unlocked the cabin door for
her and locked it behind her again.
Then he stood outside the door cursing
himself. Presently there was q
rap from the inside of the cabin, and,
much relieved he undid the door. But
he kept his finger on the hammer Of
his rifle as he stood aside to allow her
to pass.
She came out quickly. Stetson
turned and bent to fasten to door. As
he did SO he felt tiny ring of cold
metal against his head, and heard II
her voice, now without tremble:
''Put up your hands and do it
quickly The order was SO distinctly
put and SO emphatically backed mp by
the cold metal which Stetson knew
only too well was the dangerous end
of revolver that he did not hesitate.
As he threw up his hands the door was
pulled open from the inside and a msn
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 now che dropped
the weapon quickly and started to
run. In an instant Stetson was after
her, and, wild ut being outwitted, had
run her down and caught her before
she had gone fifty yards. As he
grasped her by the shoulders the hoot
beats were dying on the air and the
woman looked into her captor's face
with an exultant smile.
Stetson brought her back to the
cabin and in half shamed way told
his story. The woman was quiet and
did not seem to hear what they said.
Despite their chagrin at having been
worsted by woman, the men could
not but admire her pluck and skill.
Then they argued as to what they
should do with her, and finally decided
to take her into town ns soon as it 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 bit fearful that the woman would
escape them unless they kept sharp
lookout.
When morning came big party set
off in pursuit of Craig. But they had
Fcant hopes OF owe taking him with n
horse under him and his many hours
start. The fasteners wife still re-
mained locked in the cabin. Sage Bar
for once found itself nonplussed. Law
and order had been reversed by wo-
man, 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. All the laws of tho
unvritten though they
were, had sprung from m acute sense
of frontier needs, and referred to men.
There was an undefnable feeling among
the Sage Bar solons that these laws
could not be applied with propriety to
women, and SO they talked much,
smoked and drank much more, and
When the Hines party
came in, tired, hungry and empty
handed, no solution of the difficulty
presented itself, and SO with admirable
Judgment the town decided to free it.
self of further responsibility by setting
the woman at liberty. The Fasteners
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 go, and walked
of in the direction of her home with
smile, half OF defiance, half of satisfac!
ton. That night the party which hal
gone in pursuit of Craig returned, hav-
ing made iiruitiess search.
Two days later, jus. as Sage Bar was
its evening meal, two men
were seen riding over q swell from the
northeast. Five horses were driven ,
loosely before them. When the men
got nearer the town one of them was
as the fastener. He was
riding bareheaded, and beside him
rode another, dark and swartly, his
arms bound to his sides, his horse led
by Craig. All Sage Bar assembled
about the party while Craig told tine
story of how he had ridden away that
night, had struck the trail OF the |
horses, and following it had brought !
The Mexican thief to terms with shot !
from his rifle, and then came back.
And when he had done there were
cheers for the Eaterner, such rs the
town hadn't had chance to relieve it.
self of for long while. and to this day |
here is not a man in Sage Bar but |
touches his slouch hat to the Eastern !
RS wife, whom 10 Stetson declares is !
th' sandiest little woman in tn /,
10 vprG Procu