The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1895-07-12

signal to his men. put spurs to his
horse. and In q moment they were gal
looping down the gorge, with several OF
our party in pursuit.
They had gone but short distance
when a shot took effect, and the horse
Of one of the outlaws fell dead.
Larkins and hurried forward to pre-
vent the riders escape. but as we lifted
the saddle by which he had been pin
toned to the ground. the long coat and
broad sombrero fell back, disclosing
the fact that our captive was woman.
At this moment one of the men came
galloping back with the news that
Buck had been shot This put an end
to the pursuit. and we hurried back to
the ranch with the wounded man.
O'Flaherty and took charge Of him,
while Harper was left in the outer
room to guard the prisoner. From the
first IL was evident that Bucks wound
was fatal.
Il reckon I'm goin', Shore" he said,
feebly. II never was half decent;
never lnowed how; but, jim" with a
pitiful, pleading Look, IF you see Mrs.
Buck Upper, wisht you'd tell her
that tried"
thought that the experience of these
months had effectually hardened me,
but this was too much, and on the pre-
tense of wishing To relieve Harper
left the room.
1t was not until l was alone with
the woman that / looked at her. Then
was transfxed with establishment.
AS she sat there, the lamplight falling
on her cold, rigid face, it needed no
second glance to convince me that she
was the original of Bucks picture.
This, then, was the angel of purity at
whose shrine the poor fellow had been
worshiping!
My first thought was he must never
know. And yet reflected how much
it would mean to him bat to see her
face. Going over TO where she sat,
hurrielly told her the whole story.
And you want me to go to him?"
Her face was cold and unfeeling, but
there was a singular sweetness in her
voice.
"Yes, only that he thinks you are"
Il understand" with faint smile.
After explaining matters to OFla-
herty, / led her To the bedside of the
dying man, and left them alone to-
gether.
When l returned some minutes later,
she sat beside him, and he was holding
her hand. A change that / could not
describe had come over her counter
ance. There was n subdued light that
only tears can give TO woman's face.
You'll make little prar For me-"
he was saying, pleadingly.
IL can't"
'Yes, little one" very tenderly. II
low you do feel broke up, but never
jest knowed how, an the angels'd hear
such as you"
The woman turned hunted look
upon the rest of u.s. then slipping from
her chair dropped upon her knees:
Now lay me down to sleep
/ pray the Lord my soul to keep,
II sNoald die before l wake,
/ pray the Lord my soul TO take.
Buck repeated the last words over
after her:
~ pray the Lord nv soul to take"
Yes, / low He WILL and he was
gone.
OF course we could not think now of
dealing with our prisoner; SO, after a
hurried consultation, we put her on
Bucks pony, and Harper and | rode
out to the trail with her, and the last
we saw of Mrs. Buck Upper she was
vanishing down the gorge in the gray
morning mist.
The following summer returned to
the east, and as the years slipped away
my western experience became gradu-
ally an uncertain memory.
One evening late in December, as L
was walking up Duane street, my at
tention was arrested by the sound of
music that came from the Salvation
Army barracks across the street.
Ihave friend in Jesus;
He's everything TO me;
He's the farest OF ten thousand TO my soul.
crossed over and stood for moment
in the crowd that surged about the
door.
The singing had ceased, and a woman
was speaking. could not see her face,
but her voice was singularly musical
falsetto.
Though your sins be as scarlet-do
you hear thatp" she was saying. Scar
lct-that means bIooI-and the Bible
says that no murderer can enter the
kingdom. But He can wash the muir
der out of your heart, bless His name!
He says: Il will make them white as
snow"
Seized with a sudden curiosity, 1
mounted one of the benches to get
glimpse of the speakers face. A pale
face, with clear, gray eyes and waving
brown hair-where had / seen it be-
fore?
What was the vague memory that
for a moment seemed only to tantalize
me? / had gone back through the
years, and the same face-only younger
and fuller-was looking at me from the
smoked wall above the chimney piece.
Mrs. Buck Tupperl" Involuntarily
the words came to my lips. At this
moment the woman's eyes met my own.
A confused look overspread her face,
and she faltered in her speech. Could
1t be that she knew me? No, but she
u ~ L. 4 4. !.