Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1895-09-04

two valuable horses were stolen from the K D
ranch on Big Cow creek, one OF them, evident
ly as clever ruse to ward off suspicion, u fine
animal belonging to Paul Brown himself, the
man under arrest, who was employed on the
place as horse breaker. A trusted agent Of
the Wyoming Stock association at once repaired
to the place upon learning the circumstances
and with his accustomed skill quickly succeed
ed in unearthing one Of the most brazcn
schemes Of rascality which this region has ever
developed. 1t appears that on the night In
question there was :, dance at Cottonwood, a
small hamlet dozen miles on the other side
Of z 9 ranch, to whicn all the boys belonging
on the place, with the exception Of Brown, had
gone 1t was remarked at the time as rather
singular that he 80 determinedly resisted all
opportunities to make one Of the party, but
business before pleasure was evidently the rul
ing principle with this young man.
A young lady residing at the place now tcs
titles that she was awakened about midnight
by mysterious sounds and, going to the win
dow Of her room, which faces the barns and
cprrals, distinctly saw In the moonlight this
fellow Brown making for the stables. Curious
as to what had taken him forth at such an
hour, she sat waiting at the window to see him
return and thinks she must have fallen asleep
as the clock was striking 8when she found her
self rousing up, while at the same time she saw
IDENTIFY Just returned from his strange errand
Tracks leading through the corral indicate
that the horses were taken off that way, while
all the signs point toward'a course In the di
rection Of the Lost river country, where Brown
has range Of his own. The girls evidence,
though given with reluctance, is positive and
direct, while Brown admits the truth Of her
statement as to the time Of his going toward
the barns, although he stoutly denies his
guilt, Offering the remarkable explanation
that, though he started for that point, he, for
some caprice yet unexplained, turned aside to
gaze at the moon through the long hours other
wise unaccounted for. There seems little ques
tion but that this peculiar sentimentalist was
gazing at the moon on this particular occasion
from the back Of his own horse, which was
taken merely as blind, while he rode out to
hand over to q confederate one OF the most
valuable little fllies In that section Of Wyo
ming. Great excitement prevails over the ar
rest In Cheyenne, where the young man has
hitherto borne q good reputation, and star.
tling developments are expected. The sheriff
announces his determination to protect the
prisoner at all hazards, but the stocknen are
aroused over their losses, and 1t is rumored
upon the streets that necktie social Is among
the possibilities.
Edith seemed fairly paralyzed with
the growing sense Of amazement and
horror as she read 1t was morning
paper, and that communication from
Cheyenne was dated the day before,
DULY turning the paper over to look.
"Perhaps even now-O God! o God"
she gasped and choked with the whis-
pered cry. All the air seemed suddenly
exhausted in the room. She had an odd
difficulty in breathing, and everything
showed blurred in a dull monochrome.
She knew too we'll the temper Of the
cattlemen as to their losses to doubt
that there might be short shrift for one
proved guilty as a rustler, whoever he
might be. She could even believe that
their Indignation, turned toward Paul
Brown, might burn the more fercely
from the feeling that they had 30 long
been hoodwinked by clever rogue.
And he-ah, he-had sworn to her-she
had demanded the vow-that he would
never betray the silly secret of that
night, come what would. and she knew
that he would 60 down to his death, il
need were, keeping his word
Against the dark background Of con-
fused thought his face was clear before
her-that strong, resolute face betray-
ing in every line the firmness Of charao-
ter which, nursed as virtue, had de-
veloped toward an unyielding obstinacy
bordering on a vice. Once resolution
had assumed shape in that mans mind,
were it but the outgrowth of whim,
his impulse would be to hold to it at
any cost. And now it was she who had
bound him to silence; she whose light
est wish, she we'll knew, would be to
him law; she, to preserve whose fan
cied honor his lips would be sealed as
to that nights doings, even though she
had never asked it. All, the pity Of it,
the madness of it'll Her honor against
his! To sacrifice his own good name, to
let the world point at him as horse
thief, perchance to lay down life itself,
that nobody might guess that she, Edith
Ellery, had been with him alone at an
hour to which, from the vileness of
their own minds, men were so ready to
impute evil. To pay such price as this
for that bauble thing, her reputation!
How could he dream that she could ask
it, could permit it? 30 God! O God!
Have pityl To be here, tongue tied and
helpless, when word might save him!'
The soft frou frou of silk in the hall
above called poor, strained mask OF
oomposure to her face, and though her
fingers fumbled clumsily over the task
they were yet quick to roll that fatal
paper into the smallest compass, thrust
ing it under the pile of cushions at one
side She could not talk to Barbara
about this awful thing.
Have 1 worn your patience to tat
ters?" cried her hostess laughingly,
peeping over the balustrade as she hur-
ried down the stairs. "But, child, what
makes you look SO queer? Is it the light
from the stained glass, or are you really
ill?" coming to her full of tender anx-
iety.
"Oh, 1t must be the stained glass. "
The pale lips bravely essayed smile,
which after all amounted to scarce
more than a grimace. II have slight
headache, but it is nothing"
1.-The drive will do you good, Mrs
Hallet returned, with caressing smile,
her tone quite reassured She fancied