The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1895-04-19

ollr party i'll pursuit.
! They had gone but short distance
when n shot took effect, and the horse
of one of the outlaws fell dead.
Larllins 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 sombrcro fell back, disclosing
the fact that our captive was n woman
at this moment one of the men came
galiopng 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'F1ahcrty and took charge. OF him,
while Harper was left in the outer
room to guard the prisoner. From the
first it was evident that Bucks wound
was fatal
II reckon I'm goin, Shore" he said,
feebly. ~ never was half decent; 1
never knowed how; but, jim" with q
pitiful, pleading look, eff you see Mrs.
Buck Upper, visit you'd tell Der
that tried"
thought that the experience of these
months had effcctually hardened me.
but this was too much, and on the pre-
i
left the room.
1t was not until 1 was alone with
the woman that looked at her Then
L was transfiXed with astonishment.
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
1T would mean to him bat to sec her
face. Going over to where she sat, I
hurricdly told her the whole story.
Aud you want me to go to him?''
Her face was cold and unfecling, but
there was n singular sweetness in her
voice.
yes, only that he thinks you are
81 understand" with n faint smile.
After explaining matters to OFla-
herty, led her to the bedside of the
dying man, and left them alone to-
gether.
When returned some minutes later,
She sat beside him, and he was holding
her hand. A change that 1 could not
describe had come over her counten-
ance. There was n subdued light that
only tears can give to ,voman's face.
you'll make IL little pra'r for me-"
he was saying, pleadingly.
CT can't!'
'sYcs, little one" very tenderly. IT
low you do feel broke up, but never
jest knowed how, an the angels'd hear
such as you"
The woman turned a hunted look
upon the rest of us, then slipping from
her chair dropped upon her knees:
Now lay me down to sleep
prey the Lord my soul to keep,
II should die before wake
pray the Lord my soul to take"
Buck repeated tho last words over
after her:
II pray the Lord my soul to take"
eyes, low He WILL and he was
gone.
Of course we could not think now of
dealing with our prisoner; SO, after u
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 cast, and as the years slipped away
my western experience became gradu
ally IN uncertain memory.
One evening late in December, as I
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.
Ihnve o friend In Jesus;
He's everything to me;
He's the farcst of ten thousand to my souly
crossed over and stood for d moment
in the crowd that surged about the.
door.
The singing had ceased, and woman
was speaking. could not SEQ her face,
but her voice was singularly musical
falsetto.
Though your sins be as scarlct-do
you hear that?" she was saying. Scar
lct-that means blooI-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!
lie says: Il will make them white as
snow"
Seized with q sudden curiosity, I
mounted one of the benches to get
glimpse of the Speakers face A pale
face, with clear, gray eyes and waving
brown hair-whcrc had I seen 1t be-
forc2
What was the vague memory that
for moment seemed only to tantalize
me? I 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 Tupper" Involuntari1y.