The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1895-01-25
THE QUICKSAND.

Stoner had been Texan ranger and
could hold his own extremely we'll in
that rough frontier cour try. He had
carried off a pretty Spanish wife from
the Chihuahua region years before. had
brought her to the rocky Californian
coast and had purchased settlers claim
and an old adobe house built by q Span
ish hidalgo half century ago.
Here he farmed, raised cattle on the
unused government lands and kept
sort of rude hotel, for several mountain
trails joined at that point the broad
highway which led from the county
seat, 20 miles south, to the northern
settlements in the pineries. He had five
daughters, too, the youngest, Theresa,
known as Tessa, girl of IL. That add.
cd TO the attraction, and almost every
night the dark eyed half Spanish girls
sang and danced, ana old Stoner man
aged to hear al the news that was
afioat and somehow most of the loose
coin of the region ultimately found its
way into his pockets. He was q doop
one, that same Ephraim Stoner, quiet,
sly and patient, secret in his methods
and deadly in his blow.
Stoner's wife and his four elder
daughters were uneducated and III
complete subsection to his will, hut
Tessa had more brains and energy than
all the others put together and quito ~
much beauty, SO that the old Texan
ranger took certain pride in her and
had even allowed her to attend q dis
tant school for two years.
This midnight, when, as havo said,
tho story begins, person OF q pryinp
| disposition might have discovered sov
eral interesting performances in proGleSs
around the Stoner adobe. On the nortl
side Of tho house, quito in the shadow.
Tessa was leaning from her windcw,
conversing in low tones with blond,
fair haired and sturdy young man OH
horseback.
''Tom, Jou do not know my father,
He is not the careless, wGrnl hearted
man you suppose. | must admire his
ability, but that is all l warn yCi.
Tom, there never was moro dangerous
man. He may DO where he hears every
word you say, but if he is he will not
speak to .you or to me about it, but II
he knew that you cared for mo he wouId
be your enemy. He has other plans f'r
me- He wants mo to marry for money -
Tom Warren had once been tho scbCt l.
teacher in the mountain district, miles
away, where Tessa had been one OF his
pupils Thrown upon his own resources
from his childhood, he had developed q
strong, earnest character and was NJ
ready SO popular in the county that ho
had just been elected sheriff, although
the youngest man on tho ticket.
While Tessa and her lover were talk.
ing scene Of far different nature was
being enacted on the south side Of tho
old adobe, which overlooked deep I'll
vine and camp Of fivo or six men in
q field below. For several years these
men had spent their summers there, os.
tensibly hunting, fishing and exploring
the country with their dogs and guns.
Every one knew them, and most persons
liked them. Tessa did not
Stoner, though it was midnight, sat
in the moonlight on an old rawhido
chair, outside the door, smoking his
pipe and meditating-a tough, sinewy,
grizzled night owl of n man.
"That Internal knuckle head at tic
camp ought to have reported before
now," no thought to himself az he
smoked.
A man came out of the brush and
spoke deferentially:
''Capt'n, good evenin"
You're late.
"Dick was shot
"Wellp"
Just as the driver throwed of the
box. Shot by passenger in the neck
and shoulder. 1"
He mustn't stay hero to get US into
trouble. Take boat and carry him tu
tho point and leave him in the cave
there
eyes, capt'n."
"How much was aboard?"
"About SO, 900 for the Josephine min.
ers."
"Send it over the cliff before morn
ing, and I'll divide it up soon, but you
be extra careful That new sheriff Is a
smart one.
"All right capt'n," and tho man
went back to the camp.
A moment later, just as Stoner was
going back into the house, there was
the slow thud of horses hoofs. and
Tom Warren, the young sheriff. rode
down the trail, around the corner of the
old adobe building into the main coun-
ty road that lay TO the west. He had at
last yielded to Tessa's entreaties to Ego,
90, this minute Tom.
Impossible as Stoner was, ho folt Il
little startled by the sight.
where in the devil did you come
from, sheriff? Anything up in this part
Of the country
"Oh, no. not particle. I've been
visiting my old school in tho mountains
and took the short trail home, down
Cayuoos
This was plausible enough, for there
was blind trail that entered tho can
yon just east of the angle of the house.
Stoner felt little relieved
Won't you put up and stay with Us