Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1896-04-30
JACK CRAIG'S WIFE.

sage bar was eAClJeu. DIX nOrses were
missing from Bill Hines drove. Fifteen
minutes after Bill had reported his loss at
the bar party had found the trail and
ridden off toward the southwest. Pres
emily, as they were crossing wet bit of
land In hollow Bill, who led the party,
looked sharply at the hoof prints sunk deep
in the soil and refined up quickly.
"Look at that shoe mark ~ he exclaimed,
pointing down at the trail.
by guns it's the easterners boss
shoep' calculated Sam Pike after an in
stant's scrutiny of the hoof prints among
which were several larger than the rest
and showing the clear impress of shoe.
The others were those of unshod horses.
Then the party scanned the marks closely.
Then the men looked at each other with
ugly frowns
"WellS" said Bill tentatively at last.
No one answered for moment. Then
Sam remarked: ut looks bad for tn
easterner sure Their hain't any one got
boss shoes like them in tn district 'cept
him. I'm sorry f tn feller's put his head
In ropes end, boys. But we'll have ter
foller him up. Who'll 20 baokf"
A couple of the party volunteered. The
men separated Part of them moved for
ward on the trail. The others turned their
horses at right angles to the former line of
march and Hoped on toward the easterner's
cabin.
The easterner, otherwise Jack Craig, Of
whom they had been speaking, had been
in Sage Bar only short time. He was q
tenderfoot out and out. When no came to
the Bar he brought his wife with him.
She was bright, pretty little woman, but
they hardly knew her in the settlement
Craig always had been reserved, and the
two had kept by themselves in the little
cabin which stood a mile or more away
from town, So Sage Bar had come TO
consider the pair queer lott and TO des-
ignate them as ''th' easterner an his wife, y
which was intended to be anything but
complimentary.
When the trailing party refined up in
front of Craigs cabin they found the OBJ
ject of their search sitting on "A log before
ths-@ioor smoking. From his dress, be-
spattered with mud, IL was evident that
he had just returned from riding. The
party exchanged glances of understanding.
Sam Pike came to the point at once.
Craig" he said, yer wanted down ter
tn Bari
What's that2" demanded the easterner
angrily.
yer wanted down ter tn Bari Sam
repeated. - For boss stealingl' he added.
Craig's face was aflame in the instant.
He sprang from his seat, throwing back
his hand to his hip. But the others had
him covered and his hand dropped loosely
by his side again. Its - lie, ~ he
said, IAN you know itf'
Just then woman's figure appeared in
the cabin doorway. 1t was Craigs wife.
Whats the matterS" she questioned
anxiously, seeing her husband attitude.
Craig spoke up quickly: go back, Dol
lyl They've got up dirty story about me
an want me to go to the Bar. But / IL
come back in little while.
Sam had great fear of women tongues
and tears, and Immediately ordered Craig
to mount horse which another man at a
| word secured from the stable near by The
woman had looked on dumbly, seeming
hardly to comprehend what was taking
place, but as she saw her husband walk
| over toward the horse she ran to him and
threw both arms about him, holding him
tight to her He unclasped her arms
gently after an instant and mounted the
horse, and turning in the saddle waved his
hand to her Then they rode away, and
after they had gone piece Sam looked
back and saw the woman still standing
there her hands loosely locked before her,
watching them with wide open eyes.
"She's grit ter tn backbone" muttered
that worthy and dashed his horse into a
gallop.
All Sage Bar crowded around the party
when they drew rein in town, and there
were some who would have strung Craig
up upon the spot when Sam had told the
story Sage Bar was in that stage of
| progress where horse stealing was a CAPT
| tai offense and short shrift was granted
to offenders. But Sans protest that moth
| ing should be done until the Hines party
returned was needed, and the prisoner was
put In an empty cabin tied hand and foot,
several Of the men agreeing to stand guard.
The afternoon waned away, and evening
came, and the Hines party did not make
its appearance. So Craig was given some
thing TO eat and then was fastened tightly
once more, and the men rolled themselves
up In their blankets In front OF the cabin
about O'Clock, leaving only 10 Stetson
on guard.
Stetson sat himself down on a stump
and lit a pipe, and with his rifle across his
knees fell to thinking about some "maver-
icks' he hsd branded that day. Presently
he imagined he heard soft step from the
prairie He raised his head and listened.
just then the moon showed rim beyond
q sailing cloud, and its light fell on a fig
Urea womsn's figure-making its way
toward the cabin. Stetson rose to his feet,
Letting his rifle butt drop on the ground,
snd ouriously surveyed tho woman, who
was close to him now. 1t was the EASTERN
srs VITA