Santa Fe daily New Mexican., 1896-06-12
JACK CRAIG'S WIFE.

Sage Bar was excited. Six horses 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 reined up quickly.
"Look at that shoe mark |" he exclaimed,
pointing down at the trail
"By guns! it's the easterner's boss
shoe!' calculated Sam Pike after an in
stant's scrutiny of the hoof prints among
which were several larger than tho 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.
"Well?" said Bill tentatively at last
No one answered for moment. Then
Sam Remarked: sit looks bad for tn
easterner surel Their haint any one got
hoss shoes like them in tn district 'oept
him. I'm sorry + tn feller's put his head
in a ropes end, boys. But we'll have ter
foller him up. Who'll go baokf"
A couple of tho party volunteered. The
men separated. Part of them moved for
ward on the trail. The others turned their
horses at right angles to tho former line of
march and loped on toward the easterner' 8
cabin.
The easterner, otherwise Jack Craig of
whom they had been speaking, had been
in Sage Bar only short time. He was a
tenderfoot out and out. When he 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 mile or more away
from town. So Sage Bar had come to
consider the pair "queer lot and to des-
ignate them as ''th' easterner an his wife, !"
which was intended to be anything but
complimentary.
When the trailing party rcined up in
front of Craig's cabin they found the OBJ
ject of their search sitting Oh log before
the door smoking From his Dress be-
spattered with mud, it 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 Bar!'
whats thatp" demanded the easterner
angrily.
Eyer wanted down ter TIL Bar!' Sam
repeated. "For hoss stealing!' 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. "It's a - lie," he
said, Fan you know it!'
Just then woman's figure appeared in
the cabin doorway. 1t was Craig's wife.
whats the matter?" she questioned
anxiously, seeing her husbands attitude.
Craig spoke up quickly: "Go back, Dol
ly! They've got up dirty story about me
an want me to 60 to the Bar. But I'll
come back in little while.'
Sam had great fear of women's 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
cnio" ooOA oAio 'oouo .i1i'' noIulhe hAAi
oignG 70 nor. ne unciaspeo her arms
eenVy Aleel on ,hs'nne anu mounted tne
norse' anu turning IN the sadale waved his
hand 70 nel. Ihen they RODE away, and
al1er cney hau gone piece sam looked
DacK anu saw tne woman SILL standing
tnere, ner nanus loosely lookea before her,
Watcnlng eheln WIN wiae open eyes.
one1s eric ter Sh DacKpone, muttered
tha5 worCny anu Aasneu MS morse into
Railop.
All page Dar clomueu arouna tne party
Wnen 1hey ulew rem ~ .own, anu Gnere