The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-04-02
JACK CRAIG'S WIFE.

Sage Bar was excited. Six horses were
missing from Bill Hines drove. Fifteen
minutes after Bill had reported his loss ut
tho bar'a party had found tho trail and
ridden off toward the southwest Pres
emily, as they were crossing q wet bit of
land in n hollow Bill, who led the party
looked sharply Mt the hoof prints sunk deep
in the soil and refined up quickly.
Look at that shoe mark - he exclaimed
pointing down ut the trail.
by guns it's the customers boss
shoc" calculated Sam Pike after an in
stant's scrutiny of the hoof prints among
which were several larger than the rest
and showing tho clear impress of n 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
"WcllY' said Bill tentatively at last.
Ne ono answered fer n moment. Then
Sam remarked: 1T looks bad for tn
easterncr sure! Their hain't any one got
boss ssboes like them in tn district capt
him. I'm sorry 4 tn feller's put his head
in ropes end, hoys. But we'll have ter
follcr him up. Who'll go back9'
Acouple of the party volunteered The
men separated. Part of theIn moved for
ward on the trail. The others turned their
HoiSt>S ub rlBuJ uDSlcS 10 INC IOrDlcr line OF
march and lOped ON toward the easterner's
cabin.
The easterner, otherwise Jack Craig, of
whom they had been speaking, had been
in Sage Bar only a short time He was a
tenderfoot out and out. When he cnmo to
the bar he brought his WIFI with him.
She WAS u bright, pretty little woman, but
they hardly knew her in the settlement.
Craig always had been reserved, and the
two Ind Kept by themselves in the little
cabin which stood u mile or more away
from town. So Sage Bar had como to
consider the pair queer lot" and to dos
ignate them as 9TH oasterner an his wife,
which was intended to be anything but
complimentary.
When the trailing party refined up in
front of Craig's cabin they found the OBJ
ject Of their search sitting on log before
tho door smoking. From his dress be-
spattcrcd 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 Bari"
What's that?" demanded the easterner
angrily.
Yer wanted down ter tn Bari Sam
repeated. For boss stcaling!' he added
He sprang from his seat, throwing back
his hand TO his hip. But tho others had
him covered and his hand dropped loosely
by his side again. Its Is - lie, - he
said, ian you know it!''
just then Il woman's figure appeared ia
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 a dirty story about mo
an want me To 60 to the Bar. But III
como back in little while
Sam hnd great feur of women S tongues
and tears, and Immediately ordered Craig
te mount u horse which another man at !,
word secured fromihe stable near by. The
woman had looked Oh dumbly, seeming
hardly to comprehend whGt 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 unclusped her arms
gently after an instant and mounted tho
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.
"Shc's grit ter tn backbone" muttered
IluI worthy anu luSileu MS morse INTO u
gallop.
All Sage Bar crowded around the party
when they drew rein in town, and there
wcro some who would have strung Craig
up upon the spot when Sam had told tho
story. Sage Bar was in that stage of
progress where horse stealing was a CAPT.
tai offense and u short shrift was granted
to offenders But Sans protest that moth
ing should DO done until tho Hines party
returned was hooded, and the prisoner was
put in an empty cabin, tied hand and foot,
several of the men agreeing to stand guard.
The afternoon waDed 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
abont l 1 O'Clock, leaving only 10 Stetson
on guard.
Stotson sat himself down on a stump
and lit pipe, and with his rife across his
knees fell to thinking about some "maver-
icks'' nc had branded that day Presently
he imagined he heard n soft step from the
prairie. He raised his head and listened.
Just then the moon showed rim beyond
Il sailing cloud, and its light fell on a fig
urea woman's iigure-making its way
toward the cabin. Stctson rose to his feet,
q. - t. IA, lint 81.