Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-07-04

free-a chance shot, a snake bite, q
fall into some gulch, anything to rid
her of this man. But, no luck never
came her way. With the night Bob
would return, and her old life of bond
age run on as, before. She shuddered,
although the warm sun lay lovingly
upon her.
sI can't STAN it," she muttered.
aI've got ter the 'ond o. my rope.
Bob's hit me the last lick. Life amt
been sweet ter me since married
him, an I'm goin' ter end it ALL"
Fired by sudden determination,
she turned and went into the saloon.
She knew there was loaded revol-
YER behind the bar. Bob had threat
ened her with it more than once, and
she had dared him to shoot. Well,
she would save him the trouble. She
passed behind the bar and CROPPED
among the bottles on the shelf beneath.
Had Bob taken the gun with him ?
No-her fingers touched the cold
metal.
There was sound of wheels and
the quick hoof-beats of trotting horses.
Some one was driving up from the
valley. She must wait until they
passed, for she wanted to say a bit of
a prayer before she pulled the trigger:
Some one drove up to the piazza
With b dash and leaped out. a mans
form tdsrkened the doorway, and Jack
Rainey entered the saloon.
"Good evenin', Mis- jennings" he
said. "Bob at home ?" -.
Mary Jane shook her head.
Rainey removed his broad sombrero
and wiped his brow. Then he leaned
against the bar and meditatively rolled
Ia cigarette. He did not looked at Mary
Jane.
"Bob's been goin' on ag'in, amt he !"
he asked, at length.
The woman only sighed.
"I heered," said Jack, speaking with
great deliberation, 81 heered he was
wuss than ever last night"
"He beat me-" she answered, family.
Jack turned upon her quickly with
kind of angry pity. .'>s
"Why don't you give him the shaker"
he cried.
Mary Jane did not answer for a
minute. His query gave strength to
her determination.
"I don't see how We STAN it," Rainey
went on. aye used ter have spunk
enough-'fore ye married Bob"
"I got spunk enough" she said. II
don't need no urgin'. I made up my
mind jest afore you come in-an' I'm
goin' ter leave him, Mr.. Rainey."
Jack looked trife disappointed.
"Can't / help We ?" he asked, kindly.
"Nobody can't"
"Where ye goin' to? How'll ye git
away2 Bob'll foller ye an bring ye
back, without some one helps ye."
"Bob won't folIer me. where Pm
a-goin'," she said.
There was something in her tone at
which Rainey took alarm. He walked
up and stood directly in front of her.
"What you mean ?" he asked sharp
lily. "Where you goin'?"
Mary Jane looked him straight in
the eye.
"To perdition, I reckon, Mr.. Rainey," "
she said, in a hard, strained voice.
"For Gods sake, don't talk like
that" cried Jack. "Bob amt worth
lit. Don't throw up the game that
way, Mary Jane. Eff ye're goin' ter
do any killin', kill Bob"
There was long silence, during
which Mary Jane began to cry silently,
while Jack Rainey stood awkwardly
looking on. At last he could bear it
no longer. }
"Mis' Jennings-Mary Jane," he be-
gan, IT knowed Bob was away when
I come. That's why I came. There
amt a better woman'n you in these
parts, an reckon there amt meaner
cuss'n Bob. I amt no cherub myself,
Mary Jane, but II loved ye afore ye
ever see Bob Jennings, only I warn't
fixed right to tell ye. But it's the
truth, Mary Jane, an I come ter ask
ye toto 60 away with me, an start
fresh" =. .
An hour later, Jack Rainey drove
away from "Bob's hotel" with wom-
an by his side. He whistled softly TO-
himself as one who is we'll pleased, but
he kept a wary eye about him, and
his rifle lay across his kneee. Mary
Jane covered beside him in mingled
hope and fear. She had yielded to
Jacks entreaties because he was kind
to her, and because she loathed the
old life. She doubted not that hap
piness would return if they could but
succeed in eluding Bob. Yet 30 cow
ed was she by Years of cruelty that
hope was weak and fear predominant.
She seemed to hear Bob's voice in
every sound.
"Can we make it?" she asked
Rainey, for the twentieth time.
"Sure," he answered, heartily.
"Bob won't suspect nuthin' o. this
sort, an when he does he'll look for
us down to the coast. But we'll strike
out over the desert for Yuma. II
know the trail, an me an the pintos
here have done it afore-ain't we,
boys?"
The horses pricked up their ears
as if in answer, and Mary Jane, reas-
sured, nestled closer to Jack, who put
an arm around her and beamed with
satisfaction. |
The. grade was very narrow, here,
and the bowlder-covered mountain
fell away upon the right in steep