The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-04-02

"Is he In thereg', sho said, her voice
trembling n Bit
Eyes" answered Stetson.
Can 1 see him. she asked "Only for
u moment" she added.
Cant do it, murm.' said Stctson.
For Il moment she was Quiet, looking
longinyly toward tho cabin and clasping
and uuclasping her hands softly Tho
man hoped shc would go. Ho had hated
to say no. and no didn't know how long
his determination TO refuse would last
but they say they no going to try him to-
morrow, and mayn't get another chance"
She looked ut him So sadly and yet SO
bravely withal that Stetson wavorcd and
was lost.
For five minutes, thon, no morel" he
said, half ropenting of his words tho in
slant they wure uttered
But he unlocked the cabin door for her
and locked it behind her again. Then no
stood outside the door cursing himself.
Presently there was rap from the inside
of the cabin, and, much relieved, no undid
tho door, but he kept his finger on tho
hammer of his rifle us no stood aside TO al
low her to pass. She came out quickly
Stetson turned and bent to fasten the door.
AS no did SO he felt n tiny ring of cold
metal against his head and heard, in her
voice. now without u tremble:
Put up your hands and do 1t Quickly!"
The order was so distinctly put and so en-
phatically backed up by the cold metal
which Stotson knew only too we'll was tho
dangerous end of n revolver that he did
not hesitate. AS he threw up his hands
the door WAS pulled open from tho inside
and n man dashed out and melted in the
darkness of tho prairie. A moment more,
and the hoof beats of horse came back,
sounding clear and sharp on tho still Dir.
Tho men who had been asleep till now,
awakened by the noise, sloepily raised
themselves on their elbows. Tho woman
had not moved the pistol from Stetson's
head, but now she dropped the weapon
quickly and started to run. In an instant
Stctson was after her, and wild at being
outwitted had run her down and caught
her before sho had gono so yards. AS he
graspcd her by tho shoulders the hoof beats
were dying on tho air, and tho woman
looked into her captor's face with an OK
ultant smile.
Stctson brought her back to tho cabin
and in half shamed way told his story.
The woman was quiet and did not seem to
hear what they said. Despite thcr cha
grin at having been worsted by woman,
the mon could not but admire her pluck
and skill. Then they argued rs to what
they should do with her, and finally de-
cidcd to take her into town rs soon rs it
was light. They locked her in the cabin
and then sat up and talked tho rost of tho
night. They felt that it would he useless
TO attempt TO trail Craig in tho dark, and,
10 tell the TRUTH they We're just bit fear
full that the woman would escape them
unless they kept sharp lookout.
When morning came, n big party set off
in pursuit OF Craig. But they had scant
hope OF evertaking him with horse under
him and his many hours start. The east
erner's wife still remnined locked in the
cabin. Sage Bar for once found Itself
nonplused. Law and order had been re-
versed By u woman, and tho town had the
offender in custody. But smoke and
ponder az 1t might, Sage Bar was ut u loss
| TO know how Ia proceed. All tho laws of
the settlement, unwritten though they
| were, had sprung from an acute sopso of
frontier needs and referred to men, There
WAS an indehnablc feeling among the Sage
| Bar solons that these laws could not be
| applied with propriety to women, and SO
| they talked much, smoked and drank
| much more and did nothing
When the Hines party came In, tired,
hungry and empty handed, no solution of
| the difficulty presented itself, and so with
! admirable Judgment tho town decided to
! INV AeSSAA va SUI
| ting the woman ut liberty. Tho eastern
| er's wife was pale and evidently worn out
| when they brought her out of the cabin 1;
| but she said not u word whom they told
| hor she might go and walked off in the
direction of her homo with a smile, half of
defiance, half of satisfaction. That night
the party which had gone in pursuit of
Craig returned, having madc fruitlcss
search.
Two days Later, just us Sage Bar was
preparing its evening meal, two men were
seen riding over n swell from tho north
east. Five horses were driven loosely be-
fore them. When the men got nearer the
town ono of them WAS recognized as tho
| easterncr He WAS riding barcheaded, and
beside him rode another, dark and swarthy,
his arms bound to his sides, his horse led
by Craig. All Sage Bar assembled about
the party while Craig told the story of how
he had ridden away that night, had struck
the trail of the horses, and following it
had brought the Mexican thief to terms
with a shot from his rifle, and then came
back. And when he had done there were
hadn't had chance to rclievc itself of for
a long while, and to this day there is not
q man In Sage Bar but touches his SLOUGH
hat to the easterncr's wife, whom 10 Stet-
son declares is 9TH Randiost little woman
in the west !"-kansas City Times
ArkelI and Hancock.