New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-08-23

was that Mag was informed that her terms were
accepted
The next morning before SUNRISE when Mag
met the Sheriffs posse at the meeting point
agreed upon the evening before, 1t was noticed
that she he'd big black bruise under her right
eye.
Have YOU been in a scrap. Mag?" asked one
of the posse with a clumsy attempt at )ocuiarity'
Il seen Tom last night" replied the girl win
forced laugh AN he whacked me In the eye
with his fist and cussed me for gettn him into
trouble as he said. l didn't mind the lick-but
the cussin''
Here the girls voice quavered and those near
est to her thought they the glimmer OF tear
in her eye.
''I soon made it all right with him. though
she continued regaining her self-possession BUT
/ didn't tell him what a nice lot of visitors was
goin 10 bring him this morning. He. he.
There were some black looks exchanged, and
some remarks made in an undertone as TO the
baseness OF the girls treachery, but she deigned
no reply until she came within hearing OF the
Lost Creek Waterfall to which reference has
been made before
Call in all your pickets.' she exclaimed imperi-
ously Toms mighty nigh here somewheres. an
YOU uns Is such pore shots that you'd better have
lot of men ready to shoot.
The pickets had spent the night before on the
mountain. as they had also spent several nights
preceding. Word was sent out and all OF
them were summoned down to the spot in ques-
ton.
Now stay where you are, and remember ABOUT
them two minutes YOU promised to give us-for
our last Interview, you know. He! he!'
With these words Mag cautiously advanced
,.ithf Of he Then
she stepped out of sight between several large
powders The posse grasped their rifles and wait
ed in silence The Sheriff held in hand a watch
with which to tell the passage of the two min
utes.
do you reckon he's been hidin all this time In
that hole?" asked one man in low whisper.
What do you reckon she's a-sayin' TO him?
asked another
Then all was quiet save for the Tick tick of
the Sheriffs watch. Wher the time lacked but
few seconds of being out womana figure hur-
riedly glided from beh.-d the rocks AMI fastened
up the mountain side The left hand pressed
handkerchief to the eyes but the right hand
pointed backward toward the rocks. Scarcely a
momen: later a mans figure emerged and made
a wild dash for Lost Creek Waterfall. There was
no mistaking the apparel. 1t was the same suit
of well-worn "butternut' jeans. and the same
old brown peaked SLOUGH hat that Tom Houston
had worn when he disappeared. Perhaps it was
the recollection OF their promise. or perhaps it
was ONLY the suddenness of the apparition: at
any rate no: a shot was fired until the figure
made a final leap before disappearing into the
deep dark hole into which the water fell. Just
as it was poised in midar half a dozen rifles rang
out loud and clear High above the multtudinous
mountain echoes which they woke, Wild shrill
scream arose. Every man In the posse rushed
pell-men TO the black hole but when they peered
into its depths nothing was to be seen, and moth
ing was to be heard save the of the fall and
the swish of the foam.
Those rocks that side would give fellow
plenty Of foothod." remarked one man to the
Sheriff. Air 70 a-goln in?'
Nav" answered that Official Il amt banker
ing to run afoul of Tom Houston's shootin'-irons
in the darl. -
However. he put his face in at the dark open
ing and shouted Surrender" though his voice
was well-nigh drowned by that of the water.
Then very cautiously he pushed a big revolver
into the darkness and pulled the trigger long,
reverberating cavernous below was the only re-
Spouse.
"Jeeminyr' he calculated. 1T sounds like
million of devils might live down there.
Then sudden thought seemed to strike him.
See herew ne shouted. About hall Of you fell
lows run down the neutrality-suspicious. stand
guard at the place where Lost Crcli comes out
again"
His meaning was comprehended in an instant,
and about half the posse dashed away to execute
his orders.
so thai was Mays little game. was to- con-
tinued the Sheriff. "Shc thought I'd call in my
pickle. lines an then Tom could slip out the lower
end of this hole-guess nobody knows i; better
than him-and she'd have her $50 besides She
was shar, to get her money beforehand. | won
der where she is now.
She was nowhere to be seen. 1t seemed that
during the tumut she had slipped away unoh-
served. The Sheriff made no attempt to follow
her: perhaps he remembered his promise not to
do
eft don't make no difference" he remarked
"We've got Tom in hole this time, sure, with
both ends of the hole guarded. It's only question
Of a little time now. If we don't drive him out we
can easily starve him ont. l think some fellow
winged him when he jumped. anyhow"
That night three men with rifles In their hands
stood guard at the lower opening Of the under
ground passageway OF Lost Creek, and three
stood at the upper one. The next day they were
relieved by others and so 1t continued for full
week Tom Houston did not appear. One after
noon at the end of this period Toms big peaked
SLOUGH hat foated out into the sunlight at the
lower entrance. The watchers examined 1t with
all the eagerness Of intense excitement
Something else is gon to float out pretty soon
now exclaimed one in an awestruck whisper
Sure enough. not half an hour later something
else did float out
Look out! It's comn'i' exclaimed the first one
who IT,
As II reached the first faint rays Of daylight the
watchers peering in could recognize the we'll
worn suit of "butternut jeans which Tom Hous-
ton had been used to wear. When it reached the
full light of day they saw that wealth OF soft