The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1896-01-22

"W'y, howdy, Sam |" she calculated.
'Tm right glad & see yel Didn't
know, f'r sho', but what twas some
one a-comin' & carry me off"
"Ive a right good notion e do it, }"
said Sam, with what he considered re-
markable audacity-and then he failed
to follow up this opening, but asked;
''Be ye all alone, Mst?"
81 sh'd say alone Nav n paws
gone { taown, Bart an ev'ry hams
aout on tn range, an even oil Man
uela's done skipped-went ovah on tn
creek to a Greaser fun'ral. But go
an put Bill up an come in. Well
have suppeh, right soon.
Sam soon returned to the kitchen,
and sat there, with eyes and mouth
open, watching Mat as she fitted
gracefully about the room preparing
supper. He took in every detail of
the tail, 1.-THE figure, the pretty face,
and the thick tawny hair, with its lit
tie curls that clustered about her neck.
He wondered if she would ever let him
handle those curls.
"Well, come n Craze, Sammy" she
said, finally. "I reckon they amt but
us two T. eat, this time"
,'Wondeh whut she'd say ef / sh'd
tell 'er 1 wish't it was Jest us two
al'ays?" thought Sam. Buthe did not
say it, being very timid, and very hun
cry, beside. After supper, however,
they sat out in the gallery" and Mat
gave him an opportunity to speak.
"Seems funny, don't it, f'r jest us
two T. be a-settin' yere?" the girl said,
smiling at him frankly.
Sam swallowed spasmodically; his
throat hurt him.
"Why not f'r arays, Mat'" he said,
finally, in a husky voice. "Mat,
darlin', s'pose me n you fix it up t.
be t'gethah frevah? Don't-don't
stop me-" he went on, as the girl rose
to her feet and would have spoken.
~ ben tryin' t. say it FIR two yeahs.
Mat, will ye marry me?"
The girl had one arm across her
eyes, and was sobbing. "Ob, 1 wish't t
ye hadn't, Saml wish't ye hadn't "a
spoke I hain't treated ye right,
Sam, l hain't. /"
"Wh-why-"
"I s'pose 1 got t. tell you, Sam, "
she said, more steadily, but with eyes
averted. ''Ef 1 got t tell ye-oh,
Sam, 1 was married T. Harry Arm
strong last winteh, wen I was ovah
on tn Pecos!"
Sam sank Imply back In his chair.
mean it, Natl" he gasped. But the
girl nodded her head afirmatively,
and bit a corner of the handkerchief
she held to her eyes.
''I CANT b'lieve it, Natl sho'
cain'tl" said poor Sam, plaintively.
lie me think.
So engrossed were they that they
had not heard the sound of galloping
hoofs, and both were startled when
some one refined up suddenly, almost
in front of them, and cried, hoarsely :
Good God Mat, where can hide?''
"Ned Flynnl" calculated Sam,
starting to his feet dazedly.
"Harry !" shrieked the girl, rs the
man, pale, bareheaded and disheveled,
threw himself from his dropping horse
and staggered toward them. One side
of his face and neck was covered with
blood.
The girl sprang forward and threw
her arms about him. "What is it,
HarryP What is it?"
Nothing" said the man, grimly-
"only they've sent out three posse
after me, and I'm caught. There's a
lot of 'em just behind. If l could get
over the Two-Mile-"
Sam started forward. "Haow fur
b'hind are they?" he asked, in queer
voice.
Fright on my heels" replied the
other man, with the calmness of de-
spair. He sat with his head buried in
his wiIe's lap, and did not look up,
seeming to care not at all what hap.
pened next.
Then Sam did something that sur
prised himself "Git inside, you two -
he said, roughly, and tossed his hat to
Flynn. Then he ran and leaped into
the saddle the other man had just left,
jammed his spurs into the weary
horses hanks, and, with a wave OF
the hand, was off toward the hills
and not a quarter of mile behind
him, when he struck the road, were a
half dozen horsemen.
They caught sight of him crossing
the road ahead, and, with loud yells,
raced after him.
Sam knew that the horse he rode
could not last long, but he still had
time to think of what he had done,
and what would be done to him. He
knew what generally happened to per-
sons who aided the escape of men like
Flynn-but he reflected, grimly, that
he had his revolver on. and they should
never hang him, at least.
But-why had he done it? He did
not feel sorry, really, but he could
not comprehend his own action.
"Ping !" They were shooting at
him now, and the bullets we're flying
uncomfortabiy close. Ii he could only
reacn the timber He glanced back,
and it gave him pang to see how
rapidly they we're gaining upon him.
His horse stumbled, fell, and threw
him but he was back in the saddle in
a moment and urging the poor crea-
ture on. Again he looked back. One
of his pursuers suddenly halted his
horse, dismounted, and, with his knee
for a rest, began pumping lead after
the fugitive. One-two-three shots
missed him. He hoped he was draw
! inc ont of range. Then