The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-10-20

bird We saw to-day" said Mary at the
supper-tsble. at could talk, and wa.
as tame as u cat wish I might have
kept IT,"
Lucky you did not try, Il belongs
To Fergus; your father told me about il
yesterday; he got IL out in Arizona, he
says"
That settled IL; whatever fears the
children might have had a. 10 the in
justice OF their suspicious, they knew
now that Fergus had stolen Coal, and
all the rage of man filled Jack 5
heart when he thought of his fathers
possible return before he got the mare
back.
MARY" he said, 'father told me TO
look after Coal, and / intend to get her
back. Don't say word to mother,
but am going over to Fergus's to-
morrow, and if don't come back, you
must get the men and come after me. "
"I'm going with you," said Mary.
Jack looked at her a moment, and
then nodded his assent.
These were real children, and IL was
real danger that they were going TO
face. They could have called ia some
of the cowboys in the course of few
days and have sent them to fight the
horse-thief, but Jacks honor was at
stake; unless he got that mare back
himself his trust would be broken, and
his father would treat him like a baby,
not like a man. When he thought of
that, he decided that he would rather
die than face his father without the
horse.
They determined that they would
not leave home before breakfast, for
that would arouse their mothers sus-
picions; besides, Fergus had dogs, and
they would give the alarm; so they ate
their breakfast and made visit To the
stable, rs though to feed the mare and
the big old brown horse.
The brown they saddled by strap
ping on a blanket, and then, with their
guns over their shoulders, and Jack
with a belt containing pistols and shot,
they started out. To their pioneer
mother they looked like two children
going of for hunt, but to an Eastern
eye they would have made the most re-
markable picture, Jack seated, first
.alf riHa fh. hrau-afo hanl-
also seated astride, perched up behind
him.
"I've been thinking, Jack, how We
shall do it," said Mary. 1--WE must sit
back to back, and you must guide the
brown with your feet; then We can keep
our eyes on Fergus, or on his dogs, all
the time, no matter where he Is, and il
we get the first sight Of him, We are all
right"
"les, sir; its shoot II he lnOve-."
aid Jack; "let's practice ridisS that
say now"
20 Mary ,ssTsSg re0nd and sat facing
the big horses tail, and Jack tighten
ed the bride until the slack just fitted
his feet like stirrups, and on they rode.
They could see the smoke, now, from
the house, and smell the hay in the
barn; the wind was towards them, and
the dogs had not yet taken the alarm.
Everything was very still, and they
were almost at the barn door, when
from over their heads came harsh
voice:
"Hello. shOOting?"
Both the children jumped, and the
bird chuckled. In the barnyard every
thing was quiet, but they could hear
voices in the house.
Jack slipped down; he stepped light
ly so that Coal should not hear aud call
to him. The stable door was paddock
ed, he had not a moment To lose, so he
picked up stone, but Mary shook her
head and pointed to the other end Of
the hasp. He understood. In min
ute he had pried loose the old screws
that held it to the doorpost, and the
door swung open. Mary sat like a
rock facing the house, which was hid
by corn crib, while Jack dashed into
the stable.
The stalls were empty. The boy
stood breathless for moment; then he
gave a soft call, such as Coal knew,
and there was an answer close by, in
the harness-room. He ran to il, tore
off the latch, and seized Coal by the
halter. Just then he heard dog bark
and Mary's voice cry out:
"Standw
He rushed to the barn door, and there
at the end of the corn-crib stood Fer
gus, his face blood-red, and Mary with
her gun leveled at him, seated on the
old browns back.
"If you move, we'll shoot you," said
Mary, and in her child's voice the
words had terrible sound.
Fergus stood still. He heard Coal
whinny, and not dreaming of any
trouble, had sauntered out to see after
her without his belt or his pistols. In
an instant Jack was on the browns
back and had started, with Coal trot-
ting beside them.
keep so that / can see Fergus"
whispered Mary, Sand make for the
road; he can't hide behind things
there"
So Fergus had to stand until the
were out of range, but then he
rushed back to the house, got his pis-
tolls and swung onto his horse, but they |
had the start of him, and made the best |
Of their time.
But it was all over soon. Mr.. Will |
Iiams was on his way home, and hear
ing the tramp of three horses where he |
expected to hear none, he had hidden
It the crossroads. His amazement ut |
seeing his two babies sitting back to
back, Jack leading Coal and Mary evi-
IDENTIFY covering someone with her gun,
kept him still. He sat and waited until
across the road came Fergus; then he
cooked his pistol and called:
.'Haltw
And Mary dropped her gun and
clung to Jack, who instantly covered
Fergus with his revolver. He knew
that voice, and he knew they were safe.
l..