The leader., 1897-09-08
ury. A murmur Of interest ran through

the crowd, and the jurors whispered
among themselves.
just then a little red-faced man
pushed his way through the crowd AT
the door. "There he isl" he shouted.
excitedly. There's the man that stole
my mulel"
We followed his finger with our eyes.
He was pointing at Ezekiel, who re-
garded him philosophically. well, !
didn't say l didn't, did II" he asked,
mildly.
The newcomer threw his hat in the
corner and danced with excitement.
at was this way, jedge. T'other day
tied my mule down at Ransome's Ferry
while went into Pixies place to git
some refreshments. When | come out,
little later, the mule wuz gone, an
/ never seed him again ontil to-day,
VIXEN / stumbled on him. accidental
like, at this feller's place up the trail.
| want him rested, quick!"
We were too much astonished to say
anything, but finally Ezekiel broke the
silence.
Don't be too hasty," he said. 81 stole
the mule, yes. The chap left him tied
out thar all day while he was doin' the
anaconda act in at Pixies, an jest out
of pity for jeremiah rode him off. But
that's enough on that subject" as the
undertaken remarked when he saw a
tenfoot tombstone over the grave OF
debtor of his'n; we're considerin' an
other matter. didn't say nothin' about
Scroggins' death for two reasons;
wanted Nita to leave 'thout hearin'
about it, an jeremiah had strayed off
an it's a long ways to tell news thatll
keep an hour or So"
The jury had been examining the pis.
tol, and EZekiers statement was so ap-
parently sincere that their minds began
to waver. They looked at Atkinson
then at the stranger, and then at Eze
kiel, serenely confident For a momen;
they buzzed together, then the fore
man, closely followed by the other
Ii, walked over and held out his
lNrry was on box, cheering frantcal
ly. The crowd joined in, and the excite
ment grew until the hilltop man fell
out of the window backward. After
awhile the colonel made himself heard
"The prisoners discharged. But
| there's another case to be considered
"She's waitin' up thar for you," whis
pered Ezekiel, and Atkinson stayed just
long enough to wiring dozen out
stretched hands and give his choking
thanks to Ezekiel.
Col. Ike rose in his place and the hun
| of conversation was stilled.
THE death of this man Scroggins ap.
pears to have happened in a proper
manner, but the mule stealing is more
serious. And while in the first instance
you are entitled to the thanks of Lone
Star, because of the second It is the
/ opinion of the court you'd better leave
in three hours, Ezekiel"
"I'll CO. said Ezekiel "but not less
| can take Jeremiah. | amt agoin' tc
walk"
Col. Ike was a man of resources. He
| dropped a dollar in his sombrero ant
then passed it among the boys. Wher
he had counted its contents he ad
! dressed the owner of the mule. "Youl
mule is worth just SIS, a plugged hal
and two Mexican dobies, and we've de
cided to buy him." Then he turned tC
Ezekiel. with the compliments o
Lone Star camp" he said, smiling.
Ezekiel bowed his thanks, shool
hands all around and passed through
the door. He unhitched Jeremiah from
where his late owner had tied him anC
clambercd into the saddle, with hi!
fiddle under his left arm. Something
saw in his face made me walk along
side to the top of the grade. He looked
at me for a moment, quizzically.
Does what you hear go in at one ca
n out t'other, std of your MOUTH"
Secrets that travel take that trail.
"Well, then, | didn't steal jeremiah h
him, an, when the chance offered mex
day. dckered for him with a man wht
'peared to be his owner. But | saw
that my reputation needed 4 smudge tC
make 'em b'lieve me about Scroggins.
Then you didn't" began I, catching
my breath.
"Sartinly not" he said, coolly. :"
didn't kill him, and | don't know who
did-probably some one he did up, set
tim an old score. I'm sure Bob didn'
do it, but I couldn't prove it any othel
way. And he's mighty nice feller, an
Nita, bless her little heart Git up
Jeremiah. San Francisco Argonaut.
The Child and the Bears.
Since the Legendary days of Romulu:
and Remus many instances have beer
recorded where beasts of prey, having
opportunity, have refrained from harm
ing a small child. Little IIelma Urslel
wandered away from her home neal
Snowshoe, Pa, one day in the fall, ana
was swallowed up in the wilds of the
Allegheny mountains. The creates
alarm was felt, and for two days every
luan, woman and child of the neighbor
hood turned out TO beat the woods