Evening star., 1898-05-28

Larrabees two half-brothers on You. And
you must go like ID fool and leave
these yer things behind you in the bresh''
ne went on querulously, lifting Madison
Gay dust coat, hat and shot gun from
mis- horse, which stood saddled at the door
Luckily l picked them up in the woods
CT min here. Ye amt got more than time
10 get over the state line and among your
ioiks thar afore they'll be down on you.
Hustle old man? What are YOU gawkin'
and Starin' at?'
Madison Clay lad stared amazed AMI
bewlidered-horror stricken. The incidents
oI the past night for the first time flashed
upon him clearly-hCpelessly! The shot
his finding Salomy Jane alone in the woods
her confusion and anxiety to rid herself of
MIN, the disappearance of the shotgun and
now this new discovery of the taking Of his
nat ana coat for disguise! She had killed
PGul Larrabee in that disguise after pro-
ccking his first harmless shot! She his
own child, Salomy Jane, had disgraced her
seif by mans crime-had disgraced him
by usurplng his right, and taking a mean
advantage, by deceit. of a foel
Gimme that gum" he said, hoarsely.
Breckinridge handed him the gun in won
der and slowly gathering suspicion. Madi-
son examined nipple and muzzle; one barrel
bad been disCharged 1t was true The gun
dropped from his hand
Look here, old man." said Breckenridge.
with darkenng face, there's bin no foul
play here. Thar's bin no hiring Of men.
| no deputy to do this job. You did it fair
and square-yourself."
| Yes, by God" burst out Madison Clay
| IN hoarse voice. Who says 1 didn't?''
! Reassured, yet believing that Madison
Clay had nerved himself for the act by an
! overdraft of whisky, which had affected
his memory. Breckenridge said, curtly
| Then wake up and lite out Of va want mo
| to stand by you"
| Go to the corral and pick me out O.
| hoss," said Madison. slowly yet not with
out certain dignity of manner. I've
suthn' to say to Salomy Jane afore I CO."
| He was holding her scribbled note, which
| he had just discovered, in his shaking
| hand.
Struck by his kinsman's manner, and
| knowing the dependent relations of father
| and daughter, Breckenridge nodded and
| hurried away. Left to himself, Madison
| Clay ran his fingers through his hair and
| Strengthened out the paper on which Sal
| omy Jane had scrawled her note, turned it
! over and wrote on the back:
| You might have told me you did It, and
| not leave your ole father to find it out
| how you disgraced yourself and him, too,
by lowdown, underhanded. woman's trick!
| I've said done it. and took the blame my
| self. and all the sneakiness of it that folks
| suspect. If I get away alive-and l don't
much care which-you needn't foller The
| house and stock are yours but you atn't
any longer the daughter of Your disgraced
! father. MADISON CLAY.
| He had scarcely finished the note when
| with a clatter of hoofs and a led horse
breckenridge reappeared at the door elate
| and triumphant. You're in niger luck
| Madi / found that stole boss of Judge
| Bcompointer's had got away and strayed
among your stock in the corral Take him
| and your safe-he can't be outrun this side
OF the state line"
L amt no hoss thief" said Madison
| grimly.
| Nobody sez ye are, but you'd be wuss-
| n fool-ef you didn't take him. I'm testi-
| mony that you found him among YOUR
| hosses I'll tell Judge Boompointer you've
| got him, and ye kin send him back when
| you're safe. The judge will be mighty glad
| 10 ger MIN back, and call it quits. So-ef
| you've writ to Salomy Jane-come"
| Madison Clay no longer hesitated. Sal
| omy Jane might return at any moment-it
| would be part of her fool womanishness"
! and he in no mood to see her before
a third party. He laid the note on the
| table, gave hurried glance around the
! house, which he grimly believed he was
| leaving forever, and, striding to the door
leaped on the stolen horse and swept
| away with his kinsman.
| But that note lay for a week undis-
turbed on the table, in full view of the open
| door. The house was invaded by leaves,
| pine cones, birds and squirrels during the
| hot, silent. empty days, and at night by
| shy, stealthy creatures. but never again,
| day or night, by any of the Clay family
1t was known in the district that Clay
| had flown across the state line, his daugh-
| ter was believed to have Joined him the
| next day, and the house was supposed to
| be locked up 1t lay off the main road and
| few passed that way. The starving cattle
| in the corral at last broke bounds and
| stronger blast than usual swept through
| the house, carried the note from the table
to the door where, whirled into Q