The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-03-16
CHAPTER Y.

anGl eno6te0 as t1e saiaes1 u u
CHAPTER Y.
I,e warden's dark eyed daughter was
her regular morning ride in the
ofhiIa There were no daily papers
spread she news Of the place and she
ad heard nothing Of the washont of
sfsa ious day and Of the fight Of the
Ii iieaager. Yesterday he had made her
feel herself the happiest woman In
e world She had gone TO her bed
{ shaugy. but had awakened IN q dreadful
|eam and had been unable to-sleep
Chat hour until morning. Her
heart was heavy within her breast She
Is half inclined TO be angry with her
rited horse, who was now cantering
mn with her toward the fresh green
hSslx At the edge OF the valley she met
rae horsenen riding hard toward the
;foH Two Of themen were wounded
me sWasi bieedIng-and she asked what
s. 1;Ss hs matter. The men appeared not
I s., want 10 stop, but when she had
kead N 8 confused way, something
b0ut the express messenger, she turned
as,d rede by the side Of the sheriff until
se had told her hurr1edly ali chat had
ssoc,urred. He made her understand that
seY had left the fugitive and his con-
szsderate at the top Of the gulch from
Tkich they had jus temerged and that
khe thief was se7erely wounded.
s I3e is no thief, 2 she retorted
here is some mistake. =
I, said the sheriff. "we made q
take IN not shooting him down like
Adag at frst sight, but he u never leave
those Ellis alive. In an hour the whole
HOWE VIII be after him. 2
With that. the sheriff drove the spurs
into his horse and galloped away after
;slaisconpanions.
He dark eyed woman reined her
horse to stop and stood looking after
he Deputies Is E.ss some moments be-
fore she could realize the awfulness Of
what she had heard. In an hour the
whole town Will be after him she re-
peated what the sheriff had said. The
guards at the prison. those who could
8 be ssared-eE her own fathez-would
ba mon his trail to kill him. It must
NOT Be. With payer unop her bps the
bewiildered woman turned her horse and
dashed away toward the hills.
From the valley the gulch showed
paainly, but when she found herself
among the rocks she became confused.
The heavy growth Of pinon and cedar
obecured her view, and for nearly an
hour she galloped up and down along
the foothills unable to find the correct
pass. Her horse was white with foam
Her veil had been torn away and her
face was bleeding from many wounds
inflicted by the stiff branches Of the
sxeading cedars. At times she actually
cried out TO God to guide her to her
lover, whom she believed to be inno-
ceat. At last she found the trail made
BIZ the sheriff 8 posse as they came down
the gulch, but moment later her teart
sank as she heard the rattle Of horsemen
behind her. Presently she came to the
dead deputy and his horse, but the sight
did not appa1 her. Nothing could stop
s her now. Even in the presence cf these
silent witnesses hcrse and rider
slain BY the messenger-she was able
still to believe in his innocence. Such
is the capacity of woman's love. Now
new trouble confronted her. Her horse
refused to pass the dead. In vain she
urged, coaxed and whipped him. He
would only snort and turn away. Near
er and nearer came the crowd Of man
hunters behild her. az last, having
given up all hope Of getting her horse
beyond the CHASTITY dead, she leaped to
the ground and continued on foot. The
horse, having been trained to follow her
as faithful dog follows his master,
leaped the corpse Of his brother and gal
loped to his mistress. It required but a
moment Tor her to remount, and when
she reached the top Of the narrow can
Won she turned to look behind her. The
little gulch was illed with a stream Of
horsemen, and at the head Of the column
rode her father, followed by the mount
ed guard from the penitentiary. From
the mouth of the gulch struggling and
broken line of horsemen reached down
to The stage read, and the stage road
was lined with wagons and boys on the
burros, while out Of the town and over
fhe valley men and women swarmed
& Ike anta