The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-05-29
CONTINUED from Last Sunday.)
PART III.

room in an apparent attitude of languld
contemplation, but alert and intent OF
eye and ear. 1t was fine moonilt
night. Two pines near the door--soll-
tary pickets of the serrid ranks OF DIS
tant forest-cast long shadows like
paths to the cottage, and sighted their
spiced breath in the windows. FOR
there was no frivolity of vine or flower
round Salomy James bower. The clear.
ing was too recent, the life too practi-
cal for vanities like these. But the
moon added Il vague eluslveness 10
everything ,softened the rigid outlines
of the sheds, gave shadows the the M
less windows, and touched with mercl-
full indirectness the hldeous DEBRIS OF
refuse gravel and the gaunt scars OF
burnt vegetation before the door. Even
Salomy Jane was affected by it ana ex~
hailed something between a sigh and a
yawn with the breath of the pines.
Then she suddenly sat upright.
Her quick ear caught faint
"click. click" in the direction of the
wood. her quicker instinct and rustic
training enabled her to determine that
it was the ring of q horses shoe on
flintv ground; her knowledge of the To-
calify told her it came from the spot
where the trail passed over n outerop
of flint scarcely a quarter OF a mile
from where she sat-and within the
clearing, 1t was no Grant ''stock," for
the shoe was shod with iron; it was
mounted trespasser by night, and BODIED
no good to a man like Clay.
She rose, threw her shawl over her
head more for disguise than shelter,
and passed out of the door. A sudden
impulse made her seize her fathers
shotgun from the corner where 1t
stood-not that she feared any danger
to herself. but that it was an excuse.
She made directly for the wood. keep
ing in the shadow of the pines as long
as she could AT the fringe she halted;
whoever was there must pass her be-
fore reaching the house.
Then there seemed to be suspense of
all nature. Everything was deadly still
even the moonbeams appeared no
longer tremulous; then there was rus
tie as of some steadily3s e.! 90. IS. g
tie as of some stealthy animal among
the ferns--and then dismounted man
stepped into the moonlight. 1t was the
horse theif-the man she had kissed!
For wile. moment a strange fancy
seized her unusually same intellect and
stirred her temperate blood. The news
they had told her was not true-he had
been hung. and this was his ghost. He
looked rs white and spirit-like in the
moonlight, dressed in the same clothes,
as when she saw him last. He had eyi-
IDENTIFY seen her approaching, and
moved quickly to meet her. But in his
haste he stumbled slightly-she re-
fiected suddenly that ghosts did not
stumble-and feeling of relief came
over her. And it was no assassin of
her father that had been prowling
around-only this unhappy fugitive. A
momentary color came into her cheek,
her GOODNESS and hardihood returned:
it was with tinge of sauciness in her
voice that she said
Il reckoned you were ghost"
II mont have been,' he said. looking
at her fixedly; shut / reckon I'd have
come back here all the same"
Its little riskier comm back alive,
she said with Il leyity that died on her
lips, for q singular nervousness, half
fear and half expectation, was begin
ming to take the place of her relief OF
a moment ago. s"Then it was you who
was prowlin' round and maxim tracks
in the far pastureY
Eyes; came straight here when | got
away
She felt his eyes were burning her. hut
cid not dare to raise her own. why"
she began-hesitated, and ended vague
~. How did you get here!"
lyon helped me-
'I?'
Eyes. That kiss you gave mc put life
into me-gaye me strength to get away
/ swore to myself I'd come back and
thank you-aliye or dead
Every word he said she cou.d have an
ticipated, so plain the situation seemed
to her now. And every word he said
she kwew was the truth. Yet her COO
common sense struggled against it.
What's the use Of your escaping, eff
you're comm back here to be ketehel
again?" she said pertly.
He drew a little nearer to her, but
seemed to her the more awkward ms she
resumed her self-possession. Ills voice.
too, was broken as if by exhaustion as
he said, catching his breath at intervals:
.I'll tell you. You did more for me
than you think. You made another man
o. me- / never had a man, woman or
child do me what you did. never
had a friend-only pal like Red Pete.
who picked me up ON the sahres.
want to quit this yer-what I'm doin'.
want to begin by dom the square thing
to YOU" he stopped, breathed hard and
then said brokenly: My boss is over
tina, staked out. | want to give him to
you. Judge Boompointer viii give you
a thousand dollars for him. ain't "
in'-it's Gods truth! / saw it on the
handful again a tree. Take him, and
I'll get away afoot. Take him. It's the
only thing / can do for you, and know
it don't half pay for what you did. Take
it, your father can get reward for you
IF you can't"
Such were the ethics of this strange
locality that neither the man who made
the offer nor the girl to whom it was
made were struck by anything that
seemed illogical or indicate or at all
inconsistent with justice or the horse
thief's real conversation. Salomy Jane,
nevertheless, dissented, from another
and weaker reason.
Idon't want your hoss-though /
reckon dad might-but you're just
starvin'. I'll get suthin'.'' She turned
toward the house.
Say, you'll take the boss first" he