Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-01-28
CHAPTER V.

CHAPTER V.
The warden's dark eyed daughter was
taking her regular morning ride in the
foothills There were no daily papers
to spread the news of the place, and she
had heard nothing of the washout Of
the previous day and of the fight of the
messenger Yesterday he had made her
to feel herself the happiest woman in
the world, She had gone to her bed
happy, but had awakened in a dreadful
dream and had been unable to sleep
from that hour until morning. Her
heart was heavy within her breast She
felt half inclined to be angry with her
spirited horse, who was now cantering
away with her toward the fresh green
hills. At the edge of the valley she met
three horsemen riding hard toward the
town. Two of the men were wounded
one was bleeding-and she asked what
was the matter The men appeared not
n want to stop, but when she had
heard, in a confused way, something
about the express messenger, she turned
and rode by the side of the sheriff unit i
he mad told her hurriedly all that had
occurred. He made her understand that
they had left the fugitive and his con-
fcderate at the top of the gulch from
which they had jus temerged and that
the thief was severely wounded.
He is no thief, " she retorted
"There is some mistake. "
Eyes, - said the sheriff, 1--WE made
mistake in not shooting him down like
dog at first sight, but he II never leave
those hills alive. III an hour the whole
town will be after him.
With that the sheriff drove the spurs
into his horse and galloped away after
his companions.
The dark eyed woman reiued her
horse to a stop and stood looking after
the deputies. 1t was 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
be spared-even her own father-would
be upon his trail to kill him. 1t must
not be. With a prayer upon her lips the
bewildered woman turned her horse and
dashed away toward the hills.
From the valley the gulch showed
plainly, but when she found herself
among the rocks she became confused.
The heavy growth of pinon and cedar
obscured 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
spreading cedars. At times she actually
cried out to God to guide her to her
lover, whom she believed to be limo
cent. At last she found the trail made
by the sheriff 5 posse as they came down
the gulch, but moment later her heart
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 appall her. Nothing could stop
her now. Even in the presence of these
silent witnesses-the horse and rider
slain by the messenger-she was able
still to believe in his innocence. Such
is the capacity Of woman's love. Now
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 behind her. At 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 a faithful dog follows his master
leaped the corpse of his brother and gal
Hoped to his mistress. 1t required but a
moment for her TO remount, and when
she reached the top Of the narrow can
| yon she turned to look behind her. The
little gulch was filled with 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 a struggling and
broken line of horsemen reached down
to the stage road, and the stage road
was lined with wagons and boys on the
burros, while out of the town and over
the valley men and women swarmed
like ants.
ut S awful for you to have to die for
me, said the messenger as the two men
leaned upon their elbows and looked at
each other. His shirt was pasted to his
shoulder. His shoe having filled up, the
blood was now oozing out between the
lacings.
cit is not awful, " said the dark man,
rubbing the ends of his fingers over the
wound in his breast. "It's "a useful end
ing of a wasted life. l never dreamed
that l should die so nearly satisfied.
And such sport Why, that fight be-
tween you and the-and Huerfano Bill.
IS you call him, was the best thing ]
ever saw. And the last wild plunge of
the maddened horse. What Climax
wonder where the soul plunges to at
that last leap? Stuff, there is no soul
and no place to plunge to. I've always
said so. And yet, " he went on, look
ing steadily at his companion, when
was near fainting a moment ago
thought the end had come, and instead