The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1900-07-05

n
See here now; don't want to put me hands 90
you"
1rifted away among the trees. Then
he set his feet upon the river bank, slid
Town, and stopped at the rivers brink.
lie laid his face to the water and drank;
md the river did not refuse to quencb
his thirst.
Faith crept back to her place; her
sleeper still slept. The man by the
river turned her way, and set his feet
again upon the bank. She slipped the
mantle from her shoulders, and laid
it, as soft as the rose of silence, upon
Darcie's face. The silk-lined folds set
tied into place; he did not move So
he had looked when she had thought
him dead. She clasped her hands upon
her knees, and bent her head upon them.
Steps came up the bank and paused
close beside her; she merely breathed.
There was silence; then a voice said:
who is your man, my dear"
She did not answer. Dan Rafferty,
studied the two figures attentively a
moment
"Is this you, Miss Bingham? and
our folks lookin' for you high and
low And who's this party you are
hidin' out with?"
Faith raised her hand, but she did
not speak
SHOW me his face! What's the mat
ter with him." Rafferty, made step for
ward.
Keep your hands off the dead!" said
Faith.
Dead, is he? don't think you can
play that with me. If he's dead, itll not
harm him to show his face"
There is dead man whose face you
will see in the day you go to meet your
God!" Faith pointed to the river. She
had risen, and placed herself between
Rafferty, and her sleeper; and was aware
that Darcie was stirring, and her. flesh
rose in horror; she had no hope, only
to postpone the moment of discovery.
Il know you, Rafferty," said the des-
perate girl, II will bear witness against
you, if you dare come one step nearer.
Coward! you took his money, and then
you took his life!"
Come, now, that's no way for lady
to talk! l want to see who's your best
Teller. Pull that thing off his face! l
bet l know Who it is. Don't l know
them English shoes? Well, if you
won't, then stand aside. See here, now;
| don't want to put me hands on YOU"
"Ah!" cried Faith, simply shudder-
ing at him.
Rafferty, gave hoarse laugh. "Come
off the nest now, me little chicken!
It's your own doin's if I have to hurt
YOU"
Suddenly Faith felt that she was free.
Rafferty, had loosed her, and stood lis
tening.
Quit that!" came Mikes great bat
tie roar. Put up your bloody hands!
have the drop on ye."
Rafferty, had not been the last to per
ceive that this was true. 1t settled the
situation between him and Mike once
more, and for the last time. Mike walked
slowly forward, hurting taunts at his
old enemy:
CHUCK me your weepins, Raffy, me
boy. You'll not want them where
you'll be goin' shortly; you'll not be
huntin' scabs in Boise City"
AT the mention of Boise, which is the
city of approximate justice and of oc-
casional punishment, Rafferty, gave
Mike bitter look; but he offered no
retort.
II hope the climate will agree with
ye," Mike proceeded. II hear it's a
nobby buildin', the Pen, an the boys is
doin' little gard'nin'. Yell make a
fine gardiner, Rafferty,; doubtye'll turn
out pious fraction of a man"
AS he came opposite to the spot where
his prisoner stood, Mike raised his rife
and lowered his head, and suddenly he
opened cry, like one mad schoolboy de-
flying another:
Run, Rafferty,, me bould boyl" he
yelled. THE scabs is after ye! Get
move on you! Shake it up, mani Hit
the road!" and as Rafferty, ran, Mike.
roaring with laughter, leaped upon the
top of the bank, and sent his big voice
after the fugitive:
THE boat is in, Rafferty,! And the
TROOPS is on boardl That's right, I'm
tellin' ye! The throops is on board!
They're flynn light two comp'nies from
Sherman, an Gin'ral Carlin in com.
mand. Will we try the river, or will VI
try the canyonP Tell the boys if yemee,
EN- that martial LAWS out-in the Cor
de Lane!" -
Long after Rafferty, was clean out of
hearing Mike continued to dispense his
soul in barbaric boots and bowls, till
Darcie, raising on his elbow to listen for
another sound, bade him hold his in
fernal riot.
A quarter Of a mile away the troops
were disembafking. The orders de-
manded quiet landing, but Mike had
heard the roll call on board the boat be-
fore she touched the shore. And now
the tramp of feet could plainly be dis
tinguished treading the deck of the